random jersey watch, late August make up edition

I went to 3 nats games in a row last week. They lost all of them. Some in spectacular fashion.

Since there were so many games in so many days, I had to narrow down my jersey watch to the top three. Don't ask me which games these were spotted at, I already forgot.

I don't care for the Mets. Teams like the Mets are doomed, like the White Sox, to forever be the 2nd team in their home market. So no matter what they do, they will always be the also ran. No one can seriously think either of these "other" teams will capture the top spot from the Yankees or the Cubs in their respective markets.

A result of this is their fans have a never-ending chip on their shoulder. They are the little dogs who need to bark a lot to make themselves feel tough. Whatever.

All this is a shame since the Mets have one of the best mascots in baseball. Mr. Met is a big smiling baseball with legs. I think he is distantly related to the Syracuse Orangeman.

So grabbing the lead off spot this week is a guy with a custom jersey, pen strip home Mets, with the proud 00 and Mr. Met on the back. I don't think I will be getting a Screech 05 jersey anytime soon, mainly because as a big fat white guy, I might be mistaken for him.

The number 2 spot goes to guy with a home Nats jersey, number 26, with Roosevelt on the back. Nice. This is a nice homage to everyone's favorite racing president, Teddy. I have considered a Teddy jersey, but as a history major, I would have to go will "Bull Moose" on the back.

The clean-up spot goes to guy with vintage powder blue Bo Jackson KC Royals jersey. This is a great one. One of the last of the dual sport players. I think Sanders played both for a while after, but who cares about him?

Honorable mention has to go to the sudden and inexplicable appearance of European soccer jerseys on the same day. The Sunday day game we went to yielded 4 confirmed sightings, one was a German jersey, the other three were Dutch. Did a bunch of tickets get passed out at an embassy reception? Well, nice to see the Euro fans out there.

And a final one that must be mentioned was a classic Clinton Portis University of Miami jersey. Current Redskin player, college jersey. Good stuff.

To Tell the Truth

There was this game show on back in the 60s and maybe the 70s called "To Tell the Truth". Three people were on the stage. One was the real person. Two were actors. Hunter Thompson before he was famous did an episode. The point was to ask questions about the life of the real person to all three, and the audience had to quess which was the real person. This game would not work today.
For fun, I Google imaged my full name. I came up with pages of results. Below are a selection. One of them is me. If you are reading this, chances are pretty good you know anyway...

Random Jersey Watch Aug 4 edition

On vacation at the beach. Normally that means no live baseball. But this year we arrived early enough in the season to see the final home game of the Coastal Plain League's Outer Banks Daredevils. This is a college summer league. Since college players can't be paid to play their sport due to NCAA rules, players who opt to go to college rather than right into minor league ball can play in one of several summer leagues. They get playing time, add to their stats, and hopefully catch the eye of a pro scout.

Nationals 3rd baseman Ryan Zimmerman played for the Coastal Plain League in my hometown of Newport News no less!

Since people vacation on the Outer Banks from all over the east coast, I was hoping to spy some cool random jerseys. No. I guess no one packed a jersey. They likely saw the signs that said "Ball Game tonight" and loaded up the kids and paid a big 5 bucks for general admission seating.

Talk about 0 frills. They play at what is during the year a high school field. But from the first base side you could see on a dune in the distance the Wright Brothers Monument. If the bleachers weren't working for you, you can sit on a grassy dune on the first base side and get a pretty good view of the field.

The players clubhouse, such as it was, was right next to the field, so in the break between games (it was a doubleheader), players and fans mingled behind the bleachers. It made me think what minor league ball must have been like 20-30 years ago. Just a bunch of kids with no money trying to catch a break in the sport they love to play.

So, as I said, no interesting jerseys to report on. I had my red Nationals BP on. I spotted one other fan in a proper jersey, a guy in a Cal Ripkin jersey. Saw several t-shirts for various teams, but that doesn't count.

So I will write instead about the team's jerseys. The Daredevils sported a white sleeveless jersey and pants with a red Under Armor style shirt under it, which I think did duty as their batting practice jersey. Red numbers on the back, naturally no player names. They sported "Daredevils" in cursive across the chest. Their hats sported to logo featured in this post.

The away team has one of the best minor league team name. The Edenton Steamers. As in a steamed clam. Love it. Their logo is posted to the right. They wore away black with a teal and purple looking lettering across the front "Edenton". In general their kit looked a little more worst for the wear than did the home team boys. That makes since. The Daredevils likely get more in the way of corporate sponsorship and ticket sales.

I spotted on the back of the Edenton players Under Armor/BP jersey shirts "Edenton Urology Associates" emblazoned across the back. Hey, you take money from wherever it comes!

I naturally wanted to score a jersey, but none were for sale. I did get a nice looking hat like the one the players wear on the field.

The free program that was handed out was a nice touch. Would have been nicer had it listed a current roster with player names and numbers. It had a roster. From July 2. Maybe that's why it was free.

It had a nice feature on host families. People who open their homes to players for the season. These guys can't even take money for living expenses. So people with an extra bed take these guys in. In the case highlighted in the program, the player shared a room with their son.

Don't get me started on the sometimes insane NCAA rules. We all know that especially with NCAA football and basketball they are in effect playing in the minor league of their sport. Just pay the kids something and be open about it.

For everything, a season

Bittersweat. That is how one must describe this week's news.
An Icon of American family causal food service died. No more Bennigans. No more will there be a faux-psuedo Irish pub sort of thing in strip malls and suburbs accross suburbia.

Now, let me say I am not a NIMBY-ite. Bennigans got started out as a local place, got popular, and spread all over. As did TGIFridays, Ruby Tuesday, Applebees, Chili's and all the other places of their ilk. Nothing wrong with any of them, just none of them special. Aside from having the same menus, similar decor, etc, they were everywhere. Thanks to historically unheard of prosperity, dining out is no longer something special or a treat. And the restaurants themselves also stopped being special.

I am vacationing on the Outer Banks, and one of my favorite things is all the local restaurants that you can't find anyplace else. There is also an Outback Steakhouse and an Applebees. I asked a local, and they said they are busy, and not just from vacationers, but locals like them, too. For them, it was different. Up until the Outback, the only chains down here were the fast food places. And the Sizzler. But since I am not collecting social security, I am not counting that one.

But one goes and another comes back. Schiltz beer is back! And I can't wait to get a 6 pack. Yep, pure kitch irony value. No other reason. I like PBR for much the same reason.

Prohibition nearly killed off the beer business in the US. Most local breweries did not survive the dry years. Miller, Bud, and a handfull of others came though and found an empty field. Only now is the US the best place in the world for beer. There are few places on earth that you can walk into a common store, not even a beer place, and find dozens of styles of beer. Many places around the globe there is beer. Whatever they make there is beer. No light lagers, no wheat beers, no porters, stouts, ambers and IPAs. If your berg makes a Kolsch style beer, that's beer.

Speaking of which, I have some Weeping Radish brewed with lemons in the fridge now. Shandy style is what most would call it (a shandy being lemonade and beer).

Nats sweep the Reds! Cubs win, Brewers lose. Hall of Fame game tonight with the Redskins. Good start to the week!

Random Jersey Watch Aug 1 edition

This post brought to you by...

Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, ice cold, in a can.

What? I thought you were a beer snob. Well, to a point that is true. But even beer snobs have a favorite cheap beer. Me, its the cool refreshing taste of PBR. Strohs is ok, too.

I am at last on vacation, and being at the beach means round the clock drinking. I have just cracked open my first tasty beer of the week. Worry not, I have two cases of fresh Weeping Radish getting ready to be enjoyed...

So, back to jersey watch...we got to see a rare Nationals win last night. Maybe my 05 BP jersey helped. They pounded the Astros the last time I wore it.

The jersey watch team picked up on these three:

A home Manny Acta #14 jersey. Manny Acta is the current manager of the Nats. I like Manny, but this is the first time I spotted a fan with his jersey. Usually he's the one wearing it.

We also spotted a Cooperstown Collection Gary Carter #8 Expos jersey. Nice. I want one.

And finally an interesting one. I knew the Padres had a camo jersey for military appreciation day, but it would seem the Reds have one two. I spotted a visiting Reds fan with a Ken Griffey, Jr. camo jersey.

Interesting. I like the concept, not sure about the execution per se.

The cammo worked, though! It was like you couldn't see Griffey on the field at all! Oh wait, that's because he was traded just this week! One pair of Reds fans held a sign that stated they bought these tickets to see Griffey. Oops! Sorry about that, no Griffey, and you had the bad luck to come on one of the few nights the Nats won a game. And you weren't even wearing a jersey for me to write about.

random jersey sighting, July 30 edition

Tonight was the Nats vs the Phillies at nationals park. what's with the lack of caps? I am on my used Dell inspiron 3700, which I think was state of the art about 6 years ago. The keys stick. It's difficult to make the shift key work. "n's" are difficult since the "n" key has had an especially hard life.

So, top jersey, far and away, spotted at the game tonight, a Michael Vick jersey. It hits almost all the random jersey sighting criteria. Wrong sport, no relation to either city playing, and, the real kicker, the player is in jail!

Jersey spotted that I covet: A 05 chad cordero all star game BP jersey. I am heading to e-bay now to see if I can find one.

Jersey that I wore: 2004 Expos BP jersey. I figured since they were playing like the 04 expos, I would wear the jersey for the occasion.

Random Jersey Sighting

In addition to collecting jerseys, I also enjoy spotting them on others. I especially enjoy spotting odd, out of place ones.

The trifecta would be:

Wrong sport for the event you are at

Not a team native to that city (so a Redskins jersey at a Nationals game = not too random)

Obscure player

Bonus points awarded for minor league teams, defunct teams (I saw a Quebec Nordiques jersey at a Caps game), or defunct leagues (USFL, XFL)

So, if you were at a Cubs game at Wrigley and you came in sporting your Craig Hentrich jersey (punter for the 96 Packers), then you would be the winner.

Last night at the Nationals I thought I had a winner with a sighting of what I thought was a jersey for rookie pitcher John Lannan. Though he is a National, he is hardly a household name, and they don't sell John Lannan jerseys off the rack at the team store.

But I double checked and the name and uni number don't match, so it must have been a random guy with the same last name with a custom jersey.

So the winner ended up being a guy with a Buffalo Sabres shirt. Wrong sport, wrong city, wrong time of year, team not in playoffs.

So congrats random Buffalo guy. You showed your team spirit, though it didn't really count.

Vice Watch: Buy me a Jersey

I am not a man of many vices, but the ones I do have I embrace fully. Beer, clearly to anyone who has known me more than 5 minutes, is one of them.

But I have a weakness for jerseys. Especially baseball, but almost any sport is of interest.

I acquired a new jersey at the Nationals game last night. Not an official, but what is called a "fashion" jersey. Its not something the players wear, but it could be. This one is white with red sleeves and blue trim. "Washington" is printed across the chest like it is on the official away jersey (which is gray - as is baseball custom). It also features the 2008 Nationals Park inaugural season patch on the sleeve.

The Nats only have 3 official jerseys, 4 if you count the batting practice jersey. This is far too few. Most clubs have 4 - not counting the BP jersey. Some clubs, like the Padres, seem to have dozens.

In my personal collection I have the home and away jerseys. I have the 05, 06 and 07 BP jerseys (the 08 is the same as last years). I don't own the red alternate jersey that is usually worn for home Sunday games since it looks just like the 05 BP jersey. I also have a Senators jersey and two Expos jerseys - one the 04 BP jersey - the last in Expos history, and a Cooperstown Collection powder blue jersey. And I have two "fashion" jerseys (the one mentioned above and one from the last year at RFK).

Then I have 3 Cubs jerseys which I share with the Mrs, who grew up a Cubs fan. I have the home pinstripe, the away and the 06 BP jersey.

I also have a Brewers jersey, because I have to like a team called Brewers. I also own a powder blue Blue Jays jersey. That was a memento from our trip to Toronto a few summers ago.

And that's just in baseball. I also have 2 Capitals & 2 Redskins jerseys. I'm sure I am leaving one out...

You may ask why not Wizards? Well, for one I am not a big NBA fan, and I don't really like the way the Wizards jerseys look in general. Plus they are tank tops. I don't want to pay big bucks for a glorified wife-beater.

I have in the past considered a DC United jersey, but never went through with it. Seems a waste of money that could be used on a baseball jersey. Plus they now have a big VW logo on them. Corporate logos on jerseys is common in soccer. I sell sponsorships for a living, so I guess it makes me something of a hypocrite to say I don't like corporate logos on jerseys.

There are some out there I would still like to get, which is what the wife worries about everytime I go to a ball game...

I am in the Red Carpet Club (you are not)

I seldom have cause to feel smug. I am not super wealthy by Northern Virginia standards (world standards, hell yeah, I am rolling in the money). I don't drive a fancy car (but it is paid for). I live in a nice house, but nothing lavish.

But when I fly, look out. I have access to the United Red Carpet Club.

As the picture shows, nice people ask to see your club ID. No ID? I'm sorry sir, you will have to wait with the rest of the commoners on the concourse. Have a nice flight.

Once inside you get fairly comfy chairs. Free soft drinks. Bar drinks that are at bar prices, not airport bar prices (usually 6 bucks for mixed drink), and snacks! Christine especially loves the Walkers Shortbread cookies. SO much so that I have to get extras to bring home.

Since I have a nice place to chill before a flight I usually get here early so I can enjoy my moment of smug. And it does help you relax before a flight.

So if you are in O'Hare right now, text me and I will let you in. I can get up to two guests in. First come, first served.

I think I was at a family picnic on Sunday

So the Leo family picnic was Sunday. In case you were wondering what a WASP like me was doing at a picnic for Leo's, I am related to them by marriage.

It was a wonderful July day, with a great gusty breeze that kept the temps quite nice.

I also brought with me an old friend, Beefeater Dry London Gin. And tonic, ice, and lemonaide. The three, when combined, make for a very refreshing summer drink. The picnic started at noon, and every so often "uncle Chris" would pay a little visit to "uncle Beefeater".

We didn't leave until 7. And everytime I went back to visit my dear uncle, there was less and less of him. I started to think that someone else was dipping into my stash. Not that sharing would not be welcome.

By my last visit only 200ml (estimated - might be less than that) out of the original 750 remained. It was streached out over 7 hours, but still, that is a lot of gin, even for me.

I am pretty sure the various cousins would have been quite nice without uncle Beefeater, but why fly solo if you don't have to?

Flight Of The Conchords - The Humans Are Dead

Escape to Miller Park

The plan is to make a break for Miller Park, about 80 miles away from my current location. The in-laws don't know it yet. I may have to save my self and leave Christine. Thank God for the rental car. No longer am I a prisoner of the in laws.

Playing the Ponies

I am heading the Arlington racetrack today with the Mom-in-Law. I have gamed in Vegas, but have yet to play the ponies. Jackie (the Mom-in-Law refered above) plays with some frequency, and it is a nice day, so it should be fun. Riches and wealth here I come!!!

Don't let Vader in your foursome

Julius, our Kitty Boy, had a troubled youth

For a joyride that is likely to end in an accident, try Philly!

For the fourth consecutive year, drivers in Phoenix, Ariz., are the safest big city commuters, according to Allstate. Phoenix motorists can expect to bump into another vehicle on the roadway every 9.8 years – slightly more frequently than the national average.

Rank/City
Collision Likelihood Compared to National Average Average Years Between Collisions
84. Phoenix, Ariz. 1.5% more likely 9.8
112. San Diego, Calif. 9.9% more likely 9.1
126. New York, N.Y. 13.2% more likely 8
153. Houston, TX 23.5% more likely 8.1
161. San Antonio, TX 25.7% more likely 8.0
167. Dallas, TX 27.6% more likely 7.8
176. Chicago, Ill. 32.3% more likely 7.6
182. Los Angeles, Calif. 41.5% more likely 7.1
187. Philadelphia, Pa. 50.4% more likely 6.6

Ok, so the tables were lost on this, but I can absolutley relate to this data. The one accident I ever got in that was my fault was in Philly. I can tell you why. They have no street signs. I'm not kidding. And when they do, they are small, bend and dirty.

I got really lost and when trying to figure out where I was I rearended some poor fellow, who was nice about the whole thing.

At least I didn't get a lye bomb tossed in my face. My eye doctor related to me once that when she was working her internist rotation in a Philly hospital, she would see the victims of such attacks. The cleaning fluid that ended up in my eye seemed rather common when compaired to that. She was offered a full time job in Philly after her rotation. Wonder why she didn't take it?

Rolling Blackouts a non-issue in North Korea again this summer

I love this picture. It shows the real workers paradise that is North Korea. But I guess we can't pin too much global warming on them, since they don't really have things like power plants. Well, I guess they do, powered by Stalin era diesel engines or some such thing.

Do embargos really work? Castro still around. Kim, still around. China, as much as they make noise about keeping us in check need us. No US, no one to buy their stuff. You are much less likely to nuke the hand that feeds you.

Kitty Fight