Okay, this isn't a sports question to day...Last night I popped on a movie called "50/50" ...It had Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen in it...It was pretty good...A lot of predictable things but good...But afterwards I found myself asking a question, that I've asked before...So I'm putting it to you Gabbers...
Is there any movie out there with Seth Rogen in it, where he doesn't play Seth Rogen?
Christmas is just about here, and Santa needs to get busy...But he always has time to not only give, but sometimes, he likes to receive as well...And the Beeze has been busy too...I've been trying my best to get into the Christmas spirit...And once the world didn't end Friday, I was forced to...The Mrs. and I had done no Christmas shopping at all...So Friday I did a little after a hellish day at work...Saturday morning she did a bunch...Then Saturday afternoon I went out and finished...
But I still wasn't super Christmasy...So I dug in and did some blogging...I posted my top 15 Christmas movies HERE...and my top Christmas songs HERE...
Sunday lead to spending more money on groceries for our annual family Christmas Eve party...It's become a tradition at our house, that my oldest daughter won't let die...I hope to one day have a bigger house and add friends to the mix, but right now it's just family...Mostly my side...The menu isn't fancy...We'll have a ham...Hanky Pankies...(ground meet, sausage, cheese, oregano, garlic, all mixed together and baked on party rye's)...Buffalo Chicken Dip...Shrimp Cocktail...My Holiday Balls...(Meat balls, thrown in a crock pot with chili sauce and grape jelly...Shockingly awesome!)...Beer, wine, soda, and my holiday punch...(Raspberry sherbet, ginger ale, strawberries, and vodka)...
So my Sunday was full getting that stuff together, and getting the kids out of the house so, my wife could get all the kids stuff wrapped, and hidden...Once again the kids and I went skating...The boy is getting better each time...
I watched a little of the Browns game...They looked like dirt, stinkin' ass...Bunch of guys got hurt..Who cares...After the game Josh Cribbs started firing off tweets at fans who are finally seeing what I've seen...The guy has become useless...Way to botch a punt return...Returns are all this guy did really well, now he sucks at those too...He's talking about leaving, and let me be the first to say, goodbye! Fucking waste of a roster spot!
The Indians signed Nick Swisher to a $56 million contract for 5 years...He's 32...WHY!?! So he can strike out a lot like the other guys they picked up this off-season...Oh, and lets not how he faded out last year with the Yankees...What is he going to finish the season strong with the Indians now...Surrounded by a weaker lineup, and out of the playoff hunt...People are excited about this move...Not this Cleveland pessimist...I think it's another mistake, in a long line of front office mistakes...
See people, this is why I was digging into Christmas hard...Because Cleveland sports make me sick...So, I'm announcing my baseball fandom is going to test the free agency market...I'll decide on which team I'm gonna get on board with in April, and for how long...As the NFL rolls into the playoffs, I'm all in with the Patriots...But I'll be rooting for the Seahawks in the NFC...Shit, I love how gritty that team is...Did you see them just blow up the 49ers Sunday night...42-13...WOW!
Next week, I'll have more sports for you...The College Bowl madness will be in full swing, and I'll be getting geared up for Notre Dame vs. Alabama...Can't wait!
With that all said, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas...Or Happy whatever the fuck you celebrate...Just be sure to enjoy it, and enjoy it with the ones you love...
I'll leave you with a song from a group called Savatage...They did "Metal Operas" back in the day...Eventually a couple of them started Trans-Siberian-Orchestra...I always break this album out around Christmas, because the story takes place at Christmas time...The famous TSO "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo)" was originally on this disc...This is the closing song, and I still love it...(Thanks Chorba)
Yeah, Monday kind of snuck up on me too...That mid-week holiday threw things out of whack for me...So how's everyone doing out there? How was your weekend? Why am I doing this Q & A shit?
Let me ask you this...Saturday afternoon I took the Little Beeze to see "Brave"...That's what he wanted see, and really, how can you go wrong with a Pixar production...It was good...He liked it...Then after we got home, the Mrs. took our oldest daughter to see the new "Spiderman" movie...So the boys saw "Brave" about a Scottish princess, and the girls saw "Spiderman"...Does that just sound odd to anyone else?
Shit, I had half a mind to take the boy to see "Ted" but the wife would not have been pleased with the shit he would have learned from that one...
Then Sunday night the wife and I watched "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"...
You know how people always say the book is better then the movie...Well in this case it has to be true...Holy fucking two and a half hours of my life I wish I could get back! Yeah, it had some good moments, and you can tell the story was good, but fucking shit, that movie was slow...My wife read all the books, and she loved them...She didn't crush the movie like me, but I could tell she was let down a bit...Some people can't stand long movies...I don't mind them, if they're good...But this one just kept me waiting...And now I'm still waiting...Totally unsatisfied!
Moving on to sports...Baseball is heading into the All-Star break...The All-Star game is Tuesday night, and I think I made it clear last week, that is just a steaming pile of shit...But there is a story in Major League Baseball that people better wake up to...
Yep...The Pittsburgh Pirates...They've been flying the Jolly Roger a lot this year, as the Pirates are 48-37 and in first place of the NL Central...How are the Pirates doing it...Well OF Andrew McCutchen is a big reason, batting .362, with 58 runs, 60 RBI, 18 HR's and 14 Stolen Bases...But he's not alone...2B Neil Walker had a horrible, slow start, but has turned it around and gotten his average up to .291, with 42 runs, 6 HR's and 41 RBI...3B Pedro Alverez who has been a disappointing prospect has also turned it around of late, and has 16 HR's and 50 RBI...
But it isn't just hitting with the Pirates...Their pitching has been outstanding as well...Lead by James McDonald and A.J. Burnett...McDonald with 9 wins, 100 Strikeouts, and 2.37 ERA...And Burnett with 10 wins, 79 Strikeouts, and 3.68 ERA...And the best part about Burnett...The Yankees paid the Pirates to take him off their hands...Clearly the best thing to happen to Burnett was to get the hell out of New York...He's not the first guy to do well...Sign for big money with the Yankees...Not do so well...Get out, and find their old self again...
Then there is the Pirates bullpen anchored by closer Joel Hanrahan, with 23 saves, 4 wins, 35 Strikeouts, and a 2.38 ERA...Hanrahan often being set-up by 35 year old Jason Grilli, who has 1 win, 1 save, 21 holds, 54 strikeouts, and a 1.87 ERA...There's also Juan Cruz with 1 win, 3 saves, 13 holds, 32 strikeouts, and a 2.76 ERA...They also have Brad Lincoln doing middle relief, with a 2.98 ERA, 2 holds, 4 wins, and 52 strikeouts...
To recap, a MVP candidate in McCutchen, with the rest of the lineup starting to find their swings...Strong starting pitching...And possibly an even stronger bullpen...Can they continue to keep it up...Can they keep hold of the NL Central...I think so...I think they have a lot of potential to keep people on their toes for awhile...
Yeah, I'm a Cleveland guy rooting for a Pittsburgh team...Wouldn't it be great to see a Indians vs. Pirates World Series!?! Well not for TV ratings maybe, but fuck them...I'd love it!
That's it for now...Have a week...Oh, and check THIS out...Give your input...
