Feeling Like a Grind – Offseason Sunday Open Thread

Last Wednesday evening, NY Mets brass rushed into a panic room after Edwin Sugar Díaz, the best paid reliever in baseball, tore his patellar tendon. Díaz got injured while celebrating with fellow #TeamRubio mates, after PR eliminated the Dominican Republic 5-2 in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. It felt kinda… Deflating.

You: How deflating was it?

I felt for Díaz, a victim of a major, yoooge fluke. Slipping in bathtub and breaking your neck is more probable (source: Secopad Marketing Labs). It was a fluke injury, something inconceivable to the gaggle of scolds calling for the end of these unnatural baseball exhibitions that have been playing in Asia and the US for the past several weeks. Christ; almost everyone paid money to comment on sports is a certified expert on what already happened—retrospective savants who, in colloquial boricua, tell you it’s a dog after cupping its balls.

It goes like this: if it happened, it’s possible. And if it’s possible, it’s foreseeable—foreseeable! Which means that the injury is the product of, of… something. Yeah, something that must be done away forever!, goes the think-of-the-chilluns alarmist soapboxing.

It’s simplistic bullshit, and, as provocation, the rotting fruit fallen off the taeks tree.

Yeah it pisses me off, but I’ll try being objective. Let’s see… Ok, I guess not all Democrats are concerned about the sex lives of abuelas.

Shit happens. Loads of crap are beyond ones’ control. There is risk in everything. In everything. I have nothing against folks who always pick the safest alternative. Hell, that takes discipline. Much respect, you consistent toe-dippers you.

But I have no patience for fuckers who rush to pick the least fun alternative. Being a coward AND a spoilsport is sad way to live.

Bonus! Implying that the MLB is the only entity noble enough to exploit income from baseball is… Wow. You, sir, are an action figure.

The WBC is big in the Caribbean and in Korea and Japan. PR against Dominicana is like Falcons vs. Saints, Haagen Dazs vs. Ben & Jerry’s, Bears vs. Packers and Probity vs. Dan Snyder all rolled into one. They should hold the WBC every three years. And eventually the World Series will be this tournament because sometime all people born before 1970 will die, Pete Rose will get into FanDuel’s Hall of Fame, and Roger Clemens will find someone who is not beneath him.

NFL NEWS

-Oh! Almost forgot. Houston Astro José Altuve is sidelined indefinitely for a fractured right thumb by a bean ball in yesterday’s Venezuela @ USA! USA! According to what little I know of current baseball, pitcher Daniel Bard is a hero to mankind.

-Some signings, nothing of consequence. I just didn’t have the heart to delete the section header.  Here’s a link to English espendeportes, if yer ticklish curiosity-wise.

SPROTS TONITE

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

Hockey gets eastern times, glossy paper stock:

All times Central

Professional Roundball

Creighton (6) vs Baylor (3) – 6:10

Fairleigh Dickinson (16) vs Florida Atlantic (9) – 6:45

Miami (5) vs. Indiana (4) – 7:40

TCU (6) vs Gonzaga (3) – 8:40

I gots Gonz. as my winner. No, you are the one pre-crowing.

Overtly Professional Roundball

Tirana @ Milwaukee – 7:00

Clips @ Portland – 8:00

Orlando @ Lakers – 8:30

Top Flight Fútbol (full list)

Venezuela

Caracas FC hosts Metropolitanos – 6:30

Uruguay

Racing hosts Wanderers – 6:30

Argentina

Talleres (Córdoba) hosts Banfield – 7:30

Sarmiento (Junín) hosts River Plate – 7:30

Sarmiento is the last name of a most humorless man: XIXth Century’s Domingo Faustino Sarmiento—educator, minister, president, sourpuss. Sarmiento opened Argentina’s borders to Germans and other northern Europs. However, Argentina wound up with half of Italy, to Sarmiento’s personal dismay. But that was to be expected: Argentina’s thing is having clear instructions and ignoring them at will, whether it’s fútbol laws or immigration quotas.

Land of Contrasts! “Sarmiento” means grapevine in Spanish. And, Club Atlético Sarmiento plays in Estadio Eva Perón, named of course for a very, very fun first lady. Wine and party vibes, great counterpoint to a public life of stern gazes:

Via enlace

Chile

Magallanes hosts Universidad Católica – 6:30

Unión Española hosts Palestino – 6:30

Games between these two teams is called El Clásico de Colonias, named teams that represent the biggest immigrant communities in Chile: Unión Española for the Spanish, Palestino for the bulldozed mercilessly.

 

Paraguay

Trinidense hosts Guaraní – 6:30

At a New York Review of Books party, Truman Capote once called V.S. Naipul “Trini – dense”, and Roland Barthes replied with a snort and “Behave, Bulldog. Fetch”, gesturing towards martinis.

 

Ecuador

Emelec hosts Técnico Universitario – 7:00

Colombia

Independiente Medellín hosts Jaguares de Córdoba – 8:00

FINALLY, its the WBC:

Cuba @ U.S.A., 6:00 in Miami!

Miami, of course, has a huge community of Cuban exiles steadfastly opposed to the Cuban regime. The Cuba Cubans call the exiles gusanos–you know, worms. And, traditionally, Miami Cuban have been pro-embargo and doing whatever it takes to oust the Castroseses. Fortunately, it seems those old cold warriors have been dying and Cuba has been Castro-less for a coupla years now. There’s even major leaguers playing for the Cuba team now, but gotta keep it honest: the only thing that interests me in this game is whether Cubans will root for the U.S.A. against Cuba.

By the way: Puerto Ricans would never. No way. If Puerto Rico is competing, you don’t root for anyone else. I may watch some of this Cuba @ USA game, even though it’s baseball. Have a great week, sickos.

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Don T
Poor choices, mixed results. ¡Viva Puerto Rico Libre! Titans4Eva
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Gumbygirl

I watched PBS shows all evening. I’m feeling pretty classy, like a fucking lady! Which is kind of exhausting, I’m going to hit the fainting couch now. Off to my boudoir, later my Tiffany blue taters!

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2Pack

Thanks Don T. Your writing always makes me laugh.

WCS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKWoI6ivRyw

I’d like to think they’ll be a portrait of Danny Boy Snyder on the wall of this place eventually.

Dunstan

Got my rainy night playlist going, and doing some cocktail experiments. Currently enjoying something called a Good Cork: 1 oz Irish whiskey, 1 oz. mezcal, 1/2 oz. Benedictine, dash Peychaud’s. Over ice with an apple slice (no, I don’t know why) garnish.

Dunstan

Just got an email from a cigar retailer titled “Five Inches of Fury!” Which would be a good name for a fantasy team.

“Oh, that is a fantasy, for sure.” — Deanna F.

Horatio Cornblower
Brocky

So the shih tzu left again. Pops went downstairs. I just heard him yell something.

Horatio Cornblower

Looks like you may as well have named the dog Indiana, because they’re leaving too.

/gets sued by George Lucas

Brocky

…. the dog is mostly white with a few brown patches……

Holy shit I am going to hell for this one

Horatio Cornblower

Somebody get a wellness check on Brocky’s dog.

Brocky

I just gave him a belly rub.

He needs a haircut

Horatio Cornblower

Cool story that is, unfortunately, also no longer relevant.

https://twitter.com/Jake_Trotter/status/1637624666226401281

yeah right

The WBC is wonderful and I will watch it forever. The games are the best. The love of country even better. It’s been a blast.

Horatio Cornblower

I may have said this before, but while I like the WBC I cannot compare it favorably to the World Series simply because Daniel Bard is a legitimate pitching option in the WBC.

But it’s still a great idea and it’s a lot of fun to watch. Also that cheating piece of crap Jose Altuve got his thumb broken, (and it wasn’t intentional because said Daniel Bard threw the pitch and if Bard’s trying to hit you you’re the safest person in the ballpark), and that’s some karma right there.

yeah right

It’s so much more than just an exhibition. There are countries that worship baseball like most of the world worships futbol. This is the fucking world cup of baseball. It’s the Olympics of baseball and its fantastic.

Viva la WBC!

Horatio Cornblower

It is indeed the Olympics of baseball, in that the Russians aren’t allowed to compete in it.

WCS

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Horatio Cornblower

How much would you care to wager that most of the kids on the UConn team have no idea why Coach Luke Murray’s dad is such a big deal?

https://twitter.com/Griffin__Haas/status/1637616188413861889

Horatio Cornblower

Been out drinking and watching the Fightin’ Horatios, Netball Division, revert to where they were at the beginning of the season and looking like world-beaters. Will they look that way next week? WHO KNOWS!! Just a completely schizoid team that could beat anyone in the country one night and lose to a CYO team the next.

But they’re going to Vegas, so I would consider this season a success and anything beyond this gravy.
/DOOR FLIES OPEN

Uh, no Coach Reid, it’s a metaphor
//DOOR FLIES CLOSED

Redshirt

Update: The clock has struck midnight. Cinderella is no more.

Brocky

That makes Purdue’s loss all the funnier

BrettFavresColonoscopy

I thought Buddy usually wrote the Grindr posts.

Game Time Decision

Youngest GTD just used “raw-dogin” in a non sexual way. She’s 17. Kinda weirded out by it

Brocky

It makes sense if they’re the youngest because they’ve likely had the most bad influenced in their life while having the parents who are the least overprotective …

But how do you use that in a non sexual context?

Redshirt

…eating a cold hot dog?

I don’t know, this may be worthy of a Monday Mock Draft. How to use sexual terms ina a non-sexual context.

Horatio Cornblower

It’s fairly common among the younger set these days. Anything you do just diving in head first with no preparation qualifies as raw-dogging.

Now if you’ll pardon me I have to go raw-dog these kids off my lawn.

(may not be doing this right)

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

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Game Time Decision

Something to do with her socks falling off and just putting her feet into her slippers raw-dogin
Think I shut down in the middle of it so may have it wrong

Last edited 1 year ago by Game Time Decision
Horatio Cornblower

Sounds like the things my kids will occasionally say that make me do a double-take and crack my neck really badly, because I am very old, so old that I remember when raw-dogging was limited to meaning the thing I did to their mother that put them on this planet in the first place.

Game Time Decision

Right with you on that reaction

Redshirt

Can you imagine how more screwed up football would be if it had a Possession Arrow like basketball?

WCS

It’s called the catch review.

Redshirt

FDU and FAU has descended into the JV BB version of that 54-51 MNF game a few years back. I’m not sure if its even possible for both teams to be on scoring runs at the same time, but they are.

Brocky

Oh God hippo did you see that Miami cheerleader?

My dad just rewound that twice

King Hippo

I was making some oatmeal. Sadly, not a euphemism

Brocky

God damnit were not recording.

There was some shoulder action there. The camera was back and to the left, cheerleader looking to the left, shoulder shimmies and looks to the left, all in slow motion.

I hate to sound Pervy but my goodness

Last edited 1 year ago by Brocky
Horatio Cornblower

“BACK AND TO THE LEFT!? THAT’S MY FETISH!!”

-Oliver Stone

Brocky

I don’t remember the Zapruder film being this shakey…

Game Time Decision

Aka the Blue Steel

Redshirt

I hope so, because if that was your euphemism for “churning the butter” or “fluffing your Garfield” than you need to see a doctor.

Brocky

Wtf counter: 6

The shih tzu has left the room

Brocky

He’s back. Scrounge dog ate some food and came back.

He’s a good boy. Dumb as a rock. But a good boy

litre_cola

The same fucking commercials on a loop for 4 days on TSN for teh hoops up here. I am ready to smash my tv the next time this Amazon Prime commercial comes on.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

“Perfect! You can order a new one using Amazon Prime!” – Jeff Bezos

litre_cola

This made Mrs. Cola guffaw.

Game Time Decision

CTire and which grocery store?

litre_cola

I think Galen has taken a wee step back right now with all the profits and all.

yeah right

Hey Coca Cola! Do I have the best asshole ever?

TakeaTaste!

King Hippo

Brocky and Brocky Sr. – pretty please put the ACC out of its misery already

Brocky

You say that but….

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Redshirt

The cheerleaders can stay. They can be a barnstorming homeless squad, like the Baltimore Colts Marching Band after they bolted for Indy or Youppi!.

Last edited 1 year ago by Redshirt
Brocky

Don’t tell Scotchnaut…

WCS

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Bub-bub bye, Bay-Bay.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly
Game Time Decision

No one puts baby in the corner

Brocky

Dad: don’t let them drive through the lane

Miami drives the lane

Dad: What the FUCK?

WTF Counter at 5

WCS

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Brocky

I’ll admit I’ve never paid any attention to University of Miami’s basketball program, but I am not surprised at the “enthusiasm” of their cheerleaders

Brocky

IU cursing update: my dad has graduated from “God Damn it” to “What the Fuck!?!

LemonJello

I had somehow managed to forget how asinine basketball broadcast teams are.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Interesting choice of a video thumbnail photo by ESPN:

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TheRevanchist

That is kind of how she plays, though: A bit rough. She thrives in the half court game. She is a scorer, the best Utah has, but not next level competition.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

It honestly looks more like a still from a rugby match.

Game Time Decision

Basketball haka would be awesome

scotchnaut

Trying to work my way thru the second book of the Jodi Taylor time travel series that Zymm rec’ed. Not gonna lie-it’s not for me.

WCS

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Gumbygirl

Needs more cat.

scotchnaut

Reporter: “What’s it like being the least shitty Hurley? I mean your dad and your brother… Wow!”

Danny Hurley: “Sometimes, late at night, I dream of fining players for not being at a meeting a 1/2 hour before the designated time but I try very, very hard to ignore those impulses.”

Reporter: “You are truly are a hero for our times.”

Danny Hurley: “One might say a Super Hero.”

Reporter: “Oh my god, here we go…”

WCS

Can the Big 12 swap Creighton for Baylor straight up?

LemonJello

Why ask for consent? It’s Baylor, they should understand.

WCS

This is the correct answer.

King Hippo

Creigh-Creigh >>> Bay-Bay >>>>>>> Wolven Sort

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Between Ken Starr and Art Briles is there any university that’s easier to hate than Baylor? Yes, of course: Notre Dame. But Baylor makes a strong argument for 2nd place.

Brocky

To me it’s always different to hate alumni for their post collegiate actions vs hating the university outright.

I dislike UNC, Duke, Notre Dame & and probably Kentucky for the colleges themselves, but the alumi’s transgressions aren’t as easily remembered

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Same here. I’m not going to blame a kid for choosing to play basketball at Duke; if you are serious about having a future in the sport it’s a great place to go.

King Hippo

My early assessment is FAU really would have kicked Purdue’s ass.

ballsofsteelandfury

Cuban culture in Miami is SUPER interesting and complicated. More so than Mexican culture in LA.

WCS

Tom Izzo is the reincarnation of St. Patrick. There’s no other explanation for what this guy does in March.

King Hippo

Danny Hur,ey teams always defend like mad. MUST BE NICE.

LongtimeLionsLoser

I’m waiting for the big rivalry game in Colombia –

Independiente Medellín Vs. Affiliated Medellín

Last edited 1 year ago by LongtimeLionsLoser
King Hippo

It’s now on my WASP scold bucket list to attend a Sarmiento match.

WCS

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King Hippo

That is my daughter’s favourite part of the series.