DLD 013108: Mean Girls and Englishmen (go out in the midday sun)
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jan 31, 2008 9:24 AM PST
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PrintWith the news that Andy Pettitte may tell Congress he discussed HGH with Roger Clemens and trainer Brian McNamee, Deadspin provides the definitive cultural comparable to the Clemens-Pettitte saga of frenemies: the modern classic film "Mean Girls".
In case you missed this fine film, put it on the top of your Netflix queue NOW! Rotten Tomatoes describes it thusly:
Here, the Plastics are the most popular girls in school. They wrote the rule book on Girl World, like always wearing pink on Tuesdays. And they're mean. So when pretty new girl Cady (Lindsay Lohan) arrives in school, the first thing they do is make fun of her. Then they try to win her over. Cady is torn between social cliques. She befriends the punky rebels Janis (Lizzy Caplan) and Damian (Daniel Franzese). But the guy Cady wants to date is friends with the Plastics... Just trying to fit in, Cady jumps through hoops for the Plastics and becomes a mean girl in the process.
Watch as Andy moves smoothly between the cool kids and the geeks, hatching clever and hilarious plots, wanting so much to be like Roger that he must destroy him, until, tragically, Andy becomes the thing he hates! And so testifies to a grandstanding Congress.
In other news, supporters of the Liverpool football club in the English Premier League have hatched a plan to overthrow their tyrannical ownership and take control themselves! I know this will shock you: they despise Tom Hicks.
US tycoons George Gillett and Tom Hicks recently finalised a £350m refinancing of the club which they bought in 2007. But the Share Liverpool FC Group is to reveal plans for a buy-out of the club by 100,000 Reds fans around the world.
The model proposed will be a Barcelona style, "member-share" scheme, aimed at raising £500m to purchase the club from its US owners and build a new stadium....
"Thousands of Liverpool fans have already demonstrated their dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs," said (football business lecturer and Liverpool fan Rogan) Taylor.
"Large amounts of debt often devolves onto clubs newly purchased, but the fans know that in the end, it will be they themselves who will have to pay it off through increased ticket prices and other schemes. In such a case, why not simply buy the club yourselves?"
And BTW: The best TV critic in the world, Tim Goodman of the Chron, says the first two episodes of the new season of Lost are eff’in awesome. I may have to watch it one of these days.
So there’s the link jump-off point. Add some of your own...don’t be a Coward.
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In high school drama class, I used to love
performing scenes from Noel Coward plays. Fumed Oak was my favorite, and we had a very funny running visual size-mismatch gag: my stage wife was pushing 250 pounds, me barely 100.
Noel Coward was also central to one of my most brilliant high school schemes. I cleverly engineered my way into performing a scene from Private Lives with a girl I had a crush on, thinking that time spent working together on the project would naturally lead to a date. How this scheme failed, I have no idea. Like Wile E Coyote, my plans always looked so good on paper.
i was chatting with my british cousin
and he didn't know who noel coward was. how is that possible...
btw folks the bay area have three days left to check out mamet's speed-the-plow.
I like the 1980's computerized background...
in that Obama ad recently found on AN. Reminds me of Max Headroom.
heh
I commented on that in the BA top 10 prospects diary. This was probably a better place to put it, but FSU was still assembling his Mean Girls images. Royalties?
by Cutthemullet on Jan 31, 2008 10:00 AM PST up reply actions
In case you missed it yesterday
Monkeyball posted this link to a diary on the SBN site McCovey Chronicles, which says the Obama ad is not from the campaign itself, but from an independent expenditure committee which the Obama campaign does not endorse. May explain the ad layout, the finest a Commodore 64 can produce.
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jan 31, 2008 10:13 AM PST up reply actions
AN has ads?
Selling blow.
And Milfweed.
When's the Season 3 DVD come out?
I want to see how she handles the death of agent/boyfriend what's his face.
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jan 31, 2008 11:36 AM PST up reply actions
Dunno.
AND DON'T NOBODY TELL ME HOW THE MEXICAN STANDOFF CLIFFHANGER ENDS!
as opposed to the outcomes of E Chavez' surgeries
THE NOT-MEXICAN-ENOUGH STANDOFF CLIFFHANGER
Chavez gets shot in the
Possible Erik Bedard trade to Seattle...
is this VERGE-worthy?
Isn't Mean Girls
basically a lesser version of Heathers?
As for Lost, FSU, it's an alternately brilliant and frustrating show (generally with more of the former than the latter), but I'm not sure how much you could get out of it if you try to jump in in the middle. The main plot itself is mysterious and somewhat complicated, and much of the characters' motivations is explained only by long flashbacks (and now flashforwards) to other parts of their lives. On the other hand, there's a lot to be said for watching Evangeline Lilly run around in skimpy clothing, even if you don't know what the hells going on.
So I was channel flicking last night
and came upon an episode of Lost that included Pop-Up Video-styled backstory info on the bottom of the screen.
"Jack and [chick name] were previously romantically involved... she broke her back and he said he'd definitely fix it... which he did.... Then they hooked up... but he was too involved in his work... so they split."
All this while an entirely different scene is going on.
Weirdest. Thing. Ever.
Hopefully, now that they have a defined end point
(48 more episodes), the "frustrating" issue will be over with. I imagine it's hard to tell a story coherently when you have no idea how long you'll be telling it...
Yeah
I got the feeling that after the show became a huge hit in Season 1, the writers had a bit of an "Oh shit, now what do we do" moment (as discussed here a couple of years ago). As much as I like the show, even 48 more episodes seems like a bit too much to me, but at least they can plan ahead and space out the filler a little bit better. Also, they should have a better idea of what works and what doesn't at this point.
So Laura Palmer won't show up on the island?
no one can wake up next to Suzanne Pleshette
The next hatch found will contain Patrick Duffy.
is that an intentional twofer?
Dallas it-was-all-a-dream and The Man From Atlantis!
LOL... not intentional
I totally forgot The Man From Atlantis...
if JJ has the balls to do that ...
... it would totally work: penultimate ep, they find PD in a hatch. He has, of course, webbed fingers. PD starts to explain whole sunken-continent/secret-society/transplant-Pacific-for-Atlantic/mystical-shit mumbo jumbo, is on verge of making sense of everything that's happened -- when the ep ends with cliffhanger leading in to final ep.
Final ep: another of those weird, frustrating, recapitulate-what-we-saw-last-week, but-from-2-different-angles, so-as-to-show-the-new-character-isn't-what-we-thought-he-was-upon-first-reveal taking up the first 2/3 of the runtime, which leads up to the same point where the penultimate ep's cliffhanger left off -- break for commercial -- come back to Jack, age 7 or 8, waking up from having fallen asleep in front of the TV in 1978. PD on the tube. Parents come home from grocery shopping. Quotidian interaction btw Young Jack and parents. Mom putting groceries away. Canned goods in hand. She opens the kitchen cabinet to put the cans away -- and THE ENTIRE CABINET IS FULL OF DHARMA-LABELED FOOD. Mom turns back to Jack, half-smiles, opens her mouth to speak -- CUT TO BLACK.
Mean Girls lacks murders and Christian Slater
and gains a bit more nuance, with a protaganist who's a bit less two dimensional than Winona. No anguished Dead Gay Son epiphanys, though.
I'll take up Lost on DVD I think, wouldn't try to pick it up now.
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jan 31, 2008 11:41 AM PST up reply actions
Happy Birthday, Jackie Robinson!
My favorite alumni of my current school, UCLA, and a great basketball player, too.
Garret Anderson is throwing a party
That one's for you, Oz
by Cutthemullet on Jan 31, 2008 10:33 AM PST up reply actions
racism
racism
http://www.nationalpost.com/most_pop...
wow that is creepy
also it makes it harder to discriminate against real canadians.
on the Internet, no one knows you're Canadian
(And as for the link ... "real" Canadians apparently know nothing about mid-19th-C American history.)
I thought "Canadian" was code for "Swede"
i miss swede...
I still won't know what to think about the trades
until he weighs in.
How in the hell, are the Marlins closer to being
contenders than the A's, and the Rangers are always rebuilding the pitching staff.
Spencer (Orange County): What team comes out of obscurity first: Rangers, A's, Giants, Marlins?
Keith Law: (1:22 PM ET ) The Marlins and Rangers are much further ahead of the Bay Area teams in their rebuilding processes.
Why do I continue to read Keith????/
correct answer is
ask me this question in 2009. Throw a dart at this point. "Much further?" C'mon.
by Cutthemullet on Jan 31, 2008 10:33 AM PST up reply actions
I don't know why
The Marlins farm system now sucks. Even with Maybin added to it. Their pitching is bad, and there's not much backing it up. And, obviously, they refuse to spend any money.
Law is just not an objective source when it comes to the A's. I would say he has phallic envy of Michael Lewis, but after that piece he wrote on sterilization...
Because...
the Marlins just signed Luis Gonzalez. That will take any team out of the "rebuilding" mode and into championship contention.
by franks a lot on Jan 31, 2008 10:45 AM PST up reply actions
There goes a draft pick.
You don't understand math
97-->03-->09
hah
In that case, what's the Rangers' math?
by Cutthemullet on Jan 31, 2008 10:49 AM PST up reply actions
to answer my own question...
Year Zero-->2012? Mayan calendar math
by Cutthemullet on Jan 31, 2008 10:50 AM PST up reply actions
So, if the Rangers are further ahead of the A's
we could see record setting futility this year guys.
Adam J. Morris (Houston): Over/under on Rangers wins this year?
Keith Law: (1:47 PM ET ) Man, I haven't even begun to think about that stuff. 70? That might be a bit low, but it's not as if the rotation is looking better.
by theblackpearl on Jan 31, 2008 10:49 AM PST up reply actions
Guy's not even consistent
That, or yeah, he's the Ray Ratto of 2008
by Cutthemullet on Jan 31, 2008 10:51 AM PST up reply actions
Not necessarily inconsis
The first question was who would be a winning team first, not who would be better in 2008. Law could believe that the A's will win more games than the A's in 2008, but will take longer to complete their rebuild and become a winning team again.
by BlameChannel53 on Jan 31, 2008 10:56 AM PST up reply actions
I feel like a camper who's been robbed
Where'd my tent go
by BlameChannel53 on Jan 31, 2008 10:57 AM PST up reply actions
< snerk >
Try answering some of your spam -- that should solve your problem.
Does anyone have ESPN Insider. Law
101st
Well that would probably be accurate
Dave (Mass): After seeing your list and hearing all the hype of the Oakland A's trades of prospects, I would of expected more than what you had of A's?
Keith Law: (2:05 PM ET ) They went for quantity over quality in those deals, which they needed to do with a fairly barren farm system.
Everyone else said the A's received some quality with that quantity
by theblackpearl on Jan 31, 2008 11:09 AM PST up reply actions
Here you go
Barton (38), CarGo (42), de los Santos (57), Cahill (94). No Anderson, which is really odd, and no GioGon either which is odd as well. Overall, Law's list is very curious for not only A's prospects, but many other placements, although I do agree with him that Longoria is the #1 prospect over Jay Bruce.
by BlameChannel53 on Jan 31, 2008 11:16 AM PST up reply actions
Having rid ourselves of E-Lo, can we now ..
... nickname the new kid GioGo-Lo?
by The Dogfather on Jan 31, 2008 11:31 AM PST up reply actions
if we sign a guy named ...
... Howard Lopez Canada Yusmeiro Gonzalez, can we nickname him ...
We were on the verge of signing him,
but negotiations are in limbo.
< sorenstam jeter >
(And, yes, that's Swedish.)
...whilst we hawked a Lugo.
by The Dogfather on Jan 31, 2008 2:41 PM PST up reply actions
Well he thinks a 22 y/o shouldn't repeat AA
Bobby (Oakland, CA): Why isn't Gio G. in the Top 100? Did the repeat of AA hurt his stock despite the great numbers?
Keith Law: (2:14 PM ET ) Repeat of AA hurts, as does the below-average fastball.
by theblackpearl on Jan 31, 2008 11:32 AM PST up reply actions
Law thinks he's lost his ...
[mojo].
by The Dogfather on Jan 31, 2008 12:31 PM PST up reply actions
I'm pretty convinced
that the list is literally just "Keith Law's personal scouting experiences of various players." On the one hand, at least it means his list isn't the same as everyone else's. On the other hand, it's just like him to be egotistical enough to give no weight to anything other than his own judgment-- which is rife with various preconceived notions that seriously damage his objectivity.
I've always viewed Law's player evaluations
with skepticism, because he is less forthcoming than other guys in telling how he comes up with his evaluations. His baseball analysis in general I find very interesting, but individual player evaluatons are questionable. This bizarre Top 100 list makes me wonder what games he is watching.
by BlameChannel53 on Jan 31, 2008 1:29 PM PST up reply actions
Law
is a solid writer. He knows more than we do. We read Baseball America, and scrutinize the difference between a B and a B+. He travels around the country to report on guys he actually watches, and does this for a living, not a hobby. Every year, lists come out and the reactions are generally the same, "X's list has more A's players than Y's list. Y sucks! X's list is better."
Law's list is entirely subjective. Just like BA's, or BP's. Our knowledge of prospects is pretty much limited to BA "rankings" and an annual handbook. Owning a Sickels book doesn't make anybody an "expert." Law does his own scouting, and forms his own opinions.
Where is the evidence that Keith Law is a petty and immature writer that holds grudges against organizations? Reds fans are upset with him over at BTF, and they have 2 of his top 10 prospects.
East coast bias does exist, by and large. But only in the mainstream (Baseball Tonight, the slew of unwatchable talk [yell] shows on ESPN), but guys like Law, Neyer, even most of the writers at BA don't have it.
Trust me, if Law said, "The A's have the deepest system in baseball and will be contenders year in and year out from 2009 until at least 2015" we'd
all be talking about how great his analysis is.
Doesn't the fact that Reds fans are irritated
despite him rating the system highly indicate the opposite of what you're trying to argue here?
Yes, fans are always going to overvalue "their" guys. That doesn't change the written record-- and the written record is full of moronic things said by Law about A's players and prospects.
Frankly, I think Reds fans have beef with him as well, considering that he called Aaron Harang a #4 starter earlier this offseason.
I think it's a matter
of nothing ever being good enough. The common criticism of Law is, "He said Player X wasn't a potential star. He doesn't know what he's talking about!" I've never heard him criticized for overrating a player.
What has he said that could be considered "moronic?" Moronic would be, like, saying Daric Barton's a relief pitcher. Last year the guy had Yankee fans telling him he was underrating Joba last year, even though he constantly referred to him as a potential #1.
What should he say? That everyone's awesome?
And where is the other info coming from? If Law says a pitcher has an average fastball, but other places say he has a plus fastball, why should we grant credibility to the latter? There's a major tendency to say the guys on your team are all potentially awesome. "Sickels gave him a B+, but Law said he's a 4th OF... Sickels is right." It's why people jump to look at "perfect world projections," when in reality, those projections rarely come true.
OK
Saying Dan Haren is "a #3 pitcher with no strikeout pitch" is certifiably moronic.
Generally I agree with you here
However, there is a difference between Law's rankings and rankings by BA and BP. Baseball America's rankings are not based on just the subjective opinion of its writers, but is based very much on the collective wisdom of GMs, scouting directors, minor league managers and coaches, and scouts. BA has by far the best access to baseball employees of any organization, and it is unfair to characterize their rankings the same way as Law's.
BP's rankings are done by Goldstein, a former BA writer, and he has maintained the substantial contacts he had while at BA and largely still relies upon the opinion of those he talks to in forming his rankings. Goldstein has also shown a willingness to listen to the "stat-nerds" he works with at BP, and I think his prospect analysis has been enhanced by his open mind.
Law has consistently refused to really define where his opinions come from, although he obviously has contacts in the industry. His evaluations tend to reflect his subjective opinion, much like Sickels' evaluations do. Sickels is more open about his subjectivity and bias, however.
Law may very well be the smartest mainstream baseball analyst, and he has a lot to offer. His individual player evaluations, however, are filled with subjectivity and it's not really fair to BA and BP to compare their rankings with his. Whether one agrees with any particular ranking by BA and BP, there is definitely a real method to their madness beyond "I really like that guy."
by BlameChannel53 on Jan 31, 2008 5:52 PM PST up reply actions
Thanks to RFLOH for posting Keith Law's list in
another thread.
Keith Law's top 100 (0 / 0)
hereA's:
38 Daric Barton
42 Carlos Gonzalez
57 Fautino de los Santos
94 Trevor CahillAngels:
23 Nick Adenhart
34 Brandon Wood
79 Jordan Walden
87 Hank CongerMariners:
18 Carlos Triunfel
44 Jeff Clement
95 Wladimir BalentienRangers:
31 Elvis Andrus
40 Taylor Teagarden
46 Michael Main
48 German Duran 2B/3B
60 Eric Hurley
69 Chris Davis 3B
98 Engel Beltre RFZIPS: Milledge: 466 HR, 485 2B, 2282 hits, 278-379-524
by rfloh on Thu Jan 31, 2008 at 12:34:15 PM PDT
Ahem. Blez, may I have a word with you ...
WARNING: he may look like a nice ol' guy, but you better put headphones on. NSFW over speakers.
The Giants (the SF baseball ones)
have an urgent matter to address for 2008.
<barf>
HEE
Last year, Bonds ceded two of his four lockers to Barry Zito in a show of superstar unity.
Now that the "superstar" part illicits snorts of disgust, does he have to give them to Cain?
Looks like Keith's top 100 is free on insider for
now. Here is an excerpt on Carlos Gonzalez.
He has an average arm for right field, but he gets good reads off the ball and should be fine in center if the A's choose to put him there.
http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insid...
Now everyone who has seen Herrera says he has a cannon, even after his TJ surgery, and BA says Gonzalez has the best outfield arm.
BEST
TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Daric Barton
Best Power Hitter Carlos Gonzalez
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Daric Barton
Fastest Baserunner Jermaine Mitchell
Best Athlete Corey Brown
Best Fastball Fautino de los Santos
Best Curveball Gio Gonzalez
Best Slider Fautino de los Santos
Best Changeup Brett Anderson
Best Control James Simmons
Best Defensive Catcher Landon Powell
Best Defensive Infielder Gregorio Petit
Best Infield Arm Gregorio Petit
Best Defensive Outfielder Javier Herrera
Best Outfield Arm Carlos Gonzalez
I'm still wondering
what "best athlete" actually means. 40-yard dash time? Bench press? High jump?
I'm also not sure whether to take Powell's getting named best defensive catcher as a good sign that he can still play the position, or a bad sign that no one else can even beat out a guy with one knee.
I never watched LOST
and then...my middle daughter brought all three seasons worth of DVD's to our house. We watched all three seasons in one week. We're hooked! I am really looking forward to tonight's episode.
*All*three*seasons*in*one*week*
WOW. Now only getting to watch just one episode each week is going to be really hard for you... ;)
precisely why I gave up on it
Watched s1 on dvd -- and then found watching s2 on broadcast time to be infuriating. Then when I went back to give it another shot on dvd, they had gotten into their Dean Smith-directs-Rashomon, WTF-are-we-doing, time-killing mode.
Dean-Smith-directs-Yojimbo
The Four Corner Samurai
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jan 31, 2008 5:07 PM PST up reply actions
Dean Smith directs Steven King
Children of the Four Corners
(Or would that be Four Children of the Corn?)
Did your brain explode?
I just watched the recap episode and I forgot how freaking complicated this show is.
awww
Back when Lindsay was hot, memories, this has to be one of the hottest cast in a movie ever, Janis is probably my favorite.
Helloooo 1st's diary
It's for a good (or at least fun) cause! And recommend it so it won't disappear, even if you're not interested.
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