Clearly, I am addicted to funny names.
Eddie House (Celtics) - So did his high school friends call him "Take it to the"? And I'm not just referring to basketball here.
Brian Scalabrine (Celtics) - looks like some sort of skin abnormality
Keyon Dooling (Nets) - Just a misplaced "r" away from Mr. Drooling. Not good.
Stromile Swift (Nets) - Really? Stromile? What can that possibly be a combination of? Or a derivative of? Who knows.
Samuel Dalembert (76ers) - Perhaps a fancy flavor of sorbet at your local ice cream parlor?
Nathan Jawai (Raptors) - He's a mixed martial art unto himself.
Roko Ukic (Raptors) - Wow, that's awkward. Lotta hard-k sounds. Perhaps 1 too many.
Joakim Noah (Bulls) - Untrustworthy because of the two-first-names rule already established
Thabo Sefolosha (Bulls) - I have no idea what nationality this guy could possibly be
Vinny del Negro (Bulls) - Not a player any more, but a new head coach. I had to include him here because it's just funny that he's white and his name is "Vinny of the black"
(pretty unimpressed with the NBA name-wise so far. I suppose smaller rosters makes for less fun)
And just when I say that, the Cleveland Cavaliers present themselves. Awesome.
J.J. Hickson - There's something very meta about a self-describing name of this nature
Zydrunas Ilgauskas - Maybe his parents started his name at the end of the English alphabet, but decided to give up when they got to 'X'
Sasha Pavlovic - Not very manly...
Eric Snow - Also not very manly...
Wally Szczerbiak - Maybe a little too manly. I mean, really? Wally? What kid doesn't get ridiculed in grade school for being named Wally? And it probably took him until high school just to learn how to spell his own last name. "szcz?" What kind of start is that for the poor kid?
Anderson Varejao - Another one of those guys who filled out the "Last Name-First Name" section of the entry form wrong.
Jawad Williams - Aw man, I just stepped in a big jawad of bubble gum. Dammit.
Thank you, Cleveland Cavaliers, thank you. And back to the show.
Alex Acker, Arron Afflalo (Pistons) - Four As! How about that! Plus, Afflalo is just awful to pronounce. Hey, Arron? Maybe you could (1) spell you first name right and (2) drop that first 'L' from your last name? C'mon, help a guy out.
Cheikh Samb (Pistons) - I actually just ordered this dish the other week at Dobhan, the Nepali restaurant my wife and I like to visit. What? He's a professional basketball player? Oh. Must have had something else then.
Travis Diener (Pacers) - Not a crazy name, but I had no idea this hometown Wisconsin guy was in the NBA! Awesome, way to go, Travis! And his name rhymes with "weiner". Heh heh
Jarrett Jack (Pacers) - He's friends with Mr. Varejao, no doubt.
Brandon Rush (Pacers) - The coach had better hope he does, considering how bad the rest of the team is
Luc Mbah a Moute (Bucks) - I believe this guy is an actual prince in his native African country, which is awesome. Hopefully, royalty can infuse the Bucks with a few more wins this season
Speedy Claxton (Hawks) - Should really be driving in NASCAR.
Joe Johnson (Hawks) - Probably has brothers named Jim, Jon, and Jack
Zaza Pachulia (Hawks) - You know that horrible-smelling oil that hippies "bathe" with? It all emanates from this guy
Alexis Ajinca (Bobcats) - Yet another A.A. name. Pretty surprising actually
Linton Johnson (Bobcats) - Picture the scene: A young boy, helping his mother with chores, is forever psychologically scarred when he realizes the awfulness of his name, as his mother calls out from the other room: "Make sure when you take the clothes out of the dryer, you remove all the lint then, Linton" Oi.
Nazr Mohammed (Bobcats) - Why the "r"? It just seems incongruous
Emeka Okafor (Bobcats) - Boy, the Bobcats are really giving the Cavs a run for their money here. I feel like you spell his name exactly backwards and it would have the same effect without losing any meaning whatsoever.
Udonis Haslem (Heat) - His parents must have thought quite highly of him, even in the womb
Dwyane Wade (Heat) - Mr. Wade, please fix your 'y'
Yakhouba Diawara (Heat) - Wow, looks like a tropical plant or something
Marcin Gortat (Magic) - Awesome. I actually laughed out loud at this name. Go on, read it out loud to yourself......pretty funny, right? Gortat sounds like a creature from that Warcraft game.
JaVale McGee (Wizards) - On a complete tangent, I really wish the Washington NBA team was still the Bullets, despite the obvious negative connotations. They had such a cool logo. As for this guy's name? Too many small-letter-then-big-letter occurrences. There should be an absolute maximum of 1 of those per person, maybe less.
Chris Kaman (Clippers) - Name's ok, but man, does this guy have the worst hair in all of basketball or what?
Cuttino Mobley, Brian Skinner (Clippers) - Perhaps Kaman can talk to his teammates about a possible trim...
D.J. Mbenga (Lakers) - And after the game, he'll be featured at the night club down the street, where he specializes in trance, house, and industrial
Sasha Vujacic (Lakers) - Really? There's 2 Sashas in the NBA? I'm sorry, but that's just too much.
Boris Diaw (Suns) - Now there's an awkward mouthful of letters
Goran Dragic (Suns) - He should battle with Gortat (see above) for NBA Mortal Kombat-style name supremacy
Alando Tucker (Suns) - Love that this guy made an NBA team. Love it
Bobby Brown (Kings) - Boy, is Whitney going to be pissed when he skimps on that alimony check. I mean, he's gotta be raking it in, what with the r&b career, and now a life in pro basketball to boot? Talk about diversifying
John Salmons (Kings) - Y'know, I don't generally think of NBA players as "outdoorsy" types, but my mind may have been changed.
Beno Udrih (Kings) - Upset stomach? Gas pains? Just hang out with this guy for a few hours and you'll be good as new.
DeSagana Diop (Mavs) - I actually thought he and Boris Diaw (Suns) were the same guy. Oops
Jason Kidd (Mavs) - Certainly isn't anymore. Not by a long stretch. I remember seeing him play in college at Cal, which would have been in the mid-90s, and he looked really old then.
Aaron Brooks (Rockets) - Really? I thought he retired from the Raiders a couple of years ago? And had shoulder problems? Should he really be lacing it up for the run-n-gun Rockets? Is that wise? Oh, he's a little guy from Oregon, you say? 2nd year? Clearly, I've been led astray
Von Wafer (Rockets) - Where's his first name? It should be something like Ulrich or Lars.
Hamed Haddadi (Grizzlies) - Alright, first, are there really any grizzly bears even near the Memphis area? Doesn't seem likely. Regardless, this guy's name seems a likely candidate for a "First Basketball Player Name Spoken by a Newborn Baby by Accident" award
O.J. Mayo (Grizzlies) - Do you think his family is at war with the other condiments? Do you think his family is universally loved in France? Do you think he scorns pickles? Do you think...oh alright, I'll let it go.
Melvin Ely (Hornets) - Last name is too short, oddly enough. You wouldn't think it would be a problem, but it's kind of hard to see, all small n stuff.
Ian Mahinmi (Spurs) - Ian? Really? In the NBA? I am suddenly craving some sort of exotic fish for dinner though.
Fabricio Oberto (Spurs) - I hope this guy is in line to inherit the Oberto beef jerky fortune, cause man, is that a gold mine!
Chucky Atkins (Nuggets) - Perhaps a grown man should try to distance himself a little from being associated with a stupid maniacal puppet.
Nene Hilario (Nuggets) - Why yes, that joke you just told certainly was hilario! (Not really, I'm just placating you)
Linas Kleiza (Nuggets) - Linas just doesn't seem like the right kind of name for a dominant basketball player
Kudos to the Minnesota Timberwolves for having the most boring roster of names I've seen. And possibly one of the worst teams.
Jarryd Bayless (Blazers) - If anyone needs a 'y,' Captain Consonant here has one or two to spare.
Channing Frye (Blazers) - Maybe he could trade Bayless his 'e' for another 'y'?
Joel Przybilla (Blazers) - The consonants have gone wild! Somebody help!
Kyrylo Fesenko (Jazz) - Holy cow, look at that! The consonant frenzy has spread to another team entirely! Maybe the previous 4 guys can find a couple friends and/or relatives and start a rap group called the Yz Guys. Get it? Why not?
Ok, that's all I got. Glad it picked steam there after a slow start. Boy, work has been slow this afternoon. It's Halloween, the kids are off from school, and it's 70 degrees outside. In October in Wisconsin. And it was snowing on Monday. Bizarre.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Fantasy football players who will wrong me this weekend...
**With a nod to Matthew Berry and his Love/Hate column on ESPN.com**
Last week I managed to pull out a crazy victory in my 20-team Yahoo league, thanks to Chris Hope's 5 tackle, 2 INT game Monday night vs. the Colts. I won by less than 5 total pts--what a comeback. Tougher challenge this week with three LBs and L.T. out on byes. And so I will present a list of musing on the fantasy goings-on this weekend (in no particular order):
1. Terrell Owens - I have a feeling the G-men will be able to shut him down, not to mention the fact that Brad Johnson is starting again and he's like 85 years old.
2. Randy Moss - Matt Cassel has the arm of an 85-year-old, it seems at times. Boy, my team with Moss and Owens as the top 2 picks is really going places...
3. Ryan Grant - Hate to root against the hometown boy, but man, it's like he's been running on his knees all year. Hey, Ryan, maybe you could learn some of those advanced, video-game-style moves. You know, like "jump," "spin," "juke" and other complicated maneuvers.
4. Maurice Jones-Drew - I suppose I should have expected that the hyphenated name would come back to haunt me (hyphenated names are one my all-time pet peeves).
5. Steve Slaton - Not that I really expect much against the Vikings run D, but I have a feeling his stat line will look something like: 15 carries, 9 yards, 2 fumbles, 0 catches = -4 fantasy pts. Just a hunch.
6. When is Chris Cooley going to catch a frickin touchdown? Let's go, Capt. Caveman.
7. Paging Reggie Wayne, your table is ready. Maybe you could return the favor with more than 2 catches this week? And possibly some yards as well?
8. Brett the Jet. By all rights, he should do well in Buffalo, a cold-weather city. But he won't. The Gunslinger's talent is wilting under the media spotlight in NY. Plus, the Bills were my favorite team when I was a little kid. Plus, they have a guy named Youboty, which is just awesome.
9. God help me. My starting WRs on one team are Steve Breaston, Rashied Davis, and Bernard Berrian. And that team will probably do better than the Owens/Moss team.
10. Antonio Bryant - The Bucs play at KC and won't need to pass at all. Like ever.
11. I believe whole-heartedly that Willis McGahee will lay a stinker against the Browns Sunday. And Le'Ron McClain, whom has spurned my brother's teams repeatedly, will vulture a TD somehow.
12. Braylon - he has a high level of sucktitude.
13. Giants D vs. Titans D - Tough call here. I seriously don't know which D will be better. Ideas?
14. The Smiths (Kevin and Kolby) - Terrible teams? Check. Playing vs. tough Ds? Check. Crappy defense on your own team? Check. Both starting on one of my teams this weekend? You betcha.
15. Derrick Ward will have a huge game. Just wait and see. Also, Steve Breaston will be huge. I'm calling it right here.
16. I just dropped Jevon Kearse, so he'll probably sack Aaron Rodgers at least twice this week.
17. That's all I got.
Last week I managed to pull out a crazy victory in my 20-team Yahoo league, thanks to Chris Hope's 5 tackle, 2 INT game Monday night vs. the Colts. I won by less than 5 total pts--what a comeback. Tougher challenge this week with three LBs and L.T. out on byes. And so I will present a list of musing on the fantasy goings-on this weekend (in no particular order):
1. Terrell Owens - I have a feeling the G-men will be able to shut him down, not to mention the fact that Brad Johnson is starting again and he's like 85 years old.
2. Randy Moss - Matt Cassel has the arm of an 85-year-old, it seems at times. Boy, my team with Moss and Owens as the top 2 picks is really going places...
3. Ryan Grant - Hate to root against the hometown boy, but man, it's like he's been running on his knees all year. Hey, Ryan, maybe you could learn some of those advanced, video-game-style moves. You know, like "jump," "spin," "juke" and other complicated maneuvers.
4. Maurice Jones-Drew - I suppose I should have expected that the hyphenated name would come back to haunt me (hyphenated names are one my all-time pet peeves).
5. Steve Slaton - Not that I really expect much against the Vikings run D, but I have a feeling his stat line will look something like: 15 carries, 9 yards, 2 fumbles, 0 catches = -4 fantasy pts. Just a hunch.
6. When is Chris Cooley going to catch a frickin touchdown? Let's go, Capt. Caveman.
7. Paging Reggie Wayne, your table is ready. Maybe you could return the favor with more than 2 catches this week? And possibly some yards as well?
8. Brett the Jet. By all rights, he should do well in Buffalo, a cold-weather city. But he won't. The Gunslinger's talent is wilting under the media spotlight in NY. Plus, the Bills were my favorite team when I was a little kid. Plus, they have a guy named Youboty, which is just awesome.
9. God help me. My starting WRs on one team are Steve Breaston, Rashied Davis, and Bernard Berrian. And that team will probably do better than the Owens/Moss team.
10. Antonio Bryant - The Bucs play at KC and won't need to pass at all. Like ever.
11. I believe whole-heartedly that Willis McGahee will lay a stinker against the Browns Sunday. And Le'Ron McClain, whom has spurned my brother's teams repeatedly, will vulture a TD somehow.
12. Braylon - he has a high level of sucktitude.
13. Giants D vs. Titans D - Tough call here. I seriously don't know which D will be better. Ideas?
14. The Smiths (Kevin and Kolby) - Terrible teams? Check. Playing vs. tough Ds? Check. Crappy defense on your own team? Check. Both starting on one of my teams this weekend? You betcha.
15. Derrick Ward will have a huge game. Just wait and see. Also, Steve Breaston will be huge. I'm calling it right here.
16. I just dropped Jevon Kearse, so he'll probably sack Aaron Rodgers at least twice this week.
17. That's all I got.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
All-MLB Name Team, Vol 2
Alright, here's the National League version, in honor of the NL Central facing dual-elimination from the playoffs today.
Jorge Julio (Braves) - Hard to trust anyone with two first names
Vladimir Nunez (Braves) - Well look at this! Who know there were not one, but two Hispanic major-league players named Vlad. What are the odds!
Jair Jurrjens (Braves) - I hope he's Dutch or something; otherwise, that's one awkward name
Corky Miller (Braves) - wasn't he on "Life Goes On", that sappy TV show from the 80s?
Dallas McPherson (Marlins) - Totally a soap opera character
Dan Uggla (Marlins) - So let's say you're in a bar, and Dan is there with, let's say, his sister and a bunch of her friends. And let's say you find one of her friends wildly attractive and decide to make a move. And let's say you have a clever, sports-knowledgeable buddy to serve as a wingman. Could your buddy possibly say anything better than, "Go for it, man, I'll take the Uggla one"
Cameron Maybin (Marlins) - maybin...maybin not, who knows
Ambiorix Burgos (Mets) - What the hell is that? Didn't the main character in The Last Starfighter get attacked by an ambiorix? Maybe it was in Lord of the Rings. I believe it's a mythical beast with fur, scales, and the supernatural ability to throw small, white balls really, really fast
Joe Smith (Mets) - Ya know, there's such a thing as too plain/boring
Angel Pagan (Mets) - Really? How could this possibly be his given name? Does the religious right know about this guy? What a fabulous dichotomy of language! It works and so many different levels! And all in one simple name! Right up there with that guy who plays pro hockey named Miroslav Satan.
So Taguchi (Phillies) - The last time I was in Tokyo, I overhead this conversation:
Person 1: "Did you get that sweater you were looking at the other day?"
Person 2: "No, I decided that it was kind of outdated"
Person 1: "Yeah, I didn't want to say anything, but that sweater is so taguchi"
Matt Chico (Nationals) - Hello, my name is Matt Boy, nice to meet you
Wily Mo Pena (Nationals) - Now this is just an awesome name. Not to mention the fact that his first name should be pronounced like the cartoon coyote
Lastings Milledge (Nationals) - Also beware those individuals with two last names. C'mon, who names their kid 'Lastings'? What do you call him for short? Lasty? Tings?
Jeff Samardzija (Cubs) - I liked this name when he was a receiver at Notre Dame, and it's still cool. He could be a relief pitcher....or a former Soviet Socialist Republic!
Felix Pie (Cubs) - and Morris Cake... and Alex Strudel... I could go all day here
Adam Pettyjohn (Reds) - I believe a 'pettyjohn' is some sort of shipping implement from the Revolutionary War era, correct? Either that or a fancy lady's undergarment
Bronson Arroyo (Reds) - Again with the two last names
Jolbert Cabrera (Reds) - Any time you can and the -bert suffix to a name, it gets simultaneously cooler and dumber at the same time.
Wandy Rodriguez (Astros) - I'll just wave my magic wandy here, and Presto! the game is won. What? Nothing happened? Are you sure, cuz I waved the magic wandy and everything? Stupid wandy.
Mark Saccomanno (Astros) - Is he the cousin of that side character Bob Sacamano that Kramer was always talking about on Seinfeld?
Hunter Pence (Astros) - see Arroyo, Bronson AND Milledge, Lastings
Mitch Stetter (Brewers) - Probably works as a rodeo clown or front a honky-tonk band in the off-season
Corey Hart (Brewers) - "I wear my sunglasses at night"--Just because it's obvious doesn't make it any less cool
T.J. Beam (Pirates) - Man, I want to party with this guy. I bet he can all the free bourbon he wants--just tell the bartender he's the heir to the company and is interested in doing a little "quality control."
Andy LaRoche, Adam Laroche (Pirates) - Boy, I hope they're related, because otherwise one of them is going to develop a serious case of name-envy.
Nyjer Morgan (Pirates) - I don't think that even qualifies as a last name, only a country in Africa
Rick Ankiel (Cardinals) - Not an overly unusual name, but man, what a cool story. Minor league star pitcher, gets to the bigs and has terrible (and I mean half-his-pitches-missed-the-catcher-entirely terrible) control problems. Gets sent back down, gets injured, rehabs, comes back 5 years later as a power-hitting, strong-armed centerfielder. And is good at it. Awesome
Robby Hammock (Diamondbacks) - Loves sitting around the backyard, cool drink in hand, watching the kids and lounging on himself.
Augie Ojeda (D-backs) - My friend Jon used to have a little yip-yip dog named Augie. Probably just a coincidence
Brian Fuentes (Rockies) - Mr. Daisy Fuentes? Perhaps, though his name does seem to fit nicely with...
Jason Grilli (Rockies) - Fuentes and Grilli? It's a barbeque waiting to happen!
Ubaldo Jimenez (Rockies) - You think my hairline's receding, look at you! Ubaldo!
Steven Register (Rockies) - Never has the nickname "Cash" or "Cash money" been more appropriate
Yhency Brazoban (Dodgers) - Must be related to Jhonny Peralta. There's just all sorts of misplaced letters here
Casey Blake (Dodgers) - Funny story...My freshman year of college I lived in the dorm with this guy whose given name was Charles Flanagan, but had always gone by Casey (shout-out to Casey if you ever happen to read this). So another friend who lived across the hall from me on the 1st floor (Matt Ledin) and I were hanging out with some other people near the end of the school year, and Casey and his roommate came downstairs. Matt said, "Hey Blake." He honestly thought Casey's name was Blake and had been under that assumption for the majority of the year. The name stuck on as a nickname, which I think was just hilarious. And here are his real name AND his nickname combined to form a third baseman. The circle just keeps getting smaller.
Cla Meredith (Padres) - What, in too much of a hurry to finish off that name properly? I assume it's pronounced like "Clay", but can you really be sure? Maybe it's Gaelic and is spoken with a gutteral rasp of the throat.
Dirk Hayhurst (Padres) - Now starring in a low-budget, agricultural porn near you...
Wade LeBlanc (Padres) - I think Wade is about the least poetic name you could possibly come up with to pair with the classy, Frenchified "LeBlanc". So does he go by "Wade the White"? Because that would totally make up for it.
Khalil Greene (Padres) - Only mentioned here because he's a tall, skinny surfer kid (not unlike Sean Penn's Spiccoli character from Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and that name just doesn't fit. Aloha, Mr. Hand
Brad Hennessey (Giants) - Where's T.J. Beam when you need him? What a double bill party the two of them could throw! You would get the laid-back Southern sippers AND the hip-hop crowd. Now there's a mash-up
Brian Wilson (Giants) - Boy, he's been busy lately. First, he came out of seclusion to finish the long-awaited Smile album he abandoned 30 years ago. Now, he's pitching in the major leagues. Is there anything he can't do?
Travis Ishikawa (Giants) - Just seems a bit incongruous, doesn't it?
That's all I got. Enjoy.
Jorge Julio (Braves) - Hard to trust anyone with two first names
Vladimir Nunez (Braves) - Well look at this! Who know there were not one, but two Hispanic major-league players named Vlad. What are the odds!
Jair Jurrjens (Braves) - I hope he's Dutch or something; otherwise, that's one awkward name
Corky Miller (Braves) - wasn't he on "Life Goes On", that sappy TV show from the 80s?
Dallas McPherson (Marlins) - Totally a soap opera character
Dan Uggla (Marlins) - So let's say you're in a bar, and Dan is there with, let's say, his sister and a bunch of her friends. And let's say you find one of her friends wildly attractive and decide to make a move. And let's say you have a clever, sports-knowledgeable buddy to serve as a wingman. Could your buddy possibly say anything better than, "Go for it, man, I'll take the Uggla one"
Cameron Maybin (Marlins) - maybin...maybin not, who knows
Ambiorix Burgos (Mets) - What the hell is that? Didn't the main character in The Last Starfighter get attacked by an ambiorix? Maybe it was in Lord of the Rings. I believe it's a mythical beast with fur, scales, and the supernatural ability to throw small, white balls really, really fast
Joe Smith (Mets) - Ya know, there's such a thing as too plain/boring
Angel Pagan (Mets) - Really? How could this possibly be his given name? Does the religious right know about this guy? What a fabulous dichotomy of language! It works and so many different levels! And all in one simple name! Right up there with that guy who plays pro hockey named Miroslav Satan.
So Taguchi (Phillies) - The last time I was in Tokyo, I overhead this conversation:
Person 1: "Did you get that sweater you were looking at the other day?"
Person 2: "No, I decided that it was kind of outdated"
Person 1: "Yeah, I didn't want to say anything, but that sweater is so taguchi"
Matt Chico (Nationals) - Hello, my name is Matt Boy, nice to meet you
Wily Mo Pena (Nationals) - Now this is just an awesome name. Not to mention the fact that his first name should be pronounced like the cartoon coyote
Lastings Milledge (Nationals) - Also beware those individuals with two last names. C'mon, who names their kid 'Lastings'? What do you call him for short? Lasty? Tings?
Jeff Samardzija (Cubs) - I liked this name when he was a receiver at Notre Dame, and it's still cool. He could be a relief pitcher....or a former Soviet Socialist Republic!
Felix Pie (Cubs) - and Morris Cake... and Alex Strudel... I could go all day here
Adam Pettyjohn (Reds) - I believe a 'pettyjohn' is some sort of shipping implement from the Revolutionary War era, correct? Either that or a fancy lady's undergarment
Bronson Arroyo (Reds) - Again with the two last names
Jolbert Cabrera (Reds) - Any time you can and the -bert suffix to a name, it gets simultaneously cooler and dumber at the same time.
Wandy Rodriguez (Astros) - I'll just wave my magic wandy here, and Presto! the game is won. What? Nothing happened? Are you sure, cuz I waved the magic wandy and everything? Stupid wandy.
Mark Saccomanno (Astros) - Is he the cousin of that side character Bob Sacamano that Kramer was always talking about on Seinfeld?
Hunter Pence (Astros) - see Arroyo, Bronson AND Milledge, Lastings
Mitch Stetter (Brewers) - Probably works as a rodeo clown or front a honky-tonk band in the off-season
Corey Hart (Brewers) - "I wear my sunglasses at night"--Just because it's obvious doesn't make it any less cool
T.J. Beam (Pirates) - Man, I want to party with this guy. I bet he can all the free bourbon he wants--just tell the bartender he's the heir to the company and is interested in doing a little "quality control."
Andy LaRoche, Adam Laroche (Pirates) - Boy, I hope they're related, because otherwise one of them is going to develop a serious case of name-envy.
Nyjer Morgan (Pirates) - I don't think that even qualifies as a last name, only a country in Africa
Rick Ankiel (Cardinals) - Not an overly unusual name, but man, what a cool story. Minor league star pitcher, gets to the bigs and has terrible (and I mean half-his-pitches-missed-the-catcher-entirely terrible) control problems. Gets sent back down, gets injured, rehabs, comes back 5 years later as a power-hitting, strong-armed centerfielder. And is good at it. Awesome
Robby Hammock (Diamondbacks) - Loves sitting around the backyard, cool drink in hand, watching the kids and lounging on himself.
Augie Ojeda (D-backs) - My friend Jon used to have a little yip-yip dog named Augie. Probably just a coincidence
Brian Fuentes (Rockies) - Mr. Daisy Fuentes? Perhaps, though his name does seem to fit nicely with...
Jason Grilli (Rockies) - Fuentes and Grilli? It's a barbeque waiting to happen!
Ubaldo Jimenez (Rockies) - You think my hairline's receding, look at you! Ubaldo!
Steven Register (Rockies) - Never has the nickname "Cash" or "Cash money" been more appropriate
Yhency Brazoban (Dodgers) - Must be related to Jhonny Peralta. There's just all sorts of misplaced letters here
Casey Blake (Dodgers) - Funny story...My freshman year of college I lived in the dorm with this guy whose given name was Charles Flanagan, but had always gone by Casey (shout-out to Casey if you ever happen to read this). So another friend who lived across the hall from me on the 1st floor (Matt Ledin) and I were hanging out with some other people near the end of the school year, and Casey and his roommate came downstairs. Matt said, "Hey Blake." He honestly thought Casey's name was Blake and had been under that assumption for the majority of the year. The name stuck on as a nickname, which I think was just hilarious. And here are his real name AND his nickname combined to form a third baseman. The circle just keeps getting smaller.
Cla Meredith (Padres) - What, in too much of a hurry to finish off that name properly? I assume it's pronounced like "Clay", but can you really be sure? Maybe it's Gaelic and is spoken with a gutteral rasp of the throat.
Dirk Hayhurst (Padres) - Now starring in a low-budget, agricultural porn near you...
Wade LeBlanc (Padres) - I think Wade is about the least poetic name you could possibly come up with to pair with the classy, Frenchified "LeBlanc". So does he go by "Wade the White"? Because that would totally make up for it.
Khalil Greene (Padres) - Only mentioned here because he's a tall, skinny surfer kid (not unlike Sean Penn's Spiccoli character from Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and that name just doesn't fit. Aloha, Mr. Hand
Brad Hennessey (Giants) - Where's T.J. Beam when you need him? What a double bill party the two of them could throw! You would get the laid-back Southern sippers AND the hip-hop crowd. Now there's a mash-up
Brian Wilson (Giants) - Boy, he's been busy lately. First, he came out of seclusion to finish the long-awaited Smile album he abandoned 30 years ago. Now, he's pitching in the major leagues. Is there anything he can't do?
Travis Ishikawa (Giants) - Just seems a bit incongruous, doesn't it?
That's all I got. Enjoy.
Thoughts...
Wisconsin hosts Ohio State tonight at Camp Randall in a matchup featuring two of the Big Ten "heavyweights" of the 2008 football season. So let's see...
Big Game
Night Game (meaning the students will be even rowdier than usual)
and no marching band.
That's right. Director Mike Leckrone has suspended the entire UW Marching Band indefinitely on the eve of the biggest football game of the year, pending investigations into hazing that go back numerous years. Read the full story here
Pretty wild.
Let's hope the Brewers can pull one out of the hat tonight in Milwaukee, because it looks dim for the QB-less Badgers (that's right, Allan Evridge, I'm calling you out as a non-quarterback).
Big Game
Night Game (meaning the students will be even rowdier than usual)
and no marching band.
That's right. Director Mike Leckrone has suspended the entire UW Marching Band indefinitely on the eve of the biggest football game of the year, pending investigations into hazing that go back numerous years. Read the full story here
Pretty wild.
Let's hope the Brewers can pull one out of the hat tonight in Milwaukee, because it looks dim for the QB-less Badgers (that's right, Allan Evridge, I'm calling you out as a non-quarterback).
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Music Challenge - the answers
1. Of Montreal
2. New Pornographers, Zumpano, A.C. Newman (sort of--it's really just him)
3. Queen
4. Metallica
5. Guns 'n Roses
6. The Hold Steady
7. Cardinals
8. Decemberists
9. The Arcade Fire
10. Belle & Sebastian
11. Creedence Clearwater Revival
12. Iron & Wine
13. Blues Traveler
14. Girl Talk
15. Black Kids
16. Gym Class Heroes
17. Throw Me The Statue
18. Hallelujah the Hills
19. TV on the Radio
20. Born Ruffians
21. Weezer
22. Rentals
23. Space Twins
24. The Special Goodness
25. Long Winters
26. Sublime
27. stellastarr*
28. Strokes
29. Journey
30. Soul Asylum
31. Kaiser Chiefs
32. Soul Coughing
33. Mountain Goats
34. Heiruspecs
35. Blackalicious
36. Shearwater
37. Sly & the Family Stone
38. Franz Ferdinand
39. Fiery Furnaces
40. Okkervil River
41. Wilco
42. Roots
43. Destroyer ; Hello, Blue Roses
44. White Stripes ; Raconteurs
45. Rilo Kiley
46. Arctic Monkeys ; Last Shadow Puppets
47. Wolf Parade ; Sunset Rubdown ; Frog Eyes
48. Wolf Parade ; Handsome Furs
49. Unicorns ; Islands ; Human Highway
50. Spoon
2. New Pornographers, Zumpano, A.C. Newman (sort of--it's really just him)
3. Queen
4. Metallica
5. Guns 'n Roses
6. The Hold Steady
7. Cardinals
8. Decemberists
9. The Arcade Fire
10. Belle & Sebastian
11. Creedence Clearwater Revival
12. Iron & Wine
13. Blues Traveler
14. Girl Talk
15. Black Kids
16. Gym Class Heroes
17. Throw Me The Statue
18. Hallelujah the Hills
19. TV on the Radio
20. Born Ruffians
21. Weezer
22. Rentals
23. Space Twins
24. The Special Goodness
25. Long Winters
26. Sublime
27. stellastarr*
28. Strokes
29. Journey
30. Soul Asylum
31. Kaiser Chiefs
32. Soul Coughing
33. Mountain Goats
34. Heiruspecs
35. Blackalicious
36. Shearwater
37. Sly & the Family Stone
38. Franz Ferdinand
39. Fiery Furnaces
40. Okkervil River
41. Wilco
42. Roots
43. Destroyer ; Hello, Blue Roses
44. White Stripes ; Raconteurs
45. Rilo Kiley
46. Arctic Monkeys ; Last Shadow Puppets
47. Wolf Parade ; Sunset Rubdown ; Frog Eyes
48. Wolf Parade ; Handsome Furs
49. Unicorns ; Islands ; Human Highway
50. Spoon
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)