Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Douche Bag of the Year (2011)

Been a good year for Douche Bags…Here are the nominees for Douche Bag of the Year for 2011...

Casey Antony & other baby killers: There seemed to be an inordinate amount of people suspected of murdering their children. Casey Anthony became the poster child for this lot. In her case, another stupid jury decided to acquit as opposed to use common sense. The Anthony Jury’s infamy ranks with the O.J, Michael Jackson, and Robert Blake juries.

Charlie Sheen: ‘nuf said.

Herman Cain: Cain served as a lesson to those looking to run for presidency without really expecting to win.

Kim Kardashian: A total waste of space.

Barack Obama: Entering the fourth year of a failed presidency, Obama decides to attack Washington and engage in bigoted class warfare…even though he’s been part of the Washington establishment for a decade. He is no longer interested in governing.

Occupy Wall Street: A vacuous movement that has railed against capitalism and big banks. While most can sympathize with the attacks on banks, the movement has engaged in a number of crimes and vandalism leading to over 5000 arrests.

Justin Bieber: Is his 15 minutes up yet?

Donald Trump: The term media whore applies here.

Eric Holder: Holder sues Arizona while shipping guns to Mexican drug cartels. He absolves voter intimidation in 2008 while attacking states for trying to ensure people’s voting rights.

Ashton Kutcher: Not quite Charlie Sheen, but he did replace him on TV.

The NBA: Anyone notice the lockout?

The Philadelphia Eagles: They dubbed themselves the Dream team…hubris.

Pedophiles in sports: Penn State, Bill Conlin, & Syracuse all had their own scandals involving underage abuse.

Congress: Osama Bin Laden may be more popular than Congress.

and the winner: Casey Anthony

Former winners: Reality TV people (2009), LeBron James (2010)

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Person of the Year (2011)

I have been doing this since 2006 (all winners listed at the bottom)....

Here are the candidates for 2011:

Justin Verlander: Won the AL Triple Crown, MVP, and Cy Young Awards. He won 24 games, led the Tigers to the ALCS, and no-hit Toronto. It was the best season for a MLB pitcher since 2000.

Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers is setting all sorts of passing records and won the Superbowl. Going into Sunday’s season finale against the Lions, Rodgers had not lost a game in over a year.

Mike Kryzewski: Coach K became the winningest coach in NCAA history and he did it scandal-free.

Seal Team 6: These anonymous guys wacked Osama Bin Laden.

Adele: She was omnipresent on the pop charts and had a song that would not go away. Thank god it was not Ke$ha.

Gabrielle Giffords: Representative Giffords survived a vicious attack by a deranged gunman. The assassination attempt killed six others and wounded 13, including the congresswoman. Since recovering from surgery, she has attended congress and watched he husband’s shuttle launch.

Paul Ryan: Congressman Ryan put forth a plan to save Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. It also established a blueprint toward fiscal solvency. The Democrats savaged Ryan for his efforts while dramatically cutting these very programs themselves.

Tim Tebow: Through 12 game starts, Tim Tebow was 8-4 with a record six come-from-behind fourth quarter victories. Tebow accomplished this with old school talents. At times, he looked like something from the 1945 Army squad. Tebow wins ugly, wins late, and sometimes wins pretty. On top of this, “Tebowing” has become a fad around the nation.

And the winner is…Justin Verlander!

Past winners: Rahm Emmanuel (2006), Al Gore (2007), Barack Obama (2008), Leonard Nimoy (2009), Drew Brees (2010)

Friday, December 23, 2011

Frank Chance: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1946

Born: September 9, 1876

Debut: April 29, 1898 (Cubs)

1905: Became Cubs manager

1906: Cubs win 116 games, but lose World Series to White Sox

1907: Cubs win World Series

1908: Cubs win World Series

1910: Tinker to Evers to Chance is written by Franklin Pierce Adams

1910: Cubs win Pennant (Lose World Series to A’s)

1912: Left Cubs to manage Yankees Cubs record: 768-389 (.664) 4 pennants & 2 championships

1913-14: Managed Yankees 117-168 (.411)

1916-17: Managed in Pacific Coast League and became part owner of a team

1923: Managed Red Sox 61-91 (.401)

Died: October 15, 1924

1946: Elected to Hall of Fame

Accomplishments:

As a Manager:
946-648 (.593) with 4 Pennants and 2 World Championships

11 seasons as a manager

100 win seasons: 4

MLB record 116 wins (1906)

90+ win seasons: 7x

As a player:
2x World Champion

.296 average

20 HR

596 RBI

403 steals

1274 hits

798 runs

556 walks-319 strikeouts

.394 OBP

Led league in runs (103): 1906

10+ triples: 4x

Led league in steals: 2x

20+ steals: 9x

30+ steals: 5x

40+ steals: 3x

50+ steals: 2x

67 steals (1903)

.300+ average: 4x

.400+ OBP: 4x

Led league in OBP (.450): 1905

Postseason: .300, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .774 OPS (4 World Series-70 AB)

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Jack Chesbro: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1946

Born: June 5, 1874

1892: Began playing sandlot ball

1894: Earned nickname “Happy Jack” while working at a mental hospital

1895: Began minor league ball

1896: Cooperstown newspaper changed his name from Chesebrough to Chesbro to fit the boxscore

Debut: October 2, 1899 (Pirates)

1899: Traded to Louisville Colonels

1900: Sent to the Pirates after Colonels ceased to exist

1901: Pirates win the Pennant (No World Series)

1902: Pirates win the Pennant (No World Series)

1903: Jumped to the Highlanders (Yankees)

1904: Began throwing a spitball

1904: 41-12 record (next closest pitcher won 26)

1904: Won 14 straight games

1904: Threw a wild pitch on the last day of the season costing NY the pennant. Some claim it was a passed ball. The controversy continues…

1905: Involved in first squeeze play in MLB history

1909: Selected off waivers by the Red Sox

1910: Returned to New York, but refused a minor league assignment and was placed on ineligible list.

1910: Returned to his farm and pitched semi-pro ball

1912: Tried a comeback, but teams passed on him.

1924: Coach for the Senators

1927: Player/Manager for a minor league team

Died: November 6, 1931

1946: Elected to Hall of Fame

Accomplishments:
198-132 (.600)

2.68 ERA

1265 strikeouts

15+ wins: 7x

20+ wins: 5x

41-12. 1.82 ERA (1904)

Most single season wins (41) in history

Led league in wins: 2x

Led league in win %: 2x

Sub 3 ERA: 8x

1.82 ERA (1904)

Led league in games: 2x

Led league in GS: 2x

260 CG

10+ CG: 10x

20+ CG: 8x

30+ CG: 3x

48 CG (1904): Led league

35 shutouts

Led league in shutouts: 2x

2896.2 IP

200+ IP: 9x

300+ IP: 4x

454.2 IP (1904): Led league

1.152 WHIP

0.937 WHIP (1904): Led league

239 strikeouts (1904)

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Jesse Burkett: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1946

Born: December 4, 1868

1888-90: Played in New England League

Debut: April 22, 1890 (New York Giants)

1891: Purchased by Cleveland Spiders

1899: Assigned to St. Louis Perfectos (Cardinals)

1902: Jumped to the St. Louis Browns

1904: Traded to the Red Sox

1905: Retired after season

1946: Elected to Hall of Fame

Died: May 27, 1953

Accomplishments:
.338 career

3x batting champ

Holds MLB record for most inside-the-park HR (55)

Hit .300: 10x

Hit .350: 7x

Hit .400: 2x

75 HR

952 RBI

1720 runs

2850 hits

182 triples

389 steals

.415 OBP

.446 Slugging

.861 OPS

2067 games

Led league in games played: 2x

Led league in PA: 3x

Led league in AB: 2x

Led league in runs: 2x

100+ runs: 9x

150+ runs: 2x

Led league in hits: 3x

200+ hits: 6x

20+ doubles: 10x

10+ triples: 10x

10 HR (1901)

20+ steals: 10x

30+ steals: 5x

41 steals (1895)

1029 walks-613 strikeouts

.400 OBP: 9x

.500 slugging: 5x

1.000 OPS: 2x

300 TB: 2x

Led league in TB: 2x

Postseason: .320, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 4 SB (6 games-25 AB)

Pitching: 3-11, 5.56 ERA

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Johnny Evers: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1946

Born: July 21, 1883

Debut: September 1, 1902 (Cubs)

1905: Began feud with Joe Tinker. It started over cab fare.

1906: Cubs win Pennant (Lost World Series to White Sox)

1907: Cubs win World Series

1908: Alerted umpires about “Merkle’s boner” costing the Giants the pennant

1908: Cubs win World Series

1910: “Tinker to Evers to Chance” is written by Franklin Pierce Adams

1914: Ejected 9 times during the season

1910: Cubs win Pennant (Lose World Series to A’s)

1913: Player-Manager of the Cubs: 88-65 (.575)

1914: Traded to Braves

1914: Braves win World Series

1914: NL MVP

1914: .279, 1 HR, 40 RBI, .390 OBP

1917: Selected off Waivers by Phillies

1917: Retired after season

1920: Coached for the NY Giants

1921: Managed Cubs for second time: 41-55 (.427)

1922-23: Coach for the Chicago White Sox

1924: Managed White Sox: 51-72 (.415)

1929: Made final appearance

1929-32: Coach for the Boston Braves

After 1932: GM for Albany Senators “for a time.”

1938: Spoke to Joe Tinker for first time in 33 years while doing radio broadcast of the World Series

1946: Elected to Hall of Fame

Died: March 28, 1947

Accomplishments:
3x World Champion

1914 NL MVP

.270 career hitter

12 HR

538 RBI

778 walks-292 strikeouts

324 stolen bases

919 runs

1659 hits

11 triples (1912)

20+ steals: 7x

30+ steals: 3x

40+ steals: 2x

108 walks (1910)

Hit .300: 2x

.400 OBP: 3x

.873 OPS (1912)

Postseason:
.316, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .718 OPS, 11 runs, 8 SB, 24 hits (4 World Series)

Hit .438 in 1914 World Series

Managerial:
180-192 (.484)

Monday, December 19, 2011

Clark Griffith: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1946

Born: November 20, 1869

Debut: April 11, 1891 (St. Louis Browns)

1891: Jumped to Milwaukee

1891: Signed by the Boston Reds as a free agent

1893: Signed by Chicago Colts as a free agent

1901: Led players exodus to the American League

1901: Jumped to the White Sox as player-manager (157-113 record)

1901: White Sox won Pennant (No World Series)

1903: Traded to the New York Highlanders (Yankees) as player-manager (419-370 record)

1907: Retired as a player, but made occasional appearances until 1914

1909: Managed Reds (222-238 record)

1912: Managed Senators and purchased a stake in the franchise (693-646 record)

1920: Moved to Senators Front Office. He rented out his stadium to the Redskins for additional income.

1924: Senators win World Series

1925: Senators win Pennant (Lose World Series to Pirates)

1933: Senators win Pennant (Lose World Series to Giants)

1946: Elected to Hall of Fame

Died: October 27, 1955

1955: Ownership of the Senators passed to his son

1961: Senators move to Minnesota

Accomplishments:

Owned Washington Senators (1912-1955)


As a manager:

1491-1367 (.522) and 1 pennant

Claimed to have invented the screwball

Known for doctoring the balls

As a player:


237-146 record

3.31 ERA

.619 Win %

Won 15+ games: 8x

Won 20+ games: 7x

Led league in win % (.774): 1901

Led league in ERA (1.88): 1898

Sub 3 ERA: 6x

Sub 2 ERA: 2x

372 GS

Led league in GF: 3x

337 CG

Led league in CG (38): 1897

10+ CG: 11x

20+ CG: 10x

30+ CG: 5x

22 Shutouts

Led league in Shutouts: 2x

3385.2 IP

200+ IP: 11x

300+ IP: 5x

955 Strikeouts

1.313 WHIP

0.954 WHIP (1905)