Stupid stupid stupid me

During football this morning I got my right thumb, which was already bothering me for a month or so, bent back. My initial fear was that I was going to look at my thumb and see it sideways or something messed up like that. Luckily it was straight, not swollen and have full range of motion. SO I tried to keep playing, but I was afraid of having the ball smack my finger so after the next set of downs I called it a day for me.

Throughout the day my thumb was bothering me but getting better. I had been asked in shul if I wanted to play ball Sunday night, and I said I would probably play. By the time game time rolled around I didn't really want to play, I was tired, didn't sleep much, played football in the morning, spent the day at the zoo, and then a birthday party for one of Jonahs friends, and my thumb was bothering.

Sadly for me I don't like to turn down a game of ball, so I decided to go and see how it was. Initially everything was fine, the thumb wasn't great but it wasn't getting worse, and it wasn't really affecting my game.

Then I went up for a rebound and the ball came down right on my thumb, bent in the same spot, with the same sharp shooting pain, as the football. Again I finished the game, but was totally useless, had to play left handed, which isn't so pretty.

Tomorrow I will probably try and see a hand doctor, I'm pretty sure he'll say that there is no broken or really wrong, but I should give it a rest for a while. While I'm there maybe I'll ask him to look at a finger I hurt last year that is still bothering me.

Books

Last week I took Jonah to see a show about lizards at the Oak Park Library. Since I was there anyways I got a library card and took about a book to read. I read that book, hostage by Robert Crais, and when I finished it I read another book, Split Second by David Baldacci, which I finished around 2:00 this morning.

When I finished split second I realized that movies are far better than books for numerous reasons. It's true that when there is a movie based on a book, 99% of the time the book is better, but it you get through it in a few hours instead of days. Also, has anyone else that I know read those books, who can I complain to about, with a movie the odds are pretty good that other people have seen it.

Also book reading is a very anti-social behavior, you get locked up in a book for a while, ignoring the wife and kids, when all you should do is just flip to last chapter and save yourself about 8 hours of reading a book.

7 11 YOU HAVE DISSAPOINTED ME

In honor of the much celebrated 7 11 day I decided to take Jonah and him a Slurpee. We went to 7 11 on Coolidge, just before 11 Mile Road, but they had a sign that said, due to low water pressure, we don't have any free slurpee cups. I'm not sure if they get their cups sent through the water systems, and since it was slow they didn't get them in time or what, but they were selling slurpees in regular cups.

So we went to the 7 11 on Lincoln and Greenfield. We arrived at 2:15 and were informed that they we all out of the little cups. I'm not sure how many cups they bought, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a nice package of 10 cups.

If you are going to have slurpee day, and claim to give slurpees out all of 7/11 then buy enough cups. This seems to be a case of bait and switching, they will offer free slurpees, have a really low amount and hope that once you are there you will get the slurpee anyway. It's pretty unethical. I decided not to let them have the satisfaction, so I left without a slurpee, but to keep Jonah happy I did get him a laffy taffy

Steroids in baseball

Last night as I was listening to another radio talk host say how much he hates Barry Bonds, and wishes he would get hit by the every pitch I had a thought. Neifi Perez, possibly one of the worst offensive players on the Tigers, dare I say league was just suspended 25 games for taking some banned supplements. These wonder drugs did allow him to hit a whopping ONE home run and have a batting average just shy of .200 - I'm starting to think perhaps the performance enhancers don't do all that much.

another Bonds thought - i was watching the show formerly known as cold pizza just after they announced the All Star teams. One of the guys said that Bonds shouldn't be on the team because he's a cheater. Not five minutes later, it may have even been the next question, when asked who the biggest snub was, he said Sammy Sosa, just as much in the steroid controversy as Bonds. He said, the guy just hit 600 home runs, he should be an All Star. Everyone knows that Sosa cheated, his corked bat broke during a game, and he had some lame excuse. Bonds is still a top player, his on base % is over.500, or least was, which is ridiculous, No question he should be an All Star.

Hot Dog Eating Contest 2007

You gotta listen to this video, Watching it is pretty gross. The announcers sound like they should be broadcasting on ESPN 8 "The Ocho."
Some highlights
While talking about Kobayshi's injury - Curt Schilling be damned, Kobayshi is bringing it.

-The entire world - the entire free world- is focused on these two men.
-JOEY CHESTNUT IS A TRUE AMERICAN HERO

If you actually watch the video you'll see Kobayshi throw up, and then I think he eats that also.

Weird Al

Nat and I went downtown to see a "Weird Al" Yankovic concert. I used to to be fan back in the day, even had the Amish Paradise CD, I didn't realize he was still out there. The concert took place in the spacious parking lot of the Fischer Theater, a few thousand people, of all ages were on hand. The concert was pretty cool, I was so excited I thought I could feel my heart pounding through my chest, then I realized that was the base - I could literally feel it pounding through my body.

Weird Al sang songs that spanned his whole career, from Eat It to White and Nerdy. There was a kid probably 8 years old standing behind me who knew every word to just about every song.

Some thoughts I had

- When I heard a song from back in the day, this is probably how my parents felt when they went to the Temptations a few weeks ago, hearing songs from back in the day.

- I realized I am much taller than Nat, I was able to see Weird Al over the people in front of me, while Nat couldn't. Obviously I know I'm taller, I just didn't realize it's by a whole head.

- As probably the only Jews at the concert, with the exception of Weird Al, I was lovin' the Pretty Fly for a Rabbi song, I've never been prouder to wear a Yarmulke.

- He did these mock interviews with celebrities, where he mocked them, using clips of interviews they did and asking question based on the answers. He had one with Eminem and he ripped him for a few minutes. I was a little surprised he was ripping Eminem in his hometown, I half expected him to get booed during that video clip.

-I felt like an old man but why did everyone feel the need to stand, you can enjoy it just as much sitting in a chair.

- At some point during the concert I realized the three weeks started, and I was surprised no one reminded us that we shouldn't hear live music (or is that just sefirah?)

All in all we had a great time. Maybe I'll even go buy, or download, some new Weird Al music.

Questioning baseball strategy

It's well known that you take a pitch on a 3-0 count. I have never understood this logic. Odds are, unless you are being pitched around, the next pitch will be fastball down the heart of the plate. Most players don't swing at this pitch because there is a 3-0 count..

I would love to see the real stats on this situation, but here is what I feel usually happens. 3-0 you take a strike, the 3-1 pitch is usually fouled off, because the batter is protecting the plate, which brings to a 3-2 count. when anything can happen.

I thought of this now because Carlos Guillen just whacked a 3-0 pitch to deep center field for a triple, and I think that should happen more often.

Shaq's show

Why does Shaq have a show about getting fat kids in shape. Isn't he always criticzed for being overweight and out of shape. It would make more sense if the was Rip Hamilton gets kids in shape.

Keeping score

Does anyone really "keep score at home"? I'm watching the Tiger game, and they constantly say "for those of you keeping score at home." I don't think this is unique for the Tigers broadcast, I assume they say it all over, and back in the day it was more common/ I'm just curious if anyone still keeps score at home.

To be fair, one of the Tiger broadcaster just asked teh same thing. His opinion is that people still od keep score at home, but not that many.

Despite saying this, he continues to overuse that phrase