Potpourri Post

It's an off day for the Reds, so I thought I'd steal an idea from a blog I love (Redleg Nation) and do a mixed-bag blog post. There are a number of topics that I had been thinking about posting recently, so I'll knock them out in one post!

Isle of Palms
So we successfully navigated the dreaded vacation house hunt! It's a damn thing there isn't a family version of The Amazing Race. Our family would be THE WORST EVER!!! I guess that's good and bad. We all have an equal voice, and decisions are pretty democratic. Dad tipped me to another website for the house that has a floor plan and a lot more pics. Please leave room decisions until closer to the trip!!!
Mansion on the Beach

Reds
Back to .500 on the season. Bruce and Votto seem to be waking up, and our bullpen has been outstanding. Now if we could just get Chapman into the rotation and say adios to Bailey or Leake (awful start), we'd be making progress! The guy has an ERA of 0.00.

ND
So we lost Lynch, but gained a couple of nice commitments. The Blue Gold games didn't tell us anything, excpet that we will have another 4-way QB competition this fall. I am starting to think all these 4-way competitions are really hurting the team. Our eventual #1 and #2 don't get enough reps, and that hurts when you have inexperienced QBs. I wish Kelly would just pick 2 and say they are competing for the spot. Let the rest transfer.

US Men's National Team
Is Klinsmann starting to bring the team around? We have 1-0 wins in each of our three matches this year, including AT Italy! Big match coming up against Brazil in DC, you guys going? You'll get to see the  new National Team kits. I can't say they are my favorite ever, but I do love that Nike is trying to give the USA a national identity with the kits. The women have a similar pattern. I actually just bought the Nike Prematch USA shirt, which is AWESOME! Check this bad boy out...

P90X
Soooo... Some of you have probably tried it. All of you have probably realized that you won't get a 6-pack and lose all those extra pounds like on TV or online ads. I have actually done it (for varying amounts of time) intermittently over the last 2 years. I love the workouts, and I feel very fit when I do it, but never got those results. I finally figured it out though. Just like the old adage: Weight loss requires diet AND exercise. It's simple math, calories in and calories out. So I just completed my most recent P90X cycle, and I did it religiously. Every workout, every day - including 2 vacations out of town. I also did a diet shake thing (Body By Vi) that I actually really like. The results are actually pretty amazing. I'm not going to post before and after pics here because I think that's gay and I didn't take them. I will show you my Weight Track graph that I kept track of on my iPhone (Weight, BMI, Body Fat and Waist).

These graphs track the 4 stats I kept. The image actually just puts them all on the graph using the weight as the y-axis just to see the trend. I have now officially gotten back to high school shape. Seriously. The old 33 pants (we all still have that old pair of pants that we dream about wearing one day) are actually baggy enough that I had to punch new holes in my belt to make it tighter. Will it all come back, I don't know. Probably some, but at least I got back into game shape before Piper comes along!

Fire Dusty Baker!

I know, it's April 18. As the Reds spot St. Louis 5 tonight, I have only this to consider - at least we won't lose in extra innings again! The Reds are at 4-7, and they look WAAAAAAAAAY worse than that record suggests - even if we are only 2 weeks into the season.

29 / 28 / 28 /29

That's the Reds rankings for runs, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. That is atrocious. Our pitching is just middle of the pack, but our future ace (for whom we emptied our farm system) is about to be 0-2 in 3 starts with an ERA over 7. Cueto is money, and Arroyo is Arroyo. Bailey is still the best AA pitcher in a major league rotation.

This season, which started with so much hope and so many expectations could not have started worse. But when you really look at it, we shouldn't be surprised. We tried to upgrade our rotation by dumping Volquez and plugging in Latos. We attempted to upgrade our bullpen, but really ended up just exchanging Cordero for Marshall. Pretty much a wash. We completely failed to address our 2 hitting needs - a leadoff man and a cleanup hitter. So why would we expect different results from last season? Are Votto and Phillips going to get better because they signed extensions?

Unless we make some changes, the season will surely slip away by June. Here's what I think needs to happen:

1) Fire Dusty Baker
I have grown tired of Dusty Baker's idiotic decisions, and his nonsensical justifications after he is lambasted for them. Dusty is an old-school manager. He refuses to change his style, and that is hurting this club. Some suggest a good MLB manager is only worth 5 wins or so in a year. I'll take that!!! That doesn't take into account the effect a new sheriff can have when a manager takes over and shakes things up. I often wonder if Jocketty and Dusty are in the same book, let alone on the same page! Dusty was gone at the end of the season, but I think a change now would be a very positive spark.

2) Aroldis Chapman is our 5th Starter
He is our top pitching prospect, signed to a huge deal. He has started ALL HIS LIFE. He was the best starter in spring training, and he is the best pitcher currently on our team. Chapman needs to be starting. IMMEDIATELY!

3) Our Best Players Need to be With the Team
Willie Harris (LF), Wilson Valdez (SS), Alfredo Simon (RP)? Really? I know you need depth, but these guys are worthless. They cannot be counted on to pick up the team when they play. We need younger guys who are hungry and can contribute. Didi Gregarious (SS), Denis Phips (CF) or Andrew Brackman (RP) would be worthy replacements.

4) Jay Bruce in Cleanup
Our batting order is just awful. One reason - no leadoff man. The main reason? We have no cleanup hitter. Rolen is just miserable at 4, and this is killing Votto without protection. Dusty has refused to bat Bruce at cleanup because he doesn't want two lefties batting in a row. WHAT? I know Bruce hasn't been knocking the cover off the ball, but he is our biggest hitter not named Joey.

5) Go Get a Bat
The Reds signed Ryan Ludwick hoping to catch lightning in a bottle. They didn't. If you recall, my #1 choice in the offseason was Josh Willingham. He is now TEARING IT UP in Minnesota under a 3 year $21 million deal. I am STILL pissed we didn't get this guy. He would have been PERFECT! Jocketty needs to start kicking the tires on some possible mid-season acquisitions. There are always plenty of bats available from teams out of contention. David Murphy, Adam Jones or Nolan Reimold may all be quality guys that become available.

Okay, now it's 8-1 St. Louis. It's clear that our team has issues. We can ignore them, and suffer through another 70 win season, or we can fix them. I wonder if the commitment shown by ownership this offseason will continue.

It's Over

My eternal optimism regarding ND football has been stretched to its limits in the last 10 years. I think today, it has finally been broken. Aaron Lynch is transferring.

24 years since a National Title
0 BCS wins - EVER
18 years since a meaningful Bowl win
19 years since we were ranked #1
10 years since we were ranked in the Top 10

We are a private school that relies on national recruiting. The current college landscape has created more high quality teams in different parts of the country (increased parity), and it is getting harder to win those recruiting battles. Even the ones we do win often are for nothing. How many ND commitments have flipped RIGHT BEFORE signing day in the last 10 years? Too many to count. How many people have committed and then changed their mind, willing to sit out a year? Well, in the past 2 months, we have lost 2 elite players - Tee Shepherd and now Lynch. We are not exactly stockpiling talent.

Our schedule is BRUTAL, and is getting tougher to keep reasonable. We have to front load a lot of big games to avoid the conference scheduling that has become more substantial. This year, we are looking at one of the toughest schedules in history. We will be lucky to get 8 wins.

Coaching has taken a huge hit since Holtz. Brian Kelly seems like a great coach, but there are some HUGE deficiencies in this team that he has been unable to address in over two years. Do we have a starting QB yet? I am starting to question his leadership as well. Why are all these young players transferring?

I think we are in big trouble. I don't think joining a conference is the answer, but our poor play may force that upon us in the very near future. I don't see some savior coach bailing us out. Really, I think the only chance we have to get things back on track is for some unexpected player to EXPLODE, single-handedly carrying us to another level. Typically, that has to be a QB or maybe a RB. When I look at our roster, I don't see that player right now.

Realistically, I see us as at best an 8-9 win team in the foreseeable future. With no conference or bowl alliance, our post-season options will dwindle. I don't think we will be a BCS caliber team again. I'll still cheer, but I think the days of Notre Dame competing for a National Title are over. A very, very sad day of realization for me.

Cincinnati Yankees

Holy cow! I was driving home Monday evening listening to 700 WLW for some Reds scoop with opening day approaching. They said that an extension with Joey Votto was imminent. I was shocked and excited, and followed the news updates online the rest of the evening. It is now official.

Joey Votto is a Red through 2024.

Not only is this the longest contract in MLB history, it is one of the richest. The 10 year extension on top of his 2 remaining contract seasons totals out to 12 years, $251.5 million. It is only the 5th contract to ever exceed $200 million with the previous 3 guys: ARod (twice), Pujols and Fielder.

There have been endless debates about this deal and what it means for the Reds' future. The overall reaction seems to be that the Reds are crazy and the deal is insane. Some idiot at CBS states:

"As a baseball deal, it makes no sense."

I couldn't disagree more. The Reds are at the cusp, in many ways. Their young talent is almost matured. They have a recent Division title and playoff appearance. They are projected to compete for the Division again this year. They have a bunch of good players that are making small rookie contracts. They are pushing their budget. New MLB revenue is on the horizon from renegotiated TV deals. The Banks is finally finishing out, bringing a LOT of new people downtown to the Ballpark. Attendance, TV viewers and radio listeners is all on the rise.

A lot of things seem to be coming together for the Reds, and I think the time was right. Lock up a young superstar and build around him. I can't help but laugh at criticism of this deal. The Reds team salary is about $76 million. That is about 19th in the league. Compare that to the Yankees at $196 million, and you may wonder how the Reds can afford Votto. Well, he is making $12 million this year and $17 million next year. This extension adds about $8 million to the current payroll per year. That still leaves the Reds well below $100 million. So really it doesn't break the bank. Will the Reds be able to sign other players? OF COURSE!!! All signs above point to improved income for the team and I think we can count on a competitive team for the next decade.

Something tells me that people are just jealous or incredulous that the small-market Reds bucked the trend and extended their young superstar at market value. Who would you rather have:

Pujols: 10 years / $240 million / 32 / Career .328/42 HR/126 RBI
In decline over last 3 years which will continue

Fielder: 9 years / $214 million / 27 / .282/37 HR/106 RBI
At peak, with no real improvement coming

Votto: 12 years / $251.5 million / 28 / .313/31 HR/105 RBI
Still without a cleanup hitter ever behind him, with big improvement possible

I go with Votto, no matter what team I am. The guy has his own cereal!!! By the way, with both Pujols and Fielder now in the AL, and Howard out in Philly, I think Votto is already the starting 1B for the National League at the All-Star game - maybe for the next 10 years!

I am very excited about the season, and plan on making a nice purchase next time I hit a game.

Joey Votto lands big deal

Yeah, there's rumors out there about a 10-year, $225 million contract for Joey, but the big news is his new cereal. Read here to find out more.

Ishtar on Mars

"Imagine you're at a picnic, and you have a paper plate. Not the rigid kind, but the flimsy kind where you have to double up, or it won't be strong enough, only you didn't double up, so you just have one. When you get to the head of the line, you're served a large dollop of oatmealy, sick person's poop, and then another dollop. Right onto the paper plate. Two servings is too much for the plate. Being paper, it buckles under the pressure and the moisture. Still, the soup spoon keeps serving—three, four, five, six—and the slop piles high. The soup spoon starts to bend and your paper plate begins to disintegrate. Eventually you back away and, in this bad dream, you have to somehow maneuver the paper plate, without spilling it, through a cramped room packed with psychotic monkeys. But, of course, you spill it. Right down your front. Now you're covered in shit.

That's Disney's John Carter in a nutshell."


Wow! That's the opening paragraph from Slant Magazine's review of John Carter. It has been a LONG time since I recall an epic failure of such proportions for a blockbuster of this size. The movie reportedly cost $250 million to make, and had HEAVY marketing estimated to bring the total tab up to $300 mill. It is now projected to LOSE $200 million!!! I haven't seen it, and have never had any desire to do so. The point of this post is not to pile on John Carter, but to ask a simple question:

Can a web site jump the shark?

I have been a huge fan of Harry Knowles web site, Ain't It Cool News, for years. I have always admired Harry and his crew for their unabashed enthusiasm for action, adventure, sci-fi and horror films. If there is a big movie you want to see, Ain't It Cool has got you covered. Sometimes, Harry goes against the grain and lets his emotions get the best of him in reviewing a film. That has always been a draw for me, as it seems he is just a big fan of movies - just like you or me.

In recent years, it seems Harry's reviews and opinions have been off-base quite a bit. Some in the media have questioned his credibility. His web site has millions of readers, and good publicity on it can lead to a big box office for a new movie. Harry and his staff attend events paid for by the movie studios, including visits to movie sets and premieres. One wonders if these events would be offered should a scathing review follow.

So it was very interesting when Harry posted his recent review of John Carter:

Harry's 145,002 word review of JOHN CARTER!!!

Don't worry, it isn't actually that long! Needless to say, he loved it. Not only that, but EVERYONE he has spoken to who has seen the movie loved it. That includes fans of the book, newcomers, other websites, AICN staffers, and AICN readers. Huh? Is he serious?

Fast forward to opening weekend. The movie is a critical and commercial disaster from the outset. Does Harry or AICN rethink their opinions? No way!

Mr. Beaks Takes Issue With The Coverage Of JOHN CARTER!

They go fullspeed ahead defending the movie taking the stance that the media has an axe to grind and is being unfair - WAH!

Think they would let it go after that, and with continued savaging of the film everywhere? Nope!

If you haven't seen JOHN CARTER, this fan trailer nails it! This is how the film could have been sold...

Seriously!?? Are they still trying to explain why they are right and THE ENTIRE WORLD IS WRONG? Now Harry blames Disney for bad marketing. Marketing which he has PRAISED effusively on his own web site for months!!!

I think I may have to drop Ain't It Cool News from the old web reading list. These guys have gone off the deep end. Anybody got any good upcoming movie sites they like to read?

This Could Be Really Interesting

Yesterday news broke that basically the entire Saints coaching staff, plus their general manager, would be suspended for the upcoming NFL season as a result of their bounty scandal. Today, people are already starting to write-off the Saints season, but for the wrong reasons entirely. It's true that if the actual players involved in the bounty program face similar punishment, the season would be in jeopardy. A good portion of the Saints defense, including star linebacker Jonathan Vilma, were involved and their losses would be devastating to the team's hopes. But the Saints have always been about offense. And they'll still have Drew Brees, one of the best quarterbacks in the league running the show.

What I would find very intriguing is if the Saints said, "F**k it. We're letting the players coach."

For the past several decades coaches in the NFL have taken on demigod status. They're constantly referred to as "gurus" or "geniuses". They're glorified for consistently putting in 16+ hour workdays the entire year round, sleeping at team facilities, and destroying their families in the pursuit of winning. What has been implied is that coaches drive the NFL, not the players, but there has always been the alternate theory that players make the coach. The list of NFL coaches that have excelled with future Hall of Famers leading their teams only to fall flat on their faces with another team with averages Joes is extensive - Shanahan, Parcells, and Jimmy Johnson, to name just a few. Coaches are saviors. "If we could just get a good coach he could coach up these guys and turn things around!"

So what if a team won without an established coaching staff? Brees already was a ringleader in pulling his team together and organizing workouts during last year's lockout. He's the undisputed team leader. Everyone on that team respects him and would follow his lead. I'd love it if Tom Benson just threw him the keys and said, "It's your team this year." If there's any team in the NFL that could pull this off, it'd be the Saints. Again, Brees is established and knows the organization, and they're going to have a huge us-against-them mentality to rally around. Besides, it's super late in the off-season already and you know Payton is coming back. What coach in his right mind would even want the gig?

Every pundit, announcer, and former player now on TV would shout that the Saints were throwing away the season by not hiring an experienced coach. And if the Saints defied expectations and actually won it would throw everything we've been told about the importance of a good coach right out the window. In short, it would be awesome.

Death of a Legend

I guess I can't say I'm surprised. The latest casualty of the digital age is the Encyclopedia Britannica. Following in the path of newspapers, DVDs, CDs and even books, Encyclopedia Britannica today announced they will no longer offer a printed edition of their vaunted set. First published in 1768, the latest edition, published in 2010, will be it's last.

I could go on and on about Encyclopedia Britannica and what the loss means as far as progress, but I think that is really just sentiment. In reality, no encyclopedia can keep up with the rapid pace of knowledge now available online - for free. However, I wanted to focus in a bit more on my own personal experiences with it. I remember when Mom and Dad bought our family set. I don't know how much it cost, but I'm sure it wasn't cheap! At first, I was just astounded by the details and knowledge that it offered. Prior to the internet, their were 3 ways to learn things: in school, from your parents, or at the library using card catalogs. Britannica offered me a better way.

This set sitting on the shelf in our living room had the answers to almost every question I had. I didn't have to ask someone, or get to the library, or wait until it came up in school. I could look myself. That was a great thing. I can't even begin to count the number of reports that I wrote based upon those books. I know I spent countless hours reading them just for fun as well. I will say without a doubt, that my education was vastly enhanced by this set. Who knows where I might be today without having Encyclopedia Britannica in our house when I was younger.

That same set stills sits on the shelf on Copperglow. Gathering dust, it is now officially a relic. It really only has worth for sentimental value now, but I say it was one of the best investments our parents ever made.

DIBBS!!!

The Onion

I mentioned to Steph last week that either Rick Santorum is the biggest phony in the Republican party - pandering to the far-right voters with his recents comments - or he is batshit crazy. Seems The Onion decided to run with the latter. I try not to get too political around these parts, but, geebus, this guy is f***ing nuts.

UPDATED: You'd think this was also an Onion satire piece, but sadly it's an actual bunch of scientists demonstrating that people are inherently too stupid for democracy to flourish.

/sigh

Things Could Always Be Worse!

This ones for you Bryan!

Can you tell I'm getting a little fired up for the Reds in 2012? Two consecutive béisbol posts!!! This one was just too good to pass up.

I was a little miffed when the Bengals were recently ranked as the worst sports franchise in America. They have been to 2 Super Bowls since 1980, won their division multiple times and have been in the playoffs 3 times in the past 6 years. How does that compare to the poor Pittsburgh Pirates?

The poor Pirates have had 19 consecutive losing seasons!!! That is a record for all 4 major sports leagues in America. Normally, I wouldn't pile it on. I don't hate the Pirates. They even tend to have the Reds number from time to time. However, this is just too damn unlucky not to post. The video is awesomely gruesome too!

The Pirates started off hot last year. They were the darlings of MLB for a couple months before fading away. This year, they pulled a pretty big trade getting AJ Burnett from the Yankees. Granted, he has severely dropped off in recent seasons, but he is a pretty big star and a surefire innings eater, right?

WRONG! Burnett will be out 2 to 3 months after his batting practice mishap. Damn designated hitter rule! I really do feel your pain Bryan.