24.11.07

Reds Land Cordero


Today the Reds, yes, my Cincinnati Reds signed the top relief pitcher and perhaps the best overall pitcher on the free agent market today.

Francisco Cordero, 33, comes to the Reds after a excellent season and is performed as a top 5 closer in all of baseball last year. Cordero posted a line of: 2.98 ERA, 86 K's, 18 BB, in 63.1 IP. His K to walk ratio was one of the best in baseball and was close to the best of any closer.

As the complaints begin falling in Reds country over the signing, I want to be the first to say that I support this deal whole-heartedly, for reasons that follow:

1. The Reds needed bullpen help.
2. It took Cordero, perhaps the best closer in the Central, away from Central rival Milwaukee.
3. Pushes David Weathers and Jared Burton, two great setup men, back an inning. And, along with Bill Bray the bullpen has a very solid core.
4. Shows legitimately, that the Reds organization is serious about winning, perhaps the best thing about the entire signing.

Yes, they overpaid a bit, but they had to. They HAD to pay this much to get the best player for them to win next year, other than A-Rod.

Looking at a lineup and rotation next year, I am getting excited. And this is just one move.

If the Reds make at least one more move, vis a vis----> Freel or Griffey or both for a 3 or 4 starter, the Reds will be on their way. Oh, and here's that lineup for ya. . .

CF Hamilton
2B Phillips
RF Griffey--Hopper if you move griff
LF Dunn
3b Encarnacion
1b Votto
SS Gonzalez---Keppinger (maybe)
C Ross or Valentin

SP:
A. Harang
B. Arroyo
H. Bailey
M. Belisle
J. Cueto
(free agent or someone landed in trade)

RP

7th - Bray, Burton
8th - Weathers
9th - Cordero

Yes, I feel good, and optimistic for once.

18.11.07

Cardinals 35 Bungles 27


Despite the way the season has gone, I have remained reserved with the feeling that all hope is not lost for my Cincinnati Bengals.

However, after today's resurgence of self-pity and un-interest, that has befallen the Bengals throughout their history, I have decided to throw in the towel.

Yes, I called them the Bungles, a title I despise, in the headline. And, yes they deserve it.

Let me tell you why.

Every week has been a different beast to overcome.

For most weeks it was injuries to the linebacker corp that has yet to fight its way out of a paper bag (but its not their fault).

Other weeks it was a lack of a running game, but with Kenny Watson and Rudi Johnson splitting carries, it has been better, not good, just better.

Coaching calls have been questionable, as much as Mike Brown's loyalty.

Now, as the offense and especially Carson Palmer have been the only faint bright spot on the team, they have befallen Bengal-Nation (is there one?).

Today I watched in horror and then disgust as an un-interested Palmer through not 2, not 3, but 4 interceptions. Two of which were returned for touchdowns, by the mediocre DB Antrel Rolle. What makes me almost puke however, is how there were about 3 or 4 more passes deflected that would have been picked off by a better defensive team.

And all the while, here I sit watching my fantasy football team drowned to the tune of 4 T.O. touchdowns from the soon to be division winner in my league.

Football at this point, couldn't be any worse.

Probably not even if I was a Dolphins fan, because they don't even have the weapons going to waste week by week as the Bengals do.

I am fed up with the Bungles and football at this point. Disdain, is not a harsh enough word for my feelings right now.

But, through it all, the Bungles can about punch their ticket for a lottery pick in the NFL draft next year, which should yield a top-tier LB or DE.

But, with the result of drafts-past for the Bungles, I'm sure I should expect nothing too great and I should instead move my interest to baseball season which is ONLY 132 days away.

16.11.07

Rounding Third and Heading for Home. . .


The Ol' Left-Hander (1928-2007)

Joe Nuxhall was Cincinnati Reds baseball for over 60 years, beloved by fans and respected by all around baseball.

He was constant and sometimes inaccurate. But, through the inaccuracies, Joe represented the Reds and the national pastime as good as anyone before him.

Just last year during a series with the Washington Nationals, Nuxhall ran down the "Senator" lineup, before correcting himself. He inaccurately pronounced names, botched calls and showed clear bias for his hometown team. But, his impression on the game was unfathomable. He was a true gentelmen for the sport and perfect example about what is good in our national pastime.

He was just plain fun to listen to. He was a reflection of ourselves and the game we love. Methodical and calm. But, enthusiastic if the time was right. He made some of the most significant calls in baseball history, but was over zealous in his accomplishments.

Nuxhall saw the rise and fall and rise and fall of the organization he so blatantly loved. He lived and died with the Reds and was always looking toward the next day's game, even in the most drab of situations.

Joe was summer to me and I know to my dad and his grandpa. Along with Marty (Brennaman), Joe was the soundtrack to many summer nights growing up.

The Ol’ Left-Hander graced the airwaves scarcely in the past few years, as he retired in 2003, but popped in for a few series’. I’ll miss that old gravely tone and the preconceived calls of, “He’s out. . .No He’s safe, safe!”

Joe Nuxhall will be missed but he is not really gone, he is the spirit of Hamilton, Cincinnati and especially Reds baseball.

More thoughts from different media:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20071116/VIDEO02/71116005/
http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2007/11/16/the-ol-lefthander/
http://700wlw.com/pages/localNews.html?feed=119585&article=2941512
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=cin
http://blog.dispatch.com/blog-16/2007/11/well_miss_you_lefty_1.shtml

8.11.07

London Here I Come


TWO days and counting!

Nursing Home Editorial

Oct. 18 - Just south of Muncie on Gavin Street lies Brookside Haven Care Center. Some know the road and the place but mostly, Brookside is unseen to the world and to Muncie.

Brookside is a nursing home, with nearly 60 beds occupied with some of Muncie’s least acknowledged people. These people share a commonality with the institution, being hidden from the public eye.

There are nearly two million Americans living in almost 17,000 nursing homes in the United States. Of the millions that call the often, drab facilities home, most go weeks, months and too often, years without visitors.

A fair assessment can be made, that the majority of Americans forget these people are just that; people.

As most of us are able-bodied, it’s hard to imagine relying on someone to help us eat, dress and bathe. Liberated from relying on others, it’s easy to take for granted and often despise everyday interaction with our coworkers and family.

These people sit alone most days in, their “waiting rooms (for death),” as one lady referred to her living quarters, on a PBS Frontline special about nursing homes. Without a public voice, they cannot plead with the community or their families to visit them.

“They love visitors,” Ronny Smith, a Certified Nursing Assistant at Brookside said. “Most even have family in Muncie but never come to see them.”

According to The Senior Source, a friendly visitor program in Dallas, Texas, nearly 50 percent of nursing homes go without visitors, every year. When asking staff members at nursing homes in Muncie about the statistic, a majority will reflect the sad claim.

Therefore, it is in the human interest of this newspaper to speak for those in the 11 Muncie-area nursing home’s without an audible voice.

Please visit those who find themselves in situations, most can’t imagine.

Take 30 minutes out of your week, without any authority-induced shove, to talk to someone that yearns for anyone’s company.

As charitable as people feel they are, this request will travel in and out the minds of the readers of this newspaper faster than their daily horoscope.

Why is this?

Perhaps it’s because people cannot see the benefit for those they will be spending time with. Or maybe it’s because they believe the stereotypes of nursing homes, as places people go to die.

But probably, they cannot see how visiting someone in a nursing home will benefit them personally.

Residents at Brookside awake between 7 and 8 a.m. every morning. They eat breakfast, do exercises, and then ability-willing; watch television, movies or take part in other recreational activities until lunch.

The residents look forward to daily activities and especially the occasional visitor.

One man said he loves when someone has a birthday because they get to have cake.

“I just love spending time with my friends,” one lady said, referring to the nurses and a group of ladies she sits with and watches TV.

They truly appreciate the simple things in life.

Something non-nursing home bound people can take a lesson from.

Of the roughly 50 residents at Brookside, of which this newspaper is prohibited from naming, many have had distinguished lives and careers.

One man is a Vietnam War veteran and Ball State University graduate.

Another was a teacher in the Muncie school system.

And another was even in city government at a time that, he said, “feels like hundreds of years ago.”

“I wish I could see my family,” one man said. “But, I can’t go to them.”

Heartwarming and often devastating stories fill the minds of the residents at Brookside. And as most are void of any visitors, these stories can be heard from anyone that is willing to listen.

“I don’t feel like I have anything to look forward to anymore,” one lady said. “I get up every day and can’t do nothing without (the nurses) help.”

Why not give these residents, often in dire situations, something to look forward to?

Why can’t Muncie do something comparable to what communities across the country are doing by establishing Friendly Visitor programs?

“Adopt” a resident or home, throw a party, or lead a craft making workshop, at one of the area homes.

Or, just visit someone. Talk to them, let them talk to you and learn something about them and you’ll probably make their year.

You might even make yours too and you might learn something about yourself.

School Work

(822) - Just for fun I'm going to post some of the work that I do in my classes, from time to time.

As I write 1 or 2 stories each week, some are better than others. So, I will spare you of the crap that I still amaze myself with, and give you only what I think is moderately good at best.

Peace.

A Whole New World

(822) - So, I finally took the time to comply with, what seems like the rest of the world, and host a blog.

Reading several blogs weekly and sometimes daily I know the code; write something interesting and people will read it. Write something un-interesting and I will read it, and only I will read it.

I took the time to go through the tutorial of what a blog is before I picked a template and a name for my blog (which I will get to later). As you can see I picked the black background which seemed to set off and allow for premiere illumination of whatever I write.

Not really, I just like black. I wear black. I have a black phone, ipod, car and sense of humour. Yes, humour, spelled H-U-M-O-U-R, which leads me to a reason for beginning this blog.

As you may or may not know, I will be spending my time from Jan. 8 t0 April 3 in London, England, UK, or whatever. No I am not going to sip tea and kiss the queen, well not those things exclusively. I am studying with the London Centre foreign exchange program, yes again, C-E-N-T-R-E.

Without further adieu, the spelling was a segue for my announcement about London. English people spell weird, talk weird and smell weird, from what I'm told. However, I am bubbling over with anticipation about the semester. I hope to use this Blog as a means of communicating with those of you that are not coming with me on my adventure.

So, I guess that is all for tonight. Be sure to stay tuned as I learn this complicated Blogging thing. I will have much more next time.

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