Shorter* Suzyn Waldman


Suzyn has outdone herself. Forget demanding that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays forfeit a game because they were late and the Yankees had already showered and dressed for the game. Forget her constant dismissal of Yankee opponents as not worthy of victories, and her constant attitude of Yankee entitlement (although that relates to this latest incident). No, on October 8th 2007, Suzyn Waldman took her awful performance as a color commentator to a ridiculously new low level. Following Joe Torre's post-game press conference at Jacobs Field in Cleveland (which followed the Yankee defeat in Game 4 of the ALDS, and subsequent elimination from the playoffs), Suzyn Waldman went on the air and cried.

Here is her full broadcast which you can download here (courtesy awfulannouncing.com)


You're going to have to bear with me here, cos' you know me, I cry at Cinderella, and I can't believe what's going on in there. Um....What's going on in that clubhouse and what Joe Torre is saying at the podium - John, this rivals that plane ride from Seattle [sniff], because everybody knows there's going to be a lot of changes here, and people are absolutely saying goodbye to each other. And it's very very tough place to be right now. [Sniff] Joe Torre is at the podium, and um, the first thing he said was that we wanted to congratulate Eric Wedge the way he turned his team around, and if you make a mistake they'll pummel you and that's exactly what they did. Um. Then obviously the first question was about his future. He didn't want to talk about that. He said, "I told the players I was so proud of what they did, they were in a hole, sometimes you get complacent, sometimes you forget how hard it is. We didn't forget.

And perhaps ironically, John Sterling settled Waldman down, by telling her, "all good things come to an end," and that Joe Torre will, "land on his feet," and be fine with his wife, daughter, brother, and his well-earned millions.

Now we know that most Yankee broadcasters are complete wingnuts. Michael Kay on YES TV believes that the Yankees have been the best team in baseball since 1995, facts be damned. John Sterling on WCBS 880 AM is a poor broadcaster because you can tell by his tone whether the Yankees are winning or losing. If he sounds disgusted, then you don't need to know the score. And then there is Suzyn Waldman, John Sterling's sidekick since 2005. They will be broadcasting together on WCBS 880 AM through the end of the 2011 regular season.

Suzyn is quick to pile praise or criticism on just about any player. It's as if John Sterling provokes her (or unleashes her). I have no transcripts, but a typical moment might sound like this.

Sterling: Andy deals....and there's a ground ball to center. Jeter runs to the ball, picks it up, tags second, throws to Giambi...a beautiful 6-3 double play, and Jeter made it look easy. He picked-up the ball bare-handed, tagged second, jumped over the sliding baserunner, and threw to first all in about 3 seconds.

Waldman: ONLY DEREK JETER COULD MAKE THAT PLAY!

Sterling: He has done it so many times. He makes it look easy. The captain showing some golden glove skills, and didn't use his glove.

Waldman: AMAZING, JOHN. THAT'S WHY HE'S THE BEST SHORTSTOP IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE. THAT'S WHY HE'S CAPTAIN.

OK, I will try to ignore this duo. It's easy when the Red Sox are on their way to winning their seventh World Series.

Win Number Three


Trautwein's on Sons of Sam Horn:

I love that Angels fan who brought a sign that read: "Thanks for a great season."

Two things:

1. He's astute; and

2. If I sat next to a guy at Fenway who made that sign before an elimination game and brought it to the game, I'd kick his ass.



ALDS Game 3
Red Sox 9, Angels 1




















Steinbrenner Blames Bugs, Threatens Torre


The Boss snapped out of his senility to issue the following statements.


Steinbrenner: Torre's job is on the line

By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer 27 minutes ago

Win or else! That was George Steinbrenner's message to Joe Torre before the New York Yankees played the Cleveland Indians on Sunday night.

With the Yankees trailing 2-0 in the best-of-five, first-round playoff series, Steinbrenner reverted to the blustering boss of old and said Torre likely wouldn't return as manager unless New York reaches the AL championship series for the first time in three years.

"His job is on the line," the owner was quoted in Sunday's editions of The Record of New Jersey. "I think we're paying him a lot of money. He's the highest-paid manager in baseball, so I don't think we'd take him back if we don't win this series."

Torre was hired before the 1996 season and led the Yankees to four World Series titles in his first five seasons but none since. New York last reached the World Series in 2003, wasted a 3-0 lead to Boston in the 2004 ALCS, then was eliminated by the Angels and Detroit in the first round the last two years.

"You're not surprised by whatever comes down the pike," Torre said. "You don't always get used to it, but you understand if you want to work here — and there's a great deal of upside to working here — that there are certain things you have to deal with. We've had ultimatums during the season, early in the season. This obviously is down to a game we need to win, and you'd like to believe everybody's trying to pull in the same direction."

Torre has led the Yankees to 12 consecutive postseason appearances, winning 10 AL East titles and two wild-card berths. His 1,173 regular-season wins are second among Yankees managers behind Joe McCarthy's 1,460.

In the final season of his current contract, Torre is being paid $7 million. He hasn't decided whether he would want to return but has seemed open to it in recent weeks.

"It's too early for me to address that because, you know, the most important thing for me right now is winning Game 3," he said.

Sitting in his pinstriped uniform pants with a blue Yankees windbreaker and an NY cap, he matter-of-factly answered questions for 12 minutes about 2 1/2 hours before game time. He found out about Steinbrenner's comments when he arrived at Yankee Stadium.

"I choose not to read the papers and stuff when we don't do well," Torre said. "I jump in there when we're doing well."

Steinbrenner changed managers 20 times from 1973-95 and nearly fired Torre after last year's four-game elimination. Torre had a humorous response when asked whether his job would be safe in the Yankees did come back.

"Till the next series, right?" he said.

"You have seen managers who have been here before me. I don't think any of them have been on easy street as far as the day-in, day-out operations here," Torre went on. "So whether I think it's right, wrong, fair, foul or whatever is really not the point at this point in time. I'll save all that stuff for later on when there's really nothing left for me to do here."

Steinbrenner also criticized umpire Bruce Froemming for not stopping play when insects invaded the field during Game 2 in Cleveland on Friday. Rookie reliever Joba Chamberlain threw two wild pitches that allowed Cleveland to tie the game in the eighth, and the Indians went on to win 2-1 in 11 innings.

Froemming called it "just a little irritation." Steinbrenner profanely dismissed Froemming's explanation.

"He won't umpire our games anymore," Steinbrenner said.

The 68-year-old Froemming — the longest-tenured umpire in major league history — is retiring after this season. The Yankees complained to baseball commissioner Bud Selig.

"(Selig) just said, 'That's in the umpires' hands.' ... It was terrible. It messed up the whole team, (Derek) Jeter, all of them," Steinbrenner told the paper.

Steinbrenner also predicted Alex Rodriguez will remain with the Yankees. A-Rod has the right to opt out of the final three years of his record $252 million, 10-year contract after the World Series and become a free agent.

"I think we'll re-sign him," Steinbrenner told the paper. "I think he's going to have a good run the rest of the (postseason). I think he realizes New York is the place to be, the place to play. A lot of this (postseason) is laying on his shoulders, you know, but I think he's up to it."

The 77-year-old Steinbrenner, who has appeared to be more frail in recent years, said he will make the decisions on Torre and Rodriguez.

"I have full control," Steinbrenner said.

Another Bad Sportsman: Fernando Alonso


You let me down, Freddie. I have defended you and your emotional behavior for years. I saw you rise as a great driver, from Minardi, to Renault, to McLaren. Like all other F1 drivers, you have gone through a rigorous public speaking and public image education. You sharpened your English. You were taught how to handle the media. You were shown the dos and don'ts of what to say publicly. I tolerated your unease and your jealousy of your teammate, Lewis Hamilton. But now that Hamilton is poised to win the Drivers Championship, you have told the world you want to go back to Renault...back to Uncle Flavio. Fine. But keep in mind that if you do go back to Renault, you will be driving with Heikki Kovalainen, who had compliments for both you and Hamilton this past weekend (being the good sportsman he is). Don't expect Kovalainen to roll-over for you if you end-up becoming his teammate. You need to earn-back some of the respect you seem to have lost recently.

Memo To Isiah Thomas: Suicide Is An Option


** Special thanks to M for inspiring this post! **

You are a disgusting man, Isiah. From a lack of sportsmanship, to jealousy, to instigating bench-clearing brawls, you have a long history of being a complete jerk. And while it is true that you are being sued by a possible other disgusting human being, you are still a disgusting man.

Bill Simmons explains the details of the case before yesterday's word of guilty verdicts. I regret I supported you against the Lakers in 1988 and 1989.

I just want you to know that you can keep a little dignity and honor. It is called seppuku.

The Red Sox Win The AL East Division




Holy shit. The Orioles celebrated their win with fireworks. They know what they just did. They just shut the door on the Yankees quest for a 12th straight AL East title.

The Sox got some huge help from Baltimore. Melvin Mora laid down a bunt with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the 10th to squeeze home the winning run. Amazing. And it followed a thrilling stand in the top of the inning, and a dramatic (and highly improbable) 3-run comeback by Baltimore against Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the 9th.

As I and other sensible fans predicted, the Yankees lost two games during the final six-game stretch. And that was all the Red Sox needed in order to secure the AL East before the weekend. Now the Sox will probably split the final two games against the Twins. But it is now official: The Red Sox have won the AL East Division for the first time since September 1995, the month I first moved to New York City.

Celebrate good times, Boston! The Angels will come to town for game 1 of the ALDS on Wednesday.




Don't Taser Me, Bro!



Instead, taser Glenn Reynolds, for attacking David Shuster for asking Rep. Marsha Blackburn a legitimate question. And then, after that shithead General Manager of MSNBC, Dan Abrams, forced Shuster to apologize, Media Bistro did some fact checking and determined that Shuster was correct. And then Glenn comes back with a non-apology and still makes the ridiculous argument that Shuster wouldn't have asked Hillary the same question.

I don't like Hillary, but I think she could name some recent New York State casualties in Iraq. Let's have someone ask her. It is a legitimate question.

Rappelle Moi: Ringing Mobile Phones In Sub-Saharan Africa

Now I'm going to totally sound like the libertarian, amateur economist and paid blogger, Megan McArdle, but this is an interesting story about how cash-strapped mobile phone users in Africa ring their friends and pass-on their phone number without paying for a call. Then, their presumably more affluent friends decide to call back at their own expense. This is a phenomenon that doesn't happen much in western countries because most mobile phone users have contracts with a set base fee each month. But in countries where most users pay as they go and accumulate credits, this happens. Think of it as third-world paging.

Phone credit low? Africans go for "beeping"
By Andrew Heavens
Reuters
Wed Sep 26, 11:32 AM ET

If you are in Sudan it is a 'missed call'. In Ethiopia it is a 'miskin' or a 'pitiful' call. In other parts of Africa it is a case of 'flashing', 'beeping' or in French-speaking areas 'bipage'.

Wherever you are, it is one of the fastest-growing phenomena in the continent's booming mobile telephone markets -- and it's a headache for mobile operators who are trying to figure out how to make some money out of it.

You beep someone when you call them up on their mobile phone -- setting its display screen briefly flashing -- then hang up half a second later, before they have had a chance to answer. Your friend -- you hope -- sees your name and number on their list of 'Missed Calls' and calls you back at his or her expense.

It is a tactic born out of ingenuity and necessity, say analysts who have tracked an explosion in miskin calls by cash-strapped cellphone users from Cape Town to Cairo.

"Its roots are as a strategy to save money," said Jonathan Donner, an India-based researcher for Microsoft who is due to publish a paper on "The Rules of Beeping" in the high-brow online Journal of Computer Mediated Communication in October.

Donner first came across beeping in Rwanda, then tracked it across the continent and beyond, to south and southeast Asia. Studies quoted in his paper estimate between 20 to more than 30 percent of the calls made in Africa are just split-second flashes -- empty appeals across the cellular network.

The beeping boom is being driven by a sharp rise in mobile phone use across the continent.

Africa had an estimated 192.5 million mobile phone users in 2006, up from just 25.3 million in 2001, according to figures from the U.N.'s International Telecommunication Union. Customers may have enough money for the one-off purchase of a handset, but very little ready cash to spend on phone cards for the prepaid accounts that dominate the market.

Africa's mobile phone companies say the practice has become so widespread they have had to step in to prevent their circuits being swamped by second-long calls.

"We have about 355 million calls across the whole network every day," said Faisal Ijaz Khan, chief marketing officer for the Sudanese arm of Kuwaiti mobile phone operator Zain (formerly MTC). "And then there are another 130 million missed calls every day. There are a lot of missed calls in Africa."

'CALL ME BACK'

Zain is responding to the demand by drawing up plans for a "Call-me-back" service in Sudan, letting customers send open requests in the form of a very basic signal to friends for a phone call.

The main advantage for the company is that the requests will be diverted from the main network and pushed through using a much cheaper technology (USSD or Unstructured Supplementary Service Data).

A handful of similar schemes are springing up across Africa, says Informa principal analyst Devine Kofiloto. "It is widespread. It is a concern for operators in African countries, whose networks become congested depending on the time of day with calls they cannot bill for.

"They try to discourage the practice by introducing services where customers can send a limited number of 'call-back' request either free of charge or for a minimum fee."

There are plenty of other reasons why mobile operators are keen to cut down on the practice. One is it annoys customers, pestered by repeated missed calls.

A second is that 'flashes' eat into one of mobile phone companies' favorite performance indicators -- ARPU or average revenue per user. Miscalls earn very little in themselves - and don't always persuade the target to ring back.


 

 

 

 

 

Orange Senegal, Kofiloto said, lets customers send a 'Rappelle moi' ('Call me back') when their phone credit drops below $0.10. With Safaricom Kenya, it is a "Flashback 130" (limited to five a day -- and with the admonishment 'Stop Flashing! Ask Nicely'). Vodacom DR Congo's 'Rappelez moi SVP' service costs $0.01 a message.

MORE THAN MONEY

But beeping is not only about money. Donner's 'Rules of Beeping' suggests a social protocol for the practice.

"The richer guy pays," he writes. It is acceptable to beep someone if you are short of cash and they are flush with credit. Never beep someone poorer than you.

Never beep someone you are tapping for a favor. You don't want to risk annoying the person you are trying to win over. Never flash your girlfriend, unless you want to look cheap.

"Most beeps are requests to the mobile owner to call back immediately, but can also send a pre-negotiated instrumental message such as pick me up now,' or send a relational sign, such as I'm thinking of you,'" the paper says.

It can go even further than that.

Cameroonian researchers Victor W.A. Mbarika and Irene Mbarika identified a different kind of beeping-powered relational call in a study for the technology association the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

"Lovers often communicate with text messages or beeping'," said the study. "One party dials another's number and then hangs up. One ring could mean, I am here,' two rings, Call me now.'"

And the name they gave this new entry in the beeping lexicon? Borrowing a street slang term for an appeal for sex, they christened it "the booty call."
Copyright © 2007 Reuters Limited

Is That Champagne I Smell?


Creator/Editor SG at the second-tier Yankee blog, Replacement Level:

I still think the Yankees are the favorites to take the wild card, which I don’t really care about. To me, winning the wild card is the cheap way into the postseason, and even if they do get in, they get the Angels in the first round.

If it is the cheap way into the postseason, then how do you explain this?



I thought the Yankee fans ridiculed the Red Sox for doing the same thing when they won the wild card in 2004?

Oh, and you probably have Clevelnd in the first round. But still, the Yankees are by no means a lock to appear in the ALCS.

M's Review Of Genesis At New York Madison Square Garden, 09/25/2007




M reviews last night's Genesis show at MSG:


Saw the show...and I got almost exactly what I expected.

Here were the pleasant surprises:

1) Phil's banter the crowd was at times amusing
2) Tony's keyboards sounds were significantly better than expected
3) the overall sound was better than expected
4) the visuals were cool
5) DS died of massive heart failure while ruining Firth of Fifth (ok that didn't actually happen)

Show opened strong. I liked the Behind the Lines instrumental. Turn it On Again was good but the tuning a whole step down hurts the song...although live it still packed more of a punch than the VH1 special or YouTube clips (but that isn't really saying a lot). I still think the Three Sides Live version kicks ass...original key, slightly up-tempo.

No Son of Mine and Land of Confusion were also good. I knew what would be my favorite part of the show was coming next. In the Cage/Cinema Show/Dukes' Travels was great...the live setting again helping the obvious key change. I've never understood why people like Afterglow so much but it was performed well.

Hold on My Heart was fascinating for me. Of course I don't like the song but what struck me was the need to extend it and jam on it a bit. I can't even get the original length of my favorite tunes but I can get an extended version of a shitty one. In a word...awesome.

Home by the Sea/Second Home by the Sea. First part good...Second Home was great. Definitely a high point of the show and basically what I had hoped for when the tour was announced. A great performance of one of the great tunes from the three man era.

Follow You, Follow Me. I can't complain. Not one of my favorites but obviously knew it was coming when the tour was announced.

Firth Of Fifth/I Know What I Like. I walked out during this as the anger overcame me. Tony's keyboard solo sounded horrible. Phil's drumming (while good for most of the show...Chester was the doing most of the drumming during the show...even when Phil was behind a kit) was totally lame here.

Even from the concession stand DS's performance was horrendous. I kept looking on the menu for thorazine to kill the pain but they didn't have it.

Read my previous rants about this. In short never ever perform this song again....(unless its the original five and the song is performed in its entirety). And kill Darryl Stuermer. This is not a joke. Kill DS. REDRUM!! REDRUM!!

And yes Phil you can still play the tambourine with your bald head and your feet. But so can a trained monkey. And to see images of Steve Hackett on screen while listening to the band rape his music was really more than I could take. I'm still seething.

Mama - yes it was good...very good I guess...but couldn't save the pattern of the show which was good song, shitty song, good song chopped to shit and ruined by DS, shitty song

Ripples - excellent. Not one of my favorites but at least they did it complete and DS restrained himself....wow we're up to two good songs in a row

Throwing it All Away. Ok I guess. Yes a hit but not one that really was essential to play (like Invisible Touch) Not one of my favorites but the camera thru the audience was entertaining. It made the joy of the rest of the crowd somewhat infectious...although a "Kill Darryl" chant would have worked better for me

Domino - the anger started to swell again. I have no understanding for this. Its a long song off an album that was thoroughly represented that evening. And Phil's head with the Doctor Who swirl on the screen was tough to take...but maybe that's just me. Nothing about the performance of this song quieted the screaming "why the fuck are they playing this" voice in my head. But let's cut Cinema Show a little bit shorter to fit this in.

Drum Duet - yes it was very good...but for me couldn't make up for the good/bad back and forth of the night.

Los Endos - also was good but not enough to win me over

Tonight Tonight Tonight - we're going to make it right tonight...too late for that. I think was performed in the Key of Zzzzz

Invisible Touch - great crowd pleaser (for most)...my brother and I made it to the screen during the camera shots. I think my enthusiasm was the catalyst for the crowd here

I Can't Dance - wow they did the funny walk thing. That was awesome. And it was really fucking awesome when some drunk NYC dudes starting doing it in the aisle daisy chain style. Wow I love being surrounded by cool drunk dudes. Especially when its clear they get the actually lyric of song. I had to keep telling myself, "you have a beautiful wife and child at home...you have a beautiful wife and child at home". Its the only reason I didn't go out in a blaze of glory last night.

Carpet Crawlers - ok. The only reason I didn't leave after the In the Cage bit.

So yes the show was better than 92...but so is a Solo Ray Wilson acoustic performance. Yes the sound was better than expected....but shouldn't it be good considering the technology available and the ridiculous $$$ being made on this tour. I'm tired of giving performances credit for what should be a given. And Phil sang great (if you can forgive that he's not 30 anymore...which I can). The visuals for the show were good too. But the set list is fucked beyond ridiculous. Two hour show, 20 minutes of enjoyment.

Yes part of that is my responsibility because I'd be a fool to think they're going to skip their hits. But I Can't Dance was never really a hit. Domino was never a hit. Firth of Firth was never a hit and this performance was a complete fucking disgrace as was I Know What I Like, and Tonight, Tonight, Tonight was also dull as hell. And extending Hold on My Heart...WTF? How long do I need to pee?

Brian Bruney And Jeff Karstens Lose It For The Yankees


I think last night's loss was the first time since June that the Yankee bullpen blew a lead and lost a game on the road. An amazing run.

I also think that Brian Bruney and Jeff Karstens won't be on the Yankee postseason roster next month. Just my guess.

With Wang, Joba, and Mo available tonight, I expect the Yankees to win and secure the Wild Card spot.

But in just 48 hours, we have seen the Yankees' chances of winning the AL East slip from 40%, to 19%, to 6%. All Boston has to do is win 3 more games out of the remaining 5, and the AL East is theirs, regardless of what the Yankees do.

And if they blow that, then yes, Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, John Sterling, Suzyn Waldman, and Michael Kay can mention it all they want. But if the Sox win the AL East, I don't want to hear about them blowing a 14-game lead ever again.

The Red Sox magic number is 3. When they wake-up Saturday morning, the AL East title should already be theirs.

"Hey Beautiful...The Backdoor's Open"

And I'm not talking about Normar Garciaparra and Mia Hamm. And no, "backdoor" is not what some of you may be thinking. It's part of the story below.

Busted for the last time (with his estranged wife anyway)...I give you Shane Warne, a great cricket bowler, and a first-class womanizer. The British tabloids are having a field day with this.

It was bad enough when stories of parties and having sex with more than one woman a night went around. It was embarrassing when he took diet pills in an attempt to eliminate his paunch, and got banned from the game for a year as a result (he even said that it was his mother's idea when she saw his belly on the telly). But an errant (probably drunken) text message to his wife instead of a girlfriend is the final nail in a disastrous 12-year marriage.

Huge Yankee Game This Afternoon


The Yankees have a game-in-hand over the Red Sox and it is being played this afternoon at 1pm. If they win, they will be just one game behind the Red Sox and both teams will each have 6 games left to play. Boston has two potential breaks - all of their 6 remaining games are at Fenway, and they won't be seeing the best pitchers from either Oakland or Minnesota. The Yankees have to go to Tampa Bay for 3 games, and then Baltimore for 4 games. I would expect both Tampa and Baltimore to win one game from the Yankees. I would also expect the Red Sox to lose 2 of their next 6.

And so this game today is very important for the AL East race. Toronto has been very effective in running-up the Yankee pitch counts and forcing the Yankees to work their bullpen. If Toronto should somehow win today, they will give the Red Sox the cushion they need to win the AL East title at the end of the week against the Twins.

If the Yankees win, then the Red Sox still have a 1-game lead. However, their margin for error will be very small. The Red Sox will have to win at least 4 of their remaining 6 games. They will need a lot of moral support from the home fans. It is crunch time.

Apparently Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling are acting as if the Yankees have already won this game. They are yapping away on WCBS-AM. They won't stop. Unfortunately there is no point in muting a radio. I might just keep an eye on the stoic and silent Gameday.

The late-breaking news that Blue Jay pitcher AJ Burnett had to miss his start only heightened Sterling's and Waldman's expectations for a victory.

"A game that means nothing for Toronto and everything for the Yanks." - John Sterling

Translation: The Blue Jays had better forfeit for their sake. The Yankees are entitled to the AL East!!!1!!!111

Toronto takes a 3-0 lead. I hope they win this one...

And how can there be only 20,000 fans in the seats? On an absolutely beautiful day, with this much at-stake, and with this game added to the schedule many weeks ago, the Yankee fans couldn't fill half the stadium today? This is the final September game at Yankee stadium! Even Sterling and Waldman are stunned.