Travel Day

Your omniscient author in absentia:
Sorry, a last-minute and unplanned business trip has usurped today's installment which would have included a shout out to Josh Beckett for number 17.

 

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Comments

[Youk Rules]

Not bad for the kid from Spring.

But Wang's 17th tarnishes the accomplishment somewhat.

[Bob]

Things I hate worse than unplanned business trips:

The Skankees.

Michael Kay being called a "sports reporter" instead of a "paid endorser of the Skankees and the YES Network."

Mayonnaise. I'll eat anything in the world (I've had dog head cheese in Thailand), but I hate mayo.

A-Fraud.

A-Fraud slathering his skank blonde mistress in mayo.

The shape of Peyton Manning's head.

Co-workers who sit behind you and spend all day on the phone loudly talking to real estate agents. And I don't work in real estate.

Matsui's plastic surgeon (funny how that heavily pock-marked face is suddenly clear).

Single-ply toilet paper. You have to use twice as much, so what's the point?

Blueberry beer.

Utility bills.

Roger Clemen's children.

The shithead who rides his very loud motorcycle up and down my street all frigging night long. (Drug runner, anyone?)

The Skankees.

[Scott]

Props to the kid Ellsbury. Once Manny comes back send Nancy to the bench. 3 for 3 with a HR against one of the best in the league. How bout that!

Only one bad pitch by Beckett last night not bad.

[vermonter]

Bob-My additions:

People who don't pull out into the intersection when waiting to turn left at a traffic light.

Missing three-foot putts.

Pinstripe Thunder.

The Skankees.

[illegitimate son of dwight evans]

But Wang's 17th tarnishes the accomplishment somewhat.

How so? I mean, a 17-win season is one a lot of pitchers would gladly take, on a bad day.

[Aaron]

Blueberry beer? Really?

I mean, sure, I certainly couldn't drink it all the time (I prefer darker, heavier, higher-octane brews) but every once in awhile, it's a nice change of pace on a hot summer day.

How about pumpkin beer? It's getting to be that time of year again...

Sox current winning percentage: .604, which translates into a 14-9 record the remainder of the season. If so, the Spanks would need to rip off a 21-2 run just to force a plyoff for the division.

Lookin' good, folks.

[Son of Hamulack]

Note... 17 is also the magic number. Coincidence? I think not.

Prediction, Schilling strikes out 15, which with a Phil Hughes implosion would be the Magic number at the close.

[Bob]

aaron, pumpkin beer is, on rare occasion, acceptable.

But then again, they don't have chunks of pumpkin floating in the beer.

I LIKE blueberries. It's my fav pie. Just not in my beer, please.

[pinstripe thunder]

Sorry you have the yips, VT. Maybe you're thinking about me too much.

Better be careful or you'll wind up with some of Bob's fantasies. Funny how, in all the time that A-Rod has been with the Yankees (and it seems like an eternity), I have never once thought about him lathering his blonde mistress with mayo.

Maybe cuz I think about him doing that to Derek Jeter instead.

Things I hate -- people who live in a state that boasts Route 100, the most beautiful highway on the planet, and sit around posting about their pet peeves when they could be outside enjoying the most spectacular scenery in the world.

Fresh maple syrup, first frost, fall foliage, Bennington coeds, sitting out on a patio at Sugarbush enjoying wine and cheese before the ski bums arrive to ruin everything... all good things to savor, VT, rather than obsessing about Pinstripe Thunder.

I'm just sayin'...

[Kaz]

Aw, Bob, sweeten up, honeychil'.

Blueberry beer is a great spin on a plain old ale. I'm also a fan of lemon in my Sam Summer. I have been known to imbibe a fruit lambic from time to time as well.

Beer's tartness and fruit's essences are a great counterplay of flavors.

By the way, who's going to break the news to JD Drew that he's starting the postseason on the bench?

[iwanttobealion]

Hello all. First time... long time... blahblahblah. It seems like as good a time as any for my first post so that I can defend the one really really good blueberry beer: Draco.

http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer/montegioco-draco/64175/

The new one from Dogfish head is pretty drinkable also.

http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer/dogfish-head-black-and-blue/63450/

Go Sox!

[Bob]

//...when they could be outside enjoying the most spectacular scenery in the world.//

PT, when I walk outside my office building, the only scenery I have is the methadone clinic customers huddled outside next door.

"Spectacular" isn't the word I'd use to describe that view, believe me.

[Colin]

Some good news: I heard from a reliable source that SportsCenter is casting its vote on Dusty as Rookie of the Year, which after his jump to .329 and the sick backhand snipe during Clay's no-no, is a very wise move to make.

In the mean time, let's aim for the gold and hope Seattle keeps the MFY in check one more time.

[pinstripe thunder]

Bob -- the spectacular scenery comment was intended for VT. You have the methadone clinic and probably homeless people in the park; HE has Route 100, fall foliage and maple syrup.

But at least you have your fantasies about A-Rod and mayo to tide you over in hard times...

[Bob]

Thanks, PT. I just threw up in my mouth.

[Aaron]

Mmmm...syrup. Someone should make a maple syrup beer.

I'm of the opinion that all things that can be imbibed, are better imbibed in beer form.

(Uh oh, if I keep up this line of reasoning, it might be me waiting outside that methadone clinic someday. Blueberry beer is, after all, a gateway drug...)

[louclinton]

"Bennington co-eds" ?

Holy girl-on-girl, did 1969 just drop in?

As for Ellsbury, you're welcome about that as well.

lc

[Kaz]

Welcome, WannabeLion.

Colin, if Okajima doesn't slip'n'slide into the post-season, he'd be a decent contender against Dustin for RotY.

[Devine]

So, so, so happy that the magic number has shrunk every day in recent memory (the past 5, I think...every day since that damn Yankees series). "Seventeen" is clearly the watchword today.

[Scott]

Right on the money lc. I lived in Bennington for a year and did not see even one coed.

[Annoyed]

Has anyone noticed that on the mlb.com front page, under the 'stats' section they still have Beckett listed with 16 wins so Wang's mug is gracing the front page instead? Travesty, someone over there must be a sabotaging yankers fan.

[Follower of Tito]

Bob, the actual problem with SOME blueberry beers is that they just add flavoring to a wheat beer...I have to agree with you: very lame. And, like Aaron, I prefer a darker, higher octane ale. Enter Atlantic Brewing Company in Bar Harbor: http://www.atlanticbrewing.com/

Took a tour, and the brewers actual use 40 pounds of fresh Maine blueberries, not flavoring...it makes all the difference.

As for maple syrup beer, I think the Québécois have something called Caribou, which has maple syrup, but is more whiskey-based than beer...but it works

[vermonter]

self-indulgent noob
how's that Clemens thing working
seven games behind

forgive me h.b.
for feeding the troll a steak
easy pickins, though

[Colin]

Son of a bitch! You're right about the NYY douche sabotage. Beckett has 17 wins as well! I say Wake will win another just so the Sox have one more with 17 over NY.

And Kaz, good call on Oki. I would like to see one of them get it being both Red Sox. I just have a softer spot for Dusty b/c he's a little guy like me and he's capable of tremendous ass-kicking when he gets the opportunity.

[Kaz]

I have no doubt in Pedroia's fearlessness, Colin. I have to say he's probably one of only 2 guys on the team who is really exciting to watch swing (the other being Papi, of course).

Mighty Mite puts his entire all into every swing which is just awesome energy to watch in my opinion.

[Evan]

I havent been around much lately... but did BigBri change his name to Pinstripe Thunder? Im confused....

[vermonter]

BB...PT...whatev.

Even as a kid growing up in NY I could smell the stench of the Skanks and their fans.

Mets, Jets, Giants, Knicks...all fine, but the Yanks have always had a certain down-the-nose arrogance thing that helps me to enjoy leading them as we do.

[louclinton]

Evan: that was one theory.

They appear to be different personalities:

BigBri= punchdrunk former high school lineman who wears his shirt to The Big Game

PT= 11th grade girl who shows up at the frat party, gets drunk and abused and wants everyone to like her.

lc

[NolaSox]

Wannabelion, Dogfish Head founder, Sam Caligione, was in my class in high school and was kind of an ass in our English class - he eventually got kicked out - I think for bringing nitrous oxide from his dentist dad's office to campus. His dad also pulled 7 of my teeth. So thanks for bringing back the good memories.

[iwanttobealion]

Glad that I could help NolaSox. I nearly knocked out a tooth recently after drinking some of his "monster" 22% abv beers and riding my bicycle, so I feel your pain.

[Bob]

Good homepage material:

http://pudge.net/magic/

[pinstripe thunder]

Different personalities, same body?

Since lc is already dispensing his daily "you're welcomes," many thanks for recognizing my inner Tralala. I wasn't even aware of my secret desire to be surly but lovable.

As for the Bennington coed remark, to paraphrase Tony Soprano, "Out there it's 2007. In this house it's still the 1960's."

Hope lc does another rhyme for me... but no more Suzanne Vega, please. Enjoy your division title. See you in the ALCS.

[soxdownunder]

There was a Belgian beer that was very fruity once that nearly killed me. It had a very dark reddish hue. Otherwise I think fruit should NOT be included with beer unless the beer is Mexican and the fruit is citrus.

[Scott]

I am man enough to say that I enjoy fruit in my beer. In fact a lime wedge in my Miller High Life makes it taste just like a Corona. Even better IMO. And yes I usually drink the cheapest beer available. When your having multiple beers it's more fiscally responsible.

They started originally putting limes in beer and around the rim of their drink glasses in order to keep the flies away...

[Jeff]

Actually Scott, they starting putting limes in beers to hide the taste of off beer. Since wheat beers contain very few hops (a natural preservative - look up the history of IPA) they go bad quicker. Limes hide that flavor. You'll note a lack of hops in the same style of beers that call for fruit in them.

In that line, I am surprised Heineken doesn't promote putting limes in their beer...

[soxdownunder]

I should have made it clear that the reason the Belgian beer nearly killed me was because it was so delicious that I drank a lot of it. I think it was made by Nuns or Monks or something. Go figure.

[Evan]

Belgian Beer --

I was in Brussels this summer and couldn't get enough. I didn't learn a single beer's name, but I couldn't complain. The bar I frequented in Amsterdam had nothing but Belgian beer too. Go figure.