Sports Journal 5-4-14

It was Free Comic Book Day on Saturday.  It always tears me up inside as I internally debate whether I should go or not.  Whenever I’ve gone out to get something, I always come back feeling dumb and holding a bunch of crap.  It’s never worth the even the minimal effort it takes to go out.  When I don’t go, I feel ashamed and lazy for not getting out when I had an excuse to do so.  I felt especially bad this weekend not going, as it was Chamber of Commerce-like weather outside.  Was it a missed opportunity or avoiding a waste of time (which I did anyway staying at home)?  The only solution seems to be making sure that I somehow avoid noticing Free Comic Book Day until after it’s over.

I kept another annual tradition as I missed viewing the Kentucky Derby.  I inexplicably do this every year.  Before, it was because I wasn’t getting NBC over the air.  This year I had no excuse.  The one time I went to a horse-racing track I enjoyed it.  This was probably entirely due to my betting of a 12-1 shot on the nose in the last race of the day that paid off and brought me back to even money.  I liked the one Dick Francis novel I read.  Granted, I assumed it was a murder mystery at the horse racing track and was quite confused when nobody had been killed by the end.  Still not enough motivation to the watch the big race though, so no commentary. 

Chihuahuas

I think I have to offer an apology.  I think KROD is running a pregame before most of the games.  It’s their regular sportstalk show, but they are talking about the team in depth, in addition to other sports.  I knew that Steve Kaplowitz was a baseball fan, but his commentary has proven to be positively enthusiastic concerning the team.  The station seems to be committed running remote broadcasts before weekend home games.  I’m impressed.  I’d be curious to hear Kappy co-host a game or maybe fill in if ever needed. 

The game Wednesday last week was a Kid’s Day at the ballpark, or as they call it, “Baseball and Education” (something like that).  It was a day game, so even while I was at work, I was able to hear most of the game over the radio.  The Diablos would typically do one day game a year during the week at Cohen Stadium where they’d do the same thing.  You could tell it was a bunch of kids there, because they were screaming like kids for most of the game.  It was cute to listen to.  To contrast, the dog’s game sounded more like a regular game and crowd.  Tim mentioned that he could see a parade of businessmen walking around downtown past the ballpark.  Seems like some of them were playing hooky.  Day baseball is, of course, an acceptable excuse for missing work.   

Tim was joined in the booth for, not one, but two guests.  Both were essentially travelling ballpark writers, which sounds like a heck of a profession.  The first guest had little competition from the on-field action, but the second one came on during the thick of the drama.  Tim actually skipped a commercial break during a pitching change to be able to talk to him with some continuity.  You certainly can’t schedule the game play.  Upshot, both guests liked the ballpark.  I’ve also noticed that Chad Middleton, at the station doing scoring updates, has been engaging Tim with a little on-air conversation.  Not quite a co-host since he’s not at the ballpark, but I think some between innings banter is good for the broadcast to break up the monologue a little.

The game proved to be exciting, especially at the end as the dogs nearly managed to come back in the bottom of the 9^th.  But, the Sacramento Surfing Bears, err Grizzlies, would prevail 6-5.  Men and children left the ballpark in tears that day.  Such is baseball.    

I can’t get that Surfing Bear image out of my head.  I can clearly see the bear-suited mascot now and hear the commentary.  “What’s Cowabunga up to now?  He’s sneaking up behind the umpire.  Oh my goodness!  Cowabunga just pants the umpire!  Cowabunga what have you done?  The umpire is pulling up his pants with one hand and ejecting Cowabunga with the other!  Cowabunga’s pleading his case to the ump and trying to get the fans involved.  It’s to no avail.  The umpire has firmly ejected Cowabunga.  Poor Cowabunga.  He walks off the field hanging his head.  Don’t fret kids.  We all know how much Cowabunga loves baseball.  I suspect he’ll be back later.”  And there he is next inning in sunglasses and an overcoat sitting in the front row taunting the umpire, who somehow doesn’t quite seem to recognize him.       

I’ve been urged to copyright this concept, but I don’t want to be associated with it if it actually happens.

Meanwhile, Sunday night after a dog win, Cody Decker from team, who plays every position except hot dog vendor, did the sports report for Channel 9.  If he wasn’t the fan favorite before after his gallant entry into El Paso, he is now.  Cody kept up the edgy wardrobe with a striped suit, sunglasses indoors at night, and a bowtie.  He totally won me over with the Corey Hart 80’s reference to the sunglasses and the Dr. Who reference (“Bowties are cool.”)  Cody has actual acting credentials, so he was quite relaxed, competent, and amusingly charming during the broadcast.  They even liked him enough to let him to the weather recap.  It was hinted that he may become a recurring fixture on the weekend news.  Since Stetsons and fezzes are also cool by the Doctor’s reckoning, I can hardly wait to see what Cody wears next.

What a game on Monday night!  The dogs go down 6-3 early and come back on a grand slam home run by Tommy Medica.  I tune back in later in the bottom of the 9^th.  The dogs are back down by two runs, have two outs, bases loaded, and two strikes on the batter, Jake Lemmerman.  Boom!  Another grand slam home run!  Cue the crowd going crazy.  I suspect this will be the signature stadium opening game that people will remember.  Between this game and Cody Decker appearances, general interest in the team should continue to rise.  

MLB

I was watching a some of a Red Sox broadcast on the MLB Network on Friday at work.  They had a little behind-the-scenes segment at the ballpark.  One of the announcers was showing his office at the ballpark.  He’d got it as part of his contract negotiations.  Ahem.  Wait for it.  Yeah, the other announcer in booth didn’t have his own office at Fenway.  A small amount of good-natured contention ensued. 

The announcer (you know, as often as the MLB Network shows Red Sox and Yankees games, I should know these guy’s names) then mentioned that he had people over in his office during the playoffs last year, watching the games.  The ballpark reporter then chirped in, “I don’t remember being invited to that.”  Then the other announcer, “Say, neither do I.”  I hope these guys didn’t carpool to work.    

Boxing

The big fight between Mayweather and Maidana ended with the audience laboring and beaten.  The mixed decision for Mayweather brought the fight to an unglamorous, though not unanticipated, ending which dropped the viewers straight to the canvas and sent them crawling to the exits or flipping channels immediately. 

It started off so promisingly.  Maidana got two national anthems before coming out.  Mayweather called, and raised him by coming out with circus performers and Justin Bieber.  (I don’t even want to know what these two have in common with one another.)  There were about 100 people in the ring before the fight.  Between all the thugs, the clowns, and some guy wearing a Dia de los Muertos mask holding an American flag, it looked like a scene right out of a Democratic National Convention.   

The first round featured Maidana going at Mayweather like a berserker, forcing him into the ropes.  Near the end of round, we see the pattern that will dominate the rest of the fight: Maidana burying his head into Mayweather while on the ropes, the ref breaking it up, Maidana burying his head into Mayweather again.  Except for a few good punches, that was the whole damn fight.  I didn’t even pay to see this and I’m cursing it.  The crowd would alternate between singing something in Spanish and chanting “U.S.A.!” to amuse themselves in the meantime.   

Mayweather fought like he was afraid of getting hit, which makes his vocational choice rather odd.  He got in some good punches.  They look good, but didn’t seem to have any effect.  The longer his undefeated streak goes, the more defensive he seems to be getting. 

Maidana looked good there for most of the first round.  What he seemed to want to do was bring his opponent to the ground and use his wrestling skills to quickly end the fight.  Oh, wait.  This wasn’t an MMA bout.  Didn’t matter.  Maidana was so winded after the first round, his cardio would not hold up during a UFC match anyway.  The dirty hits also didn’t help his cause.  I’m still wondering if the referee saw him try to put a knee in Mayweather’s face during a clinch or not.  The ref was pretty winded from having to break them up about 10,000 times every round.

Wow.  That was great.  Let’s do this every Saturday.  Or never again.  (Maybe in July.  I have co-workers foolishly going out to see a fight in person again then.)