2007's round of Interleague Play came to a screeching halt last night with the conclusion of the Tigers/Braves and Astros/Rangers games. I watched the former last night and it turns out the latter was the more interesting game. Sigh...
So once again, the AL beat the NL senseless and took its lunch money. In other shocking news from The Vatican, turns out The Pope is catholic. I broke it down by division, and here's what that looks like:
AL East: 45-45, .500
AL Central: 48-42, .533
AL West: 44-28, .611
NL East: 38-43, .469
NL Central: 43-50, .462
NL West: 34-44, .436
So the AL won 137-115. The shining examples of AL's dominance were the Tigers and Angels, who each went 14-4 in Interleague play this season. Meanwhile, only six NL teams finished interleague play with winning records. The only NL teams to finish more than one game over .500 against the AL were the Cubs and the Rockies. The 8-4 Interleague Cubs clearly took advantage of their limited schedule, winning 5 of 6 against the White Sox (including the sweep this weekend), who had their asses handed to them by the NL this year (4-14). You could point out the fact that the Rockies swept the Yankees earlier this week, but they promptly got swept in Toronto this weekend, so that doesn't explain their 10-8 Interleague record. Series wins against Tampa Bay, Baltimore, and Boston explains it. Though they did lose a series to the Royals. Go figure...
So what now? I'm not really a baseball purist, but I'm thinking Interleague Play should be scrapped. The AL has always won Interleague play (please leave a comment if I'm wrong about this) since its inception. The other sad reality is the lack of intriguing matchups. You have five (Mets/Yankees, Cubs/White Sox, Astros/Rangers, Dodgers/Angels, Giants/Athletics) and that's kinda it. I also don't think it's an accurate representation of how a team fares against the opposing league. Think about it: This season, the Yankees play as many games against the Red Sox - 18 - as they did against the entire National League. AND the Cubs only played 12 games against the American League - half of which were against a horrible White Sox team! So yeah - either add more Interleague games to balance it out a little more or scrap the whole thing.
But at least we got to see a no-hitter during Interleague play this year. We almost had two...
Monday, June 25, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
A Young Person's Guide To All Things METAL!!!
Have you ever been completely confused by the many subgenres in the world of heavy metal? Do you need help deciphering what is and what isn't metal? Well, fear not, grasshopper, 'cause I'm here to help. With this handy dandy little guide, you should be able to understand what goes where in the world of metal and what is most definitely not metal. So, turn up your computer speakers as loud as you can and let's rock.
First off, let's talk Hard Rock. What's the difference between Hard Rock and Heavy Metal? Well, that's simple. Heavy Metal is metal, while Hard Rock isn't. For example, take AC/DC and Wolfmother. Both are Hard Rock bands. Almost metal, but not quite. I think it has something to do with actual melodies and the distortion pedals not set on full gain. A band like Clutch fits into this category as well.
Now, let's get into METAL!!!. The first stop is the straight-up Traditional Metal.
Traditional Metal - This is a good place to start on your journey into all things heavy. To get into Traditional metal, look for early Metallica (of course, it wouldn't be metal of me to say anything nice about more recent Metallica. Too bad we all know damn well every late-period Metallica basher still owns Reload and St. Anger...), Megadeth, Anthrax, Iron Maiden, Testament, Pantera (one of my personal favorites) and - for a more modern example - Avenged Sevenfold. They definitely picked up the Traditional Metal flag in recent years, despite (due to?) the overt cheesiness of their lyrical content. I should probably mention Godsmack here, but I won't because Godsmack sucks.
Thrash/Speed Metal - This is the genre for people who wish NOFX was heavy and Pantera played faster. Sadly for the latter, their only serious foray into speed metal was the awesome "Fucking Hostile". But let's talk bands. Once again, early Metallica comes into play here (specifically, the first two albums). But besides them, look into bands like Slayer, Sepultura, Suicidal Tendencies, and Overkill, with Strapping Young Lad leading the modern charge.
Alternative Metal - This is generally what happened to metal when the 1980's ended. Practitioners Of The Metal started trying new ideas and generally started to slow tempos down, favoring power and groove over raw speed. I'm lumping nu-metal and rap metal in here 'cause I don't wanna talk about them by themselves. Anyway, here is where you look for bands like System of a Down, Snot (who both have their own speed metal tendencies), Rage Against The Machine, Sevendust, Slipknot, Mudvayne, and so on. But not Fall Out Boy. Fall Out Boy is not metal.
Industrial Metal - This is for people who wish their metal sounded more electronic-y and colder than most metal does. Classic examples: Fear Factory and White Zombie. Some people think Strapping Young Lad is Industrial metal, but I'm not buying that one.
Progressive Metal - metal for math geeks (speaking of which, I'm lumping math metal into this one). This is metal for people who can stand some cheese and live for time changes and extended suites. Or, in the case of the most excellent "hardcore meets prog metal" Dillinger Escape Plan, time changes and a purveying sense of confusion. The band long considered the cream of the progressive metal crop is Dream Theater. Judging by the Dream Theater rip-off acts that have sent me friend requests on Myspace, That consideration still holds true. But besides them, look for bands like Symphony X, Evergrey, Mudvayne (math metal), and definitely Opeth (if you don't mind a touch of death in your prog metal). If you also want Progressive metal but you don't want those pesky lyrics and singers getting in the way, then look no further than Liquid Tension Experiment and Planet X.
Hair Metal - I'm just acknowledging its existence. It exists. Now, if you want REAL metal cheese, look no further than...
Power Metal - Demons and Dragons and Swords and the NIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!! Referred to by a few of my friends as "Viking Metal", power metal is just that. Power. And cheese, holy CRAP is there cheese to be found. It's like a metal cheese wheel rolling down a steep cliff (or, uh, hill). Frankly, you wind up asking yourself if they're really being serious with this stuff as you listen to it. The most obvious example is Manowar. But, also check out bands like Blind Guardian, Sonata Arctica (power metal with a progressive edge - see Symphony X), Dragonforce (waaay over the top - you can tell they don't take themselves too seriously), and Mastodon (a band that found a way to make power metal cool).
Death Metal - And here is where you find the "cookie monster" style vocals. This is for metal heads who don't appreciate all that "melody" nonsense. But in reality, you'll find some musicians who know what the hell they're doing in here as well. Your death metal purveyor is, well, Death. But, you'll also find bands like Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Obituary, and Morbid Angel here. And, of course...Dethklok, anyone?
Black metal - Now, I've always thought that this was stretching a little. However, you'll find differences between Black and Death metal if you look hard enough. Black metal is kinda like Death metal's goth-y little brother. And yes, Black metal practitioners tend to wear makeup onstage and in press photos (but no colors outside of black and white. They call it "corpsepaint"). Here, you'll find bands like Dimmu Borgir, Satyricon, Immortal, Mayhem, and Old Man's Child. I probably should talk about Cradle of Filth here, but I'm not going to because nobody listens to Cradle of Filth on their own volition.
Doom/Sludge metal - DOOM! DOOOOOOM! Here is a subgenre that really sacrifices speed for vibe and power. This is also probably the only type of metal that doesn't make for good driving music. The Patient Man's Metal, Doom/Sludge metal works slowly and takes its time, but still knows where it's going. The clearest example is Type O Negative here (though some call them Goth Metal, which is Black Metal with a sense of melody), but also check out bands like Eyehategod, Isis, Corrosion of Conformity, and Cathedral.
Metalcore - Possibly the dumbest name of all the metal subgenres. This is a genre that combines the music of Traditional and Thrash metal with vocals straight out of hardcore. This is probably the logical evolution from a band like Biohazard. If you want Metalcore, you'll be looking for bands like Hatebreed, Chimaira, Diecast (if you want some singing to go with your blood-curdling screams), Evergreen Terrace, and Lamb of God to a lesser extent.
Grindcore - The Metal of Confusion. Noisy, hard to understand, surprisingly nimble, and over before you know what hit you, let alone figure out what the hell is going on. But most of the time, when you dig below the surface, you discover that they don't take themselves as seriously as you might think. Believe me, that can be fun in its own right. Your premier grindcore band is The Locust (I saw them live once. It was confusing but still fun), but also look for bands like A.C. and The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza.
This leaves me with the current crop of metal permeating airwaves as we speak. It has some of the same ideals as Metalcore but with some more Traditional and Thrash elements. That and most of them feature frontmen that can seriously sing as well as scream their brains out. I don't know what to call it, so I won't bother. I'll just enjoy it. For this, check out Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, God Forbid, Unearth, and Mastodon (if you want some power metal to go with that).
Welp, there you have it. I've probably left some subgenres off of this list, but meh...whatever. To wrap this up, here are my 10 favorite metal bands in no particular order except perhaps for number 1:
1. Pantera
2. Opeth
3. System of a Down
4. Strapping Young Lad
5. Mudvayne
6. Deftones
7. Dillinger Escape Plan
8. Mastodon
9. Metallica
10. Black Sabbath (the legends)
Happy Metaling.
First off, let's talk Hard Rock. What's the difference between Hard Rock and Heavy Metal? Well, that's simple. Heavy Metal is metal, while Hard Rock isn't. For example, take AC/DC and Wolfmother. Both are Hard Rock bands. Almost metal, but not quite. I think it has something to do with actual melodies and the distortion pedals not set on full gain. A band like Clutch fits into this category as well.
Now, let's get into METAL!!!. The first stop is the straight-up Traditional Metal.
Traditional Metal - This is a good place to start on your journey into all things heavy. To get into Traditional metal, look for early Metallica (of course, it wouldn't be metal of me to say anything nice about more recent Metallica. Too bad we all know damn well every late-period Metallica basher still owns Reload and St. Anger...), Megadeth, Anthrax, Iron Maiden, Testament, Pantera (one of my personal favorites) and - for a more modern example - Avenged Sevenfold. They definitely picked up the Traditional Metal flag in recent years, despite (due to?) the overt cheesiness of their lyrical content. I should probably mention Godsmack here, but I won't because Godsmack sucks.
Thrash/Speed Metal - This is the genre for people who wish NOFX was heavy and Pantera played faster. Sadly for the latter, their only serious foray into speed metal was the awesome "Fucking Hostile". But let's talk bands. Once again, early Metallica comes into play here (specifically, the first two albums). But besides them, look into bands like Slayer, Sepultura, Suicidal Tendencies, and Overkill, with Strapping Young Lad leading the modern charge.
Alternative Metal - This is generally what happened to metal when the 1980's ended. Practitioners Of The Metal started trying new ideas and generally started to slow tempos down, favoring power and groove over raw speed. I'm lumping nu-metal and rap metal in here 'cause I don't wanna talk about them by themselves. Anyway, here is where you look for bands like System of a Down, Snot (who both have their own speed metal tendencies), Rage Against The Machine, Sevendust, Slipknot, Mudvayne, and so on. But not Fall Out Boy. Fall Out Boy is not metal.
Industrial Metal - This is for people who wish their metal sounded more electronic-y and colder than most metal does. Classic examples: Fear Factory and White Zombie. Some people think Strapping Young Lad is Industrial metal, but I'm not buying that one.
Progressive Metal - metal for math geeks (speaking of which, I'm lumping math metal into this one). This is metal for people who can stand some cheese and live for time changes and extended suites. Or, in the case of the most excellent "hardcore meets prog metal" Dillinger Escape Plan, time changes and a purveying sense of confusion. The band long considered the cream of the progressive metal crop is Dream Theater. Judging by the Dream Theater rip-off acts that have sent me friend requests on Myspace, That consideration still holds true. But besides them, look for bands like Symphony X, Evergrey, Mudvayne (math metal), and definitely Opeth (if you don't mind a touch of death in your prog metal). If you also want Progressive metal but you don't want those pesky lyrics and singers getting in the way, then look no further than Liquid Tension Experiment and Planet X.
Hair Metal - I'm just acknowledging its existence. It exists. Now, if you want REAL metal cheese, look no further than...
Power Metal - Demons and Dragons and Swords and the NIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!! Referred to by a few of my friends as "Viking Metal", power metal is just that. Power. And cheese, holy CRAP is there cheese to be found. It's like a metal cheese wheel rolling down a steep cliff (or, uh, hill). Frankly, you wind up asking yourself if they're really being serious with this stuff as you listen to it. The most obvious example is Manowar. But, also check out bands like Blind Guardian, Sonata Arctica (power metal with a progressive edge - see Symphony X), Dragonforce (waaay over the top - you can tell they don't take themselves too seriously), and Mastodon (a band that found a way to make power metal cool).
Death Metal - And here is where you find the "cookie monster" style vocals. This is for metal heads who don't appreciate all that "melody" nonsense. But in reality, you'll find some musicians who know what the hell they're doing in here as well. Your death metal purveyor is, well, Death. But, you'll also find bands like Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Obituary, and Morbid Angel here. And, of course...Dethklok, anyone?
Black metal - Now, I've always thought that this was stretching a little. However, you'll find differences between Black and Death metal if you look hard enough. Black metal is kinda like Death metal's goth-y little brother. And yes, Black metal practitioners tend to wear makeup onstage and in press photos (but no colors outside of black and white. They call it "corpsepaint"). Here, you'll find bands like Dimmu Borgir, Satyricon, Immortal, Mayhem, and Old Man's Child. I probably should talk about Cradle of Filth here, but I'm not going to because nobody listens to Cradle of Filth on their own volition.
Doom/Sludge metal - DOOM! DOOOOOOM! Here is a subgenre that really sacrifices speed for vibe and power. This is also probably the only type of metal that doesn't make for good driving music. The Patient Man's Metal, Doom/Sludge metal works slowly and takes its time, but still knows where it's going. The clearest example is Type O Negative here (though some call them Goth Metal, which is Black Metal with a sense of melody), but also check out bands like Eyehategod, Isis, Corrosion of Conformity, and Cathedral.
Metalcore - Possibly the dumbest name of all the metal subgenres. This is a genre that combines the music of Traditional and Thrash metal with vocals straight out of hardcore. This is probably the logical evolution from a band like Biohazard. If you want Metalcore, you'll be looking for bands like Hatebreed, Chimaira, Diecast (if you want some singing to go with your blood-curdling screams), Evergreen Terrace, and Lamb of God to a lesser extent.
Grindcore - The Metal of Confusion. Noisy, hard to understand, surprisingly nimble, and over before you know what hit you, let alone figure out what the hell is going on. But most of the time, when you dig below the surface, you discover that they don't take themselves as seriously as you might think. Believe me, that can be fun in its own right. Your premier grindcore band is The Locust (I saw them live once. It was confusing but still fun), but also look for bands like A.C. and The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza.
This leaves me with the current crop of metal permeating airwaves as we speak. It has some of the same ideals as Metalcore but with some more Traditional and Thrash elements. That and most of them feature frontmen that can seriously sing as well as scream their brains out. I don't know what to call it, so I won't bother. I'll just enjoy it. For this, check out Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, God Forbid, Unearth, and Mastodon (if you want some power metal to go with that).
Welp, there you have it. I've probably left some subgenres off of this list, but meh...whatever. To wrap this up, here are my 10 favorite metal bands in no particular order except perhaps for number 1:
1. Pantera
2. Opeth
3. System of a Down
4. Strapping Young Lad
5. Mudvayne
6. Deftones
7. Dillinger Escape Plan
8. Mastodon
9. Metallica
10. Black Sabbath (the legends)
Happy Metaling.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Back...
I thought about using something like “McNally’s Back” or “The Return of McNally”, but quite frankly, both of those titles are really dumb. Let’s just say rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. My absence was part writer’s block, and part new girlfriend. Though writers block is easy to dismiss, sports typically becomes secondary in lieu of potential… well you know. Nevertheless I have returned, which will no doubt alleviate the worries of all four readers. Moving on…
Basketball-
Tony Parker won the MVP, and this is why I hate the NBA. What kind of a world do we live in where a French native is a finals MVP? This would never happen if Hunter S. Thompson were still alive. Not that he has direct control over such things, but damnit, he just wouldn’t let it happen. Well at least the series was exciting *insert sarcastic tone here*. Is it me, or have all the Spurs’ championships been the equivalent to watching Classic Curling Competitions (Only on VS)? Is the East just that non-competitive or are the Spurs just that mundane. Probably both, but that’s ok, with both Durant and Oden going to Western Conference teams, the East is due for a comeback in about 10 years. Which reminds me; let us take this moment to mourn the Celtics’ loss. *Ahem* Ha-ha Boston. All that time spent losing, just to lose where it counted the most. Normally I’d be an advocate for teams associated with Irish culture; too bad Boston fans are total Massholes…
Sadly, I don’t think Lebron is ever going to win a championship, at least not with the Cavaliers. I know he evidently made “LeLeap” or whatever transcendence that basketball players make, but he was unable to duplicate his performance in the finals. Just ask A-Rod what its like to have various impressive accolades without a ring. Probably doesn’t seem like much of a consolation. I detest people who are content with just “getting there”. It’s the sports equivalent of getting dumped and saying “Well it’s for the best”. Lebron is too good for the Cav’s to have potential for a high draft pick, which means he’ll probably never find his Pippen or Shaq while he is under the Cleveland organization. It’s really unfortunate because I actually like Lebron. Those “The Lebrons” commercials are hysterical. He’s not a whiny bitch like Kobe, and he doesn’t make those annoying T-Mobile commercials like Dwayne Wade. And he’s not French, although the name Lebron is a little suspect. These are the things that make a champion.
Hockey-
Ladies and Aquatic Mammals with Webbed Feet, may I present your 2007 Stanley Cup Champions! I was thrilled to see the Ducks win, if for no other reason then this was the first time since the Avs beat the Devils that the team I was favoring was the team to hoist the Cup. I just couldn’t get excited about Ottawa, although the H-A-S line was pretty entertaining throughout. Still, Ottawa beat Buffalo, which left a sour taste in my mouth. You kind of always hope the team that sends your team golfing are the ones to win it all. This transference occurs simply because you want to say your team was beaten by the best. Unless of course you team lost to the New Jersey Devils. Have I made enough compulsive anti-Devils comments at this point for readers to just assume their implication? This will save me some time in the future.
Although I enjoyed the Duck’s winning the Cup, I was a little disappointed in the series. 5 games isn’t very exciting, although each individual game was great to watch. Especially game 3, I enjoyed that one tremendously. I was also tremendously wasted at the time, which might account for some entertainment value. I hate to admit it, but I don’t particularly like Chris Pronger anymore. I understand that he is a defenseman, and a certain amount of physicality is a requisite for the position, but two playoff (PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS? Sorry random Mora moment) suspensions are two too many. There wasn’t much doubt as to the appropriateness of each suspension either, unless you’re a resident of Southern California. Scott Burnside put it best, he’s lucky he didn’t cost his team the championship. And I hate agreeing with Burnside, which just adds to my dislike of Pronger.
Before I get to Baseball, I would like to designate this part of the blog as a moment of silence for the recently incarcerated Paris Hilton.
Wait for it…
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! You know, its circumstances like these that really make me believe in a higher power. There’s enough media coverage to start calling this “The Simple Life: Prison Sentence”. I mean really, how great is this? All we’re missing is a Lindsey Lohan/Britney Spears telethon called “Live from Rehab: Free Paris Now!” I really believe society needs events like these, to remind us that there are a lot of stupid people out there, so live with caution.
Baseball-
The New York Yankees have won 9 straight. 9 Straight! That’s quite an accomplishment considering these particulars:
1) Their pitching staff is the most diluted and overworked in baseball.
2) Both John Sterling and Michael Kay are still employed, which is detrimental to team morale.
3) Their level of play has been wildly inconsistent, which is what you want with a 200 million dollar payroll.
4) George Steinbrenner has been eerily quiet, which leads me to believe he has either been killed or kidnapped.
5) Joe Torre is a flat out narcoleptic. Not that I don’t like Joe. Seriously though, get help Mr. Torre.
Are the Yankees finally turning things around? Possibly, although they did just get shut out by the Mets. I don’t know it’s too early to tell, too many question marks, too many geriatric starters. They have been playing some fantastic baseball lately, it’s really a shame they just can’t play the Pirates and the D-Backs for the rest of the regular season.
Basketball-
Tony Parker won the MVP, and this is why I hate the NBA. What kind of a world do we live in where a French native is a finals MVP? This would never happen if Hunter S. Thompson were still alive. Not that he has direct control over such things, but damnit, he just wouldn’t let it happen. Well at least the series was exciting *insert sarcastic tone here*. Is it me, or have all the Spurs’ championships been the equivalent to watching Classic Curling Competitions (Only on VS)? Is the East just that non-competitive or are the Spurs just that mundane. Probably both, but that’s ok, with both Durant and Oden going to Western Conference teams, the East is due for a comeback in about 10 years. Which reminds me; let us take this moment to mourn the Celtics’ loss. *Ahem* Ha-ha Boston. All that time spent losing, just to lose where it counted the most. Normally I’d be an advocate for teams associated with Irish culture; too bad Boston fans are total Massholes…
Sadly, I don’t think Lebron is ever going to win a championship, at least not with the Cavaliers. I know he evidently made “LeLeap” or whatever transcendence that basketball players make, but he was unable to duplicate his performance in the finals. Just ask A-Rod what its like to have various impressive accolades without a ring. Probably doesn’t seem like much of a consolation. I detest people who are content with just “getting there”. It’s the sports equivalent of getting dumped and saying “Well it’s for the best”. Lebron is too good for the Cav’s to have potential for a high draft pick, which means he’ll probably never find his Pippen or Shaq while he is under the Cleveland organization. It’s really unfortunate because I actually like Lebron. Those “The Lebrons” commercials are hysterical. He’s not a whiny bitch like Kobe, and he doesn’t make those annoying T-Mobile commercials like Dwayne Wade. And he’s not French, although the name Lebron is a little suspect. These are the things that make a champion.
Hockey-
Ladies and Aquatic Mammals with Webbed Feet, may I present your 2007 Stanley Cup Champions! I was thrilled to see the Ducks win, if for no other reason then this was the first time since the Avs beat the Devils that the team I was favoring was the team to hoist the Cup. I just couldn’t get excited about Ottawa, although the H-A-S line was pretty entertaining throughout. Still, Ottawa beat Buffalo, which left a sour taste in my mouth. You kind of always hope the team that sends your team golfing are the ones to win it all. This transference occurs simply because you want to say your team was beaten by the best. Unless of course you team lost to the New Jersey Devils. Have I made enough compulsive anti-Devils comments at this point for readers to just assume their implication? This will save me some time in the future.
Although I enjoyed the Duck’s winning the Cup, I was a little disappointed in the series. 5 games isn’t very exciting, although each individual game was great to watch. Especially game 3, I enjoyed that one tremendously. I was also tremendously wasted at the time, which might account for some entertainment value. I hate to admit it, but I don’t particularly like Chris Pronger anymore. I understand that he is a defenseman, and a certain amount of physicality is a requisite for the position, but two playoff (PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS? Sorry random Mora moment) suspensions are two too many. There wasn’t much doubt as to the appropriateness of each suspension either, unless you’re a resident of Southern California. Scott Burnside put it best, he’s lucky he didn’t cost his team the championship. And I hate agreeing with Burnside, which just adds to my dislike of Pronger.
Before I get to Baseball, I would like to designate this part of the blog as a moment of silence for the recently incarcerated Paris Hilton.
Wait for it…
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! You know, its circumstances like these that really make me believe in a higher power. There’s enough media coverage to start calling this “The Simple Life: Prison Sentence”. I mean really, how great is this? All we’re missing is a Lindsey Lohan/Britney Spears telethon called “Live from Rehab: Free Paris Now!” I really believe society needs events like these, to remind us that there are a lot of stupid people out there, so live with caution.
Baseball-
The New York Yankees have won 9 straight. 9 Straight! That’s quite an accomplishment considering these particulars:
1) Their pitching staff is the most diluted and overworked in baseball.
2) Both John Sterling and Michael Kay are still employed, which is detrimental to team morale.
3) Their level of play has been wildly inconsistent, which is what you want with a 200 million dollar payroll.
4) George Steinbrenner has been eerily quiet, which leads me to believe he has either been killed or kidnapped.
5) Joe Torre is a flat out narcoleptic. Not that I don’t like Joe. Seriously though, get help Mr. Torre.
Are the Yankees finally turning things around? Possibly, although they did just get shut out by the Mets. I don’t know it’s too early to tell, too many question marks, too many geriatric starters. They have been playing some fantastic baseball lately, it’s really a shame they just can’t play the Pirates and the D-Backs for the rest of the regular season.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
We Have A No-Hitter!
I tuned into ESPN tonight just in time to see whatever they were showing pre-empted by Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander trying to complete a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers with two outs in the ninth inning. Aaaannnd.... HE DID IT! 112 pitches, 0 hits, 4 walks, 12 strikeouts. The interesting stat line belongs to Brewers center fielder Bill Hall. He went 0 for 0 at the plate, drawing three out of the four walks issued by Verlander. But still, a certainly masterful performance by a HIGHLY promising young pitcher.
And then, hours later, I witnessed three Los Angeles Dodgers hit home runs on consecutive pitches. Not only that, but the third home run hitter was their pitcher! AND, the shortest home run travelled 408 feet, so those baseballs were hit HARD. That was friggin' COOL...
WHERE ARE THE CHEETOS?!?!?!
And then, hours later, I witnessed three Los Angeles Dodgers hit home runs on consecutive pitches. Not only that, but the third home run hitter was their pitcher! AND, the shortest home run travelled 408 feet, so those baseballs were hit HARD. That was friggin' COOL...
WHERE ARE THE CHEETOS?!?!?!
Saturday, June 9, 2007
BergerReview: The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza
Come on - just look at the band name! That was enough to get me interested. The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza is, by far, one of the most amazingly ridiculous band names I've ever seen (in a very good way, I must add). Couple that with a fondness for metal and an ear recently turned on to Dillinger Escape Plan, and I simply had to check these guys out. Sure, the band name can be easily seen as a gimmick, but if that's what draws people to this startlingly good band, then by it's a damn good gimmick. These guys are fantastic.
Clocking in at 10 tracks and a whopping 28:39, TTDTE drives their message home quite clearly in their self-titled album's short time frame. It's confusing, it's aggressive, it's pretty silly in places (come on - could a band with a name like this REALLY take themselves seriously?!), and it's far more in control than one might think. Throughout the album, the guitar work is nimble, vicious, and most importantly, extremely tight. Complimenting that is drummer Mason Crooks, who plays with so much ferocity and speed that I wonder if his hair was on fire during the recording process. The whole band is clearly on the same page, sharply working their way through a ton of time changes, left turns, and sudden starts and stops like it's nothing more than old habit. And oh yeah - the song titles are incredible, too.
In short, a VERY solid album from a new entry into the hardcore/grindcore world. Naturally, this type of music isn't for everybody - Hell, I can tell you at least two of my other band members would flat out hate this - But you can't go wrong with TTDTE if you're into hardcore and metal in the first place. A fine entry into what I call "Music Guaranteed To Piss Off Your Parents", aka "What Is This Crap?!" music (which I think should be a separate section in CD stores just to help metalheads and other kids out - you don't wanna be looking through Toto or Tower of Power just to find The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, do you?).
The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza (Corrosive Recordings, 2005)
Highlights: "My Bowling Ball's Frozen In A Footlocker In Chicago", "God Ain't Got No Use For No 180 Lb. Bag Of Sugar", "Cliff Burton Surprise"
Berger Rating: Two Angry Parents Up
Upcoming Reviews: Umphrey's McGee, Devin Townsend (whenever I can get my hands on his new album)
Smock is playing a show tonight. It's gonna be fun. But that's all I'm gonna say 'cause I don't wanna use the "Shamless self promotion..." label. Just follow that link there to get some details if ya wanna go, k?
Detroit Tigers 8, New York Mets 3 in the top of the seventh. That's the game I watched as I wrote this. One must wonder if the Tigers are starting to really find their offense here...
Clocking in at 10 tracks and a whopping 28:39, TTDTE drives their message home quite clearly in their self-titled album's short time frame. It's confusing, it's aggressive, it's pretty silly in places (come on - could a band with a name like this REALLY take themselves seriously?!), and it's far more in control than one might think. Throughout the album, the guitar work is nimble, vicious, and most importantly, extremely tight. Complimenting that is drummer Mason Crooks, who plays with so much ferocity and speed that I wonder if his hair was on fire during the recording process. The whole band is clearly on the same page, sharply working their way through a ton of time changes, left turns, and sudden starts and stops like it's nothing more than old habit. And oh yeah - the song titles are incredible, too.
In short, a VERY solid album from a new entry into the hardcore/grindcore world. Naturally, this type of music isn't for everybody - Hell, I can tell you at least two of my other band members would flat out hate this - But you can't go wrong with TTDTE if you're into hardcore and metal in the first place. A fine entry into what I call "Music Guaranteed To Piss Off Your Parents", aka "What Is This Crap?!" music (which I think should be a separate section in CD stores just to help metalheads and other kids out - you don't wanna be looking through Toto or Tower of Power just to find The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, do you?).
The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza (Corrosive Recordings, 2005)
Highlights: "My Bowling Ball's Frozen In A Footlocker In Chicago", "God Ain't Got No Use For No 180 Lb. Bag Of Sugar", "Cliff Burton Surprise"
Berger Rating: Two Angry Parents Up
Upcoming Reviews: Umphrey's McGee, Devin Townsend (whenever I can get my hands on his new album)
Smock is playing a show tonight. It's gonna be fun. But that's all I'm gonna say 'cause I don't wanna use the "Shamless self promotion..." label. Just follow that link there to get some details if ya wanna go, k?
Detroit Tigers 8, New York Mets 3 in the top of the seventh. That's the game I watched as I wrote this. One must wonder if the Tigers are starting to really find their offense here...
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Enter The Withdrawl Mode
So it's over. The Anaheim Ducks won the Stanley Cup, bludgeoning the Ottawa Senators 6-2 in the game and 4-1 in the series. And thus ends the 2006-07 NHL season. So, uh...now what? No more hockey until OCTOBER?! What the hell am I gonna do with myself?!
Well, there's always baseball. I've already attended three Rochester Red Wings games this year. And apparently, the MLB draft started today. Well, let me be the first to say: WHOOPTY CRAP!
Seriously, though, who watches this stuff? This thing was TELEVISED this year! Just like the NBA and NFL drafts - and maybe the NHL draft as well - are every year. BOOOOOORIIIINNG! If I wanted to be that bored while watching TV, I'd watch Golf or The World Series of Poker or The Best Damn Sports Show Period (Oh, wait - no I wouldn't. I avoid those like the plague in the first place). So yep - baseball it is. That and my band has a nice little schedule booked at the moment, so that'll distract me nicely from the fact that there's... no... more... hockey... 'til... OCTOBER?!?! Aw, man... Well, I usually find a way to make it through the summer. Hockey Withdrawl Mode, Activate! *sigh*...
Well, there's always baseball. I've already attended three Rochester Red Wings games this year. And apparently, the MLB draft started today. Well, let me be the first to say: WHOOPTY CRAP!
Seriously, though, who watches this stuff? This thing was TELEVISED this year! Just like the NBA and NFL drafts - and maybe the NHL draft as well - are every year. BOOOOOORIIIINNG! If I wanted to be that bored while watching TV, I'd watch Golf or The World Series of Poker or The Best Damn Sports Show Period (Oh, wait - no I wouldn't. I avoid those like the plague in the first place). So yep - baseball it is. That and my band has a nice little schedule booked at the moment, so that'll distract me nicely from the fact that there's... no... more... hockey... 'til... OCTOBER?!?! Aw, man... Well, I usually find a way to make it through the summer. Hockey Withdrawl Mode, Activate! *sigh*...
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Pronger? We Don't Need No Stinking Pronger!
So I caught a bunch of Game Four last night in Ottawa (I wasn't in Ottawa. The game was. I just watched it on my TV.) after I got home from a Red Wings baseball game (more on that later). The Anaheim Ducks, without Chris Pronger, won the game anyway and are heading back to their home building up 3 games to 1. And oh, by the way, they have yet to lose a Stanley Cup Final home game (They were winless on the road in the SCF until last night). But even without that fun little statistic, we can still say the Ottawa Senators are in a highly precarious position. Erasing a 3-1 deficit is definitely possible, but the Ducks just might be playing too well for the Sens to even try it. Hell, Ottawa had major stretches in Game Four where they were dictating play on the ice and they still lost. But really, they lost because Anaheim was able to control traffic in front of Jean-Sebastien Giguere, which wasn't the case on the other end of the rink. Three other things from this game:
1. Anaheim's third goal was friggin' beautiful. Go find a replay of it if you missed it. What looked like a completely busted play at the blue line turned into a 2 on 1 deep in Ottawa territory and the defenseman was too concerned about Teemu Selanne, which left Dustin Penner wide open in front of a vacated net. Penner made no mistakes with that feed...
2. What in the world was Daniel Alfredsson thinking at the end of the second period? The Ducks were on their heels, the momentum was clearly Ottawa's...and he shot the puck right into Scott Neidermeyer. Good going, moron. All that did was fire up the Ducks and give them every reason in the world to come out flying in the third. AND he got lucky that he didn't get called for a penalty in the post-shot scrum 'cause he clearly punched somebody, which was seen by everybody apparently except the referees (though I can't blame 'em - they were busy trying to break up everybody else).
3. Don Cherry ruled in the second intermission. NBC executives had to be SQUIRMING with both Cherry and Brett Hull behind the same desk thingy, but it didn't matter. Don Cherry is awesome.
Before I watched Game Four, I saw last night's Rochester Red Wings game hosting the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees. I saw four or five home runs, two plunkings, and four errors. And oh yeah, Red Wings won 7-2. That game was awesome. My friends and I were loud and obnoxious almost the whole time, which is always fun. And one of them gave me something to try the next time I get to sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" - sing one syllable behind everybody else. I can sing one syllable ahead allright, but this could be an interesting challenge...
1. Anaheim's third goal was friggin' beautiful. Go find a replay of it if you missed it. What looked like a completely busted play at the blue line turned into a 2 on 1 deep in Ottawa territory and the defenseman was too concerned about Teemu Selanne, which left Dustin Penner wide open in front of a vacated net. Penner made no mistakes with that feed...
2. What in the world was Daniel Alfredsson thinking at the end of the second period? The Ducks were on their heels, the momentum was clearly Ottawa's...and he shot the puck right into Scott Neidermeyer. Good going, moron. All that did was fire up the Ducks and give them every reason in the world to come out flying in the third. AND he got lucky that he didn't get called for a penalty in the post-shot scrum 'cause he clearly punched somebody, which was seen by everybody apparently except the referees (though I can't blame 'em - they were busy trying to break up everybody else).
3. Don Cherry ruled in the second intermission. NBC executives had to be SQUIRMING with both Cherry and Brett Hull behind the same desk thingy, but it didn't matter. Don Cherry is awesome.
Before I watched Game Four, I saw last night's Rochester Red Wings game hosting the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees. I saw four or five home runs, two plunkings, and four errors. And oh yeah, Red Wings won 7-2. That game was awesome. My friends and I were loud and obnoxious almost the whole time, which is always fun. And one of them gave me something to try the next time I get to sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" - sing one syllable behind everybody else. I can sing one syllable ahead allright, but this could be an interesting challenge...
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Gaaaaaaame Threeeeeeeee
Game Three is tonight in Ottawa. Ducks are completely sticking it to the Senators so far. Apparently, Ottawa newspapers were blaming bad ice for Ottawa's losses, but come on - the NHL is littered with bad ice, right, MSG? Think about it. It's JUNE and you're in Southern California. Is the ice gonna be bad? Of course it is. If Ottawa wants to do something about that, then they should make sure their home ice is in good condition. We'll find out tonight if they did or not. Either way, they NEED this game tonight or they're pretty much done before the hardware is handed out. But hell - given the way Pahlsson and Moen are playing against The Big Sens Line, they might be done already.
So Armando "Two Balk" Benitez was traded to the Marlins earlier this week. Hands up - who's shocked? OK, now put your hands down 'cause you're lying.
You know, I still love baseball. I also love the fact that five batters got plunked in Boston Friday night. But let's face it - if the Yankees (or, more accurately, Yankees fans) were mad about being plunked by Tim Wakefield - a knuckleballer - than they're morons. Just thought I'd say that for the record.
You know what we need? More bench clearing brawls. Those are amazing because nobody really knows what to do in those. I still love seeing a batter charge the mound being all "RAAH I'M ANGRY!" and then turn into "Oh, crap! NOW what do I do?!" when he actually gets there. It just doesn't get much better than that (except for throwing errors).
I get to play piano for who knows how long at an art exhibit opening tomorrow afternoon in downtown Rochester. The kinda fun part was putting a CD together to sell just in case people were curious enough to spend some money on my music. Since it's a bit of a compilation, I decided to call it "You're Just Making This Up As You Go, Aren't You?"
I'm playing for this person.
It's happing HERE starting at 2pm.
GAAAAAAH!!!
So Armando "Two Balk" Benitez was traded to the Marlins earlier this week. Hands up - who's shocked? OK, now put your hands down 'cause you're lying.
You know, I still love baseball. I also love the fact that five batters got plunked in Boston Friday night. But let's face it - if the Yankees (or, more accurately, Yankees fans) were mad about being plunked by Tim Wakefield - a knuckleballer - than they're morons. Just thought I'd say that for the record.
You know what we need? More bench clearing brawls. Those are amazing because nobody really knows what to do in those. I still love seeing a batter charge the mound being all "RAAH I'M ANGRY!" and then turn into "Oh, crap! NOW what do I do?!" when he actually gets there. It just doesn't get much better than that (except for throwing errors).
I get to play piano for who knows how long at an art exhibit opening tomorrow afternoon in downtown Rochester. The kinda fun part was putting a CD together to sell just in case people were curious enough to spend some money on my music. Since it's a bit of a compilation, I decided to call it "You're Just Making This Up As You Go, Aren't You?"
I'm playing for this person.
It's happing HERE starting at 2pm.
GAAAAAAH!!!
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