Broods!

new

I have not been able to write anything the last month. Since I have been back from Dallas I have working almost everyday preparing for the upcoming season at Ravinia. We have a brand spanking 30 million dollar building that houses four restaurants. It is quite a big undertaking. There are a lot of inportant people who donated a lot of money to get this buidling built. And they did it in less than nine months. I have been working 12-18 hours a day and I am bushed. Their is an army of cicadas around the park and they make a wonderful sound. Unfortunately they are not for everybody. I had a delivery driver leave because he was being chased by the things. What a wuss.

I am glad I have not been able to follow the Cubs as close as I normally have done. I am just embarrassed to be a Cub fan (I feel bad for Lee)...

No What

Congrats to Beurhle (?).....Absolutely awesome game! My last night in dallas and Chicago shows them how play ball.....and I remind them what good pitching does (2005 series)>

Recently, I am all over their Dallas asses about them Cowboys coming to chi-town. They act like they already won that game and that's pissed me off!

F-off Tony Romo and Owens....They are trying to tell they have the Bears number?!
This town can kis my ass!

Languagesssssss

We has been geetin' done gets some really big storms here latley...All texas like and shit....dey's tells me it all be naturole this time o year...liked i knowed dat...me actin' all cool...i's been round twisters and all, but never one dey call a texas twista'...same thang different state...uh, uh dey shout...ain't no 'ting likes a texas twista'...twang thang i says...whadeve's i says...dey's likes donts goes smokes nows...i'ms likes shit people's leaves me's alone...i doe gits to gets me to me place, 'cause dat's der'es gots me ass stayin's...i gits cab...i git back...

Seriuosly...This is the shit use of our language I have to deal with....Them being Texan and all do not get it....I am not saying that I be no saint to the cause...'cmon

Dallas, TX

My girl came down this past weekend. We had a great time. This town has some potential for fun if you are with the right people. It is still quite a dead town. Every other building is closed down in this town. Anyway, we went out for some good 'ol Texas food. BBq and Tex Mex.

We went to the legendary Sonny Bryans for dinner. Not the best BBq we have had. Decent. Not as smoky as I would have liked. We had some Pork, Brisket, Sausages, Mac and Cheese, Butter rolls (dems greasy big thangs) and pecan pie. One thing on the menu I will have to go back for is the one pound tater tot. This can be upgraded by getting it filled with ground beef, sour cream, green onions and bacon. That would be the cousin to the baked tato. MMmmmm.

We also visited two Tex Mex places. One a little dive in Deep ellum. One cannot get a burrito in this town without being smothered with some kind of sauce. My favorite is sour cream sauce. That's good eatin'. The other place had the best refried beans have ever had. They were simmered with onion, smoked ham hocks and chilis.

I plan on getting tickets to see Jerry Lee Lewis in the very near future. That is going to be one hell of a show. He might be old. but all the reviews are very positive about his playing and his killer instinct.

And I have two fantasy baseball drafts this week. I hope i don't screw it up this year. This year marks the 20th year that I have participated in some kind of Roti ball.

d-town 2

this town really sucks the life outta ya. i have made friends with the guy who makes the artisan bread for the stadium (really good stuff). he is a new yorker that like to hunt. every weekend.
he knows that the adjustment is hard and he really has gotten used to it down here. i might go shooting with really soon.

anyway, they really love their mavericks down here. some people tell me they are as good as the bulls from the '90's. mr reply is simple that they are nuts. no way does this team come close to them or the celtics from the sixties.

D-Town

I have been in dallas for almost three weeks. I now live in corporate housing and will be here for 5 more weeks or so. The powers that be have been begging me to stay for good, but that aint gonna happen. My roomate is a Iraqi Assyrian. He left the country years ago and works in Detroit at Ford Field. Really nice guy. He is familiar with the area I live in chicago. There is a large Assyrian population close there.

I think meathead mentioned that this town has no soul. He was mostly right. I have made friends with people that i work with-they bring me some damn good Texas BBQ everyday. The BBq down here is mostly from the cow. Brisket is the choice. Totally different than K.C and memphis who worship our friend the pig. Not as good as those two towns but better than anywher in the city save for the Horseshoe.
They are awesome people. They are gettting me rangers tickets. Otherwise, the people in these parts are really boring and they draw the life right out. There is no substance to anything.
Either they look like they shopped at The Alley for the first time or they are really that dumb.
I try to be nice, but man it's hard.

Anyway, baseball is here!

Texass

This place hates people not from here. Only the wilte folk do. I have met a lot of nice people here, but there is that element that i see that hates me. It's weird. Most of towns surrounding dallas are passing laws against immigrants from renting. What the f' is that? what are the protecting?
They are also against expanding what little mass transit they have because they fear that is how crime will spread. Thief- "Yeah, I took the dart to some poor white guys condo and found this computer". copper-"seems logical that the train was your getaway choice."

I also saw a cop pull somebody over for honking their damn car. They made them get out and they patted them down. the cop kept asking vehemently why he was honking his horn.
it's because they drive like idiots here. there is no ettiquette on the road here. they don't move over and they don't pass on the left. i was with somebody and we were trying to merge on the highway and nobody gave a shit. the driver passed it off as oh well....meanwhile my middle finger was pointed everywhere.

I so need some time in New Hampshire soon! What happened to the old Hampshire?

Santo, Dallas

Another blogger has asked for my favorite third basemen. this has become a buzz with the recent decisin by the veteran committee at the HOf for not electing Santo. I have never been a big fan of that dufus....although he does have some impressive numbers.
If you go to the HOF website about half of the third basemen elected never faced major league pitching....not at all their fault....but mostly elected to fix some wrongs from the past.

Here is my list of HOF's:
1-Brett- i grew idolizing that guy and he could play
2-Schmidt-same but not as much
3-robinson-Great fielder with and good at the plate
4-Traynor-he hit a ton his whole life
5-Matthews-hit a ton and good in the field
6-Boggs-always on base and a couple of gold gloves

Now-There are some other more deserving third basemen not in the HOF. maybe because they are either dead or do not livein chicago that we do not know that have lost limbs or have been complaining about not getting in:
1-Ken Boyer
2-Stan Hack
3-Al rosen
4-Darrel Evans
Each one of the guys had a more distinguished career than Santo.
Maybe it's because everyone dumb cubfan have some hard on over him and tell him so that he believes he was one of the greatest. If that list of non-hof third basemen are not in then why the hell should santo? Evans hit over 400 home runs and walked a butload (Bill James most underrated player of all time).

Anyway, I am in dallas working for 6-8 weeks. I am at the American Airlines C. where the Mavs and Stars play (and the offices of mark cuban). The basketball players have got some sweet rides with the exception of one player who drives some cheap jeep...most our Bentley's and Mercedes with killer rims. The hockey players all have station wagons compared to them.
This town is nice but weird....i can't pin it down yet (probably a southern thang i will never figure out).

I Like Joey's blog

Stupid Me

Holy crap! I have been a neglectful blogger.

Walking to and from work today, I took another listen to some of the Drag the River that I have. I wanted to because I told EdP ChrisB the other night that I really didn't care for it. I thought about that while listening to it, and I've come to this conclusion: I don't like one of the two singers. I don't know which is which, I don't know their names, and frankly, I'm too lazy to look it up right now. But, I know WHY I don't like that singer; he sounds like he's faking it. I don't mind a little bit of a put-on for the sake of getting a sound, but it smacks of fakey, jokey "Hey, isn't this funny? We're sounding COUNTRY!"

I could be way off base, and that this is how the guy really is, but that's just what I hear.

Now, the other singer: I really like his singing. It's much more natural, and I'm not distracted by it. Plus, I like the music itself, and many of the songs.

I decided to revisit, re-evaluate and re-...I listened to it again, because of a very stupid indulgence of mine lately - Hayseed Dixie. I thought that if I can enjoy the humor of this joke band, then I ought to give a fairly serious band the benefit of the doubt, and maybe not be such an asshole when it comes to listening to new stuff (new enough to me). It's that "I don't like this NEW stuff, it sucks!" mentallity that I have that has left me with a really piss-poor knowledge of and taste in music.

Thangs

why does my job pay me well to be bored. It might be that i am good at it and all challenges that come my way are quickly handled. I miss cooking. I am into the purchasing thing now and it's cool. I get to be a total dick at work. I even tell my boss what's up with the business. The guy has no clue about financials.

Anyway, the HOF is set for this year minus the veterans picks. Not too sure who they will be looking at this year. Glad to see the first steroid mongoloid did not even come close. Baseball may have tolerated it then (it was not illegal), but at least the voters have some respect for the game and records.

I recently became engaged. I don't know the first thing about being married. She is awesome!
I am very glad that Kathy said ok.


santipissed

santipissed

...Or, Maybe

I don't live that close to Wrigley, but close enough for the traffic problems on Irving. One morning this past summer I almost got myself ran over by the only person in the world I absolutely hate. The self adorned mascot of the Cubs.
Ronnie F'ing Woo Woo. What the fuck?
I turn the corner to head to Walgreens with my girl and there he is barreling down on a north Kedzie sidewalk on some little girl's stolen bike. The Cubs were in a middle of a 12 game road trip and he was still dressed up at 9am on a Sunday!
What a loser. Even ask Craig or Stevie about the guy the year before.
We were at a book sighning together (1945 Cubs) with the girls and Ronnie woo-"cu-oh-goddam-man-hair-in-my-throat"-woo is there. He was dancing with all the old ladies with his mitt on their back! That piece "o" shite...and then he tried coming up and talking to our girls and dance with them. Man, he got a nice elbow from Craig and I.

I hate that guy

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Ed P Has asked for some of my favorite Baseball moments.
I don't remember the Fisk home run, but that sure was something. As for Fisk's kid: we made him cry on the field. He could not handle the pressure of a ballgame. (Hot) Carlton was pissed at us.

Anyway, here are my best rememberances of games past (in no particular order):

1-It's hard to deny the 1988 Dodgers. They should not have showed up against the A's that year. Well, Kirk had that gimpy blast and Orel out hit Mcgwire, Canseco and Lansford in the series (and outpitched them).

2-7th game of the 1991 world series. Both Morris and Smoltz were awesome.

3-Sandberg's two home runs off of Sutter in June of 1984. That game let people know that team was for real that year.

4-Seeing George Brett go 5-5 at Comiskey during the 1983 season.

5-Carter's series walk off home run off of Williams

6-Carlton Fisk's double put out at home that preserved Seaver's 300th win at Yankee stadium

7-Meeting Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Minnie Minoso as a youngster. They were quite impressed that an 8 yr old knew all their stats. I even took grounders from Ernie. He liked my glove and footwork at third base. Nice guy that Ernie.

8-I had a great view of Will Clark's grand slam off of Maddux in the 1989 playoffs. That was a shot!

9-Heckling drug prone Reuben Sierra in three differnt decades. Twice at Comiskey and once at Wrigley.
That guy had could have been somebody....

10-Yankees at Wrigley Field in 2003. The Yankee hitters were not used to being intimidated for a whole series. Clement, Wood and Prior knocked down everyone of them. Jeter was on his ass every at bat.

11-I wish I would have seen Koufax pitch. He only had two pitches and they were both unhittable.
Even Mays recounts, "the ball gained velocity and height as it came in. That's against the laws of physics."
He was something special.

12-Nolan Ryan beating the shit out of White Sox third baseman Robin Ventura. Why did you even try Robin? (first time I had smiled since Theisman's broken leg!)

Worst baseball moments I saw:

1-1985 Cardinals meltdown in the seventh game of the world series. It was embarrasing. Andujar and Herzog should have been taken out back and shot for that.

2-1994 Strike. It took me two years to come back. I am still pissed they took that baseball away from me.
Labor negotiations should be reserved for the off season only.

3-1984 Cubs. What the? I am still pissed at them. And what did the front office do...sign has beens the next couple years to support Sandberg. I am amazed he stayed his whole career with that team.

Well, that's it for now. I will be adding to these before the next season starts.
I love that game too much (despite the money issues and players attitudes). It's always been an issue in that sport. The owners have money they want to spend...Let 'em. Certain players will have ego's and some will thank whomever just for the chance to play in the big leagues. That has all been going on since 1876. No "era" has been immune to problems in baseball.



santipissed

Why can't we be friends

Iran really wants us on its side. This is something that is very tempting to me. They have the power and strength to control that Middle Eastern problem. What do we do? I find it entertaining. I have often said that Iraq would be better off with Saddam in power and this would have also kept in check Iran. Ooops! Now we have to broker a deal with them. Oh, well. Let's get that done. Open up dialouge.

Anyway, F'ing Soriano a Cub!




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Dylan needed "organic bacon". Not dogs. Also, he wanted 4 packs of camel lites and four ashtrays.

Lionel Richie needed luke-warm Evian water. We fucked that and got it good and cold. He was pissed.
We missed out on the free giveaways of lil' teddy bears wearing baby t's with Lionel's picture on 'em.

Also, the arena coud not freeze the ice on opening hockey event.

Other than that....just a minor league arena and it's quite funny and fun.

Keener: We will be seeing you! When are you in Chicago?



santipissed

Not Sure how I got into this

The opening of the S. Centre is going well. Watched them lay the hockey ice for some time last night. what a process...painting the ice? never knew what that meant until now. Special paint and ice frozen at 18 degrees and is held constant at that temp. Some cool machines there to manage that.

The company I work for, L. Restaurants, does the food and beverage for a lot of stadiums, arena and ballparks across the country (and some international). I began on the smaller side of the company that operates restaurants. I spent 5 years at Spiaggia. That was a great gig...just too good. I needed some more challenges at work when we gained a lot of national accolades. I finally was lured to the other side (sports and entertainment).

The world of these bigger properties is much different. I have been able to work at Ravina, Wrigley, US Cellular, Ford field, Conseco, Lambaugh and will be at the next running of the Kentucky Derby. Where i land in the spring is up to others in the company. We'll see....I don't have a clue, but I imagine have one more summer at Ravinis-They are building a three story restaurant there.

santipissed

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The new arena I am opening up is coming along on time. Some fine shows we have coming up. At least I get some days off there. Dylan is playing two shows and I get to feed his ass.
It will be interesting what he wants. I will let ya'll know.

Barret

Well, we all have had a case of blue balls. I have been hit by a baseball in the gonads before.
Hospital time was nill. All that happened was that my dad looked at them and said "they look o.k." I threw up for about a week and stayed away from pools.

Let's go TWINS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am opening that new arena "S. Centre". Dylan is playing at the end of October!
Other than that there is a UI basketball tournie over Thanksgiving weekend.
Hope all is well with evryone!

I know I I have put a blog out before, but I was drunk and forgot the password..........