My father emailed me a bunch of pictures taken of the new Yankee Stadium. Sliding into Home regularly posts updated pictures so it was cool to see the work in progress. I live about 15 miles North of the Stadium, but my commute doesn’t bring me past it daily any more so I haven’t seen it much in passing in about 2 months.
(If you want me to post some pictures or email them to you, please let me know via the comments section below.)
My biggest beef with the new design can be seen in the schematic below:
I agree with the author’s sentiments about the shape of the profile, something that I knew was coming but feared actually seeing.
I love how the upper deck in the current stadium is so close to the field. It’s not a big bowl like Shea or some other stadiums. The fans are closer and louder. Now, as it seems, the new stadium will be a bigger bowl with the fans further away. Maybe the seats will be nicer or have a better “view”, but I’d easily give up the perfect sightlines to be closer to the field, louder for the opposition. We’ll have better bathrooms, though.
Oh well. The costs of progess, I guess.
I’ve been paying sporatic attention to the new “MLB on the Hill” reality show. Some quick thoughts:
- Tejada’s in trouble (separate investigation coming)
- Selig looks like a winner here. Finally accepted blame.
- Mitchell looked brilliant and well-prepared
- Fehr was predictably battled
- Many of these congressmen and women have no idea how to pronouce players’ names. Way to be prepared.
- Insinuating that “kids” can walk into any old convenience store and buy PED’s is such an over-simplified view; it’s pathetic.
- The congressmen and women all want a stiffer and tougher policy, yet, MLB’s penalties are already the highest (% of games suspended, etc.) in any of the major sports. What do they want, a death penalty?
- There is no “commercially viable” HGH test and they want blood tests now for future testing. That’d be a real threat. Buster Olney suggested this years back. If I can find that blog entry, I will, but right now, I have gotta get back to my real job.
- Comparing heroin/cocaine to PEDs is laughable and destroys credibility, Senator!
Would HIGHLY recommend you checking out Jayson Stark’s live blog. Better he than me to accurately capture everything.
Where have you gone Rep. Henry Waxman, a lonely nation turns its eyes to you (and is forced to stare up your nostrils for 12 hours)?
Yessir, this is the face of Torquemada, the leader of the latest Inquisition. The Holy Troika (Bud, Fehr, Mitchell) all take the stand today on the Hill, taking turns picking at the saggy flesh of MLB’s leadership. Should be fun.
Stay tuned. This should be equal parts tedious, self-serving, painful and uncomfortable.
ESPN has some decent preview articles, here, here and here. SI.com chips in with a good preview here.
More later, got a hectic day at work.
A BIG thanks to the NY Post for breaking this little oyster of goodness: ‘GLADIATORS’ 
TESTED FOR ‘ROIDS. Are you freakin’ sh*tting me? This program, featuring some of the most outrageously built men and women, is hosted by none other than well-known and admitted ‘roid taker Hulk Hogan. This is just beautiful.
The performers – all body builders competing in a new version of the rough-and-tumble show of the early 1990s – were all tested when they underwent their initial physicals, the magazine says.
In addition, cast members’ contracts require them to submit to tests at any time during the competition.
Mitchell twice sent letters to the Major League Baseball Players’ Association requesting to speak to players who would be mentioned in his report into illegal use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball. The letters included the dates of their alleged steroid use and the teams they played for when they allegedly used performance enhancers. In an e-mail sent to USA Today, Mitchell said he sent letters to the players’ union in the summer and in October, requesting to talk to players named in the report. In the October letter, Mitchell wrote: “During the course of any such interview, I will inform the player of the evidence of their use, including permitting him to examine and answer questions about copies of relevant checks, mailing receipts, or other documents, and give him an opportunity to respond.”
Seems that Clemens didn’t get Mitchell’s message, or letters, requesting him come to discuss specific instances. Oh yeah, Clemens denied that he was given this specific a request, only something generic.
Last Monday (1/7/08), Clemens claimed he did not know that he was going to be named in the Mitchell report and that Mitchell wouldn’t disclose the nature of the allegations to his agents. “They wouldn’t respond to what it was about,” Clemens said. “Obviously if I had known what Brian McNamee was saying about me I would have been there.”
Somebody’s got some ‘splaining to do! Did the MLBPA not forward the message/mail? Did Clemens’ attorney not do the same? Did Clemens not share this with his attorney? What gives?
UPDATE:
Traded a few emails with fellow seamhead and blogger extraordinaire, Shysterball, and his salient thoughts included:
“Well, Mitchell says the letters went to MLBPA. My guess is that the line goes: MLBPA-agents-players. So either the MLBPA didn’t forward it, or they did and the agent didn’t forward it, or they both did and Roger can’t read, or they did, he can read, and he is just lying. “The biggest problem on anything re: Clemens’ testimony, whether it be about what he knew would be in the Mitchell report, what he took, or anything else, is going to be corroboration. It’s very possible that he could come off looking like an awful liar but have no legal action taken against him. After all, remember Palmiero: obviously lied (failed a steroid test a couple of weeks after his testimony) and no legal action taken.”
Thanks to Craig for the comments on the subject. As I have said before, his site is worth bookmarking. His legal background allows him to give us some greater insight than we’d otherwise have on these legal wranglings.
Wait, did I see what I thought I see? Was that T.O. really bawling about “that’s my QB”? Sorry to go all-caps on you but ARE YOU FREAKIN’ SERIOUS?!?!?
Is this the same guy who has built up a tremendous reputation as a QB killer? The same guy who subterfuged both Jeff Garcia AND Donovan McNabb, not to mention Bledsoe last year in Dallas? Now he crys for Romo. First Moss becomes a team-player in New England and now TO crying for his QB in Dallas. Is there nothing right in this world any more?
“This is not about Tony,” Owens said, welling up. “You guys can point the finger at him, you can talk about the vacation, and if you do that, it’s really unfair. It’s really unfair. That’s my teammate. That’s my quarterback. You guys do that, it’s not fair. We lost as a team. We lost as a team, man.”
Thanks TO.
Best part of the game for me: having my boys legitimately interested in it, especially my older son, who’s just at the right age to start “getting into it”. He high-fived me after the INT. My little one, who really has no idea what’s going one (“Root for the Giants; they’re in BLUE“), cheered. A good day.
Not much more to the post as I’m just really excited, especially since the Chargers also won (our adopted 2nd favorite team since the rest of my family is living in SD; see this for more SD goodness).
Too bad Bud Selig doesn’t have a working Flux Capacitor so he could go back in time about 15-20 years and do this. While the natural cynic in me screams “IT’S ABOUT TIME, BUD!“, I will say that I am happy he’s finally doing it.
Highlights of commissioner Bud Selig’s implementations based on George Mitchell’s suggestions of policing drug use in the sport:
- Establishment of a department of investigations for the purpose of examining drug use
- Tip line for team employees to make Selig’s office aware of violations of drug, betting and other rules
- Background checks and random drug tests for clubhouse employees
- Logging all packages sent to clubhouses
- Permanent credentials for drug testers
More to come on this, no doubt.
Didn’t this league just strike for over a year and cancel a full season? Didn’t they implement a salary cap? Aren’t their games only on a channel called Versus? Then how does THIS happen:
Ovechkin, Capitals agree to 13-year, $124 million contract extension
I don’t care how good this kid is, isn’t that a bit much for a league ‘supposedly’ struggling right now?
WARNING: Knowingly ignoring your unsuccessful past leads to bad decisions:
Leonsis said he was initially skittish about the length of the deal, having been burned by the eight-year, $88 million contract he gave Jaromir Jagr in 2001. The owner noted, however, that other contracts will surpass Ovechkin’s in years to come, and that “in 10 years the deal might look really attractive.”
MIGHT. Good luck with that, Ted. In other words: “While I overpaid like mad TODAY, I know I can count on my peers to take me off the hook by overpaying worse down the road. Where is Glen Sather these days, anyways?“
I’m not sure what will look more UNattractive in 10 years: Ovechkin’s teeth or Ted’s waistline.
And that concludes our mandated hockey reference of the month.
Fox Sports writer Ken Rosenthal noted that the Yanks are interested in Mike Cameron. [Thanks to MLBtraderumors.com for the heads-up.]
The Yankees are showing serious interest in Cameron, major-league sources say, figuring that they could trade center fielder Melky Cabrera even if they do not send him to the Twins for left-hander Johan Santana.
Whaaaaa? Do the Yanks really need to sign a player already facing a 25 game STEROID SUSPENSION to be their FIFTH outfielder? What, the Yanks don’t have a big enough ‘roid cloud hanging over their heads already? Hank must have said: “Eh, the Mitchell Report wasn’t so bad. So what if our players were plastered all over it. We can handle it; we’re the Yanks. Now, what we really need is another aging OF who has a pending 25 game suspesnsion looming. That would prove how tough we are“
If they make this deal AND Melky isn’t traded, how will they handle that rotation of OF? Are they suddenly going to deal Damon? Matsui? I guess I could see it (somewhat) if the Yanks deal Melky to get Johan.
I’m all for fielding the best team possible but at some point, this is just silly.
And all this comes after the Yanks signed Jason Lane (to a minor league deal) to possibly man 1B next year. Who’s he, you ask? Well, he was an outfielder with the Astros who hit .173 last year. Two years ago, he hit 26 HR but has fallen off the cliff the last 2 years.
MEMORANDUM
TO: Hank Steinbrenner
CC: Hal Steinbrenner
DATE: January 10, 2008
RE: Press and official statements
______________________
I’ll call you as soon as we have anything viable to discuss. At that time, as the representative for the General Partner, you will have final say.
As you may have heard, our ultra-busy congressmen have decided that THEY need to have their own Clemens/McNcamee investigation BEFORE dragging them in to speak under oath. Glad they have nothing better to do. Our friend Craig at Shysterball has an excellent post on this subject today, and quite honestly, beat me to the punch (as usual) on the subject. [For those who haven't bookmarked Shysterball and visit it at least once daily, you should do so. You'll be smarter for doing it.]
What stuck out to me as either ironic or cooly calculated was the reschedule date: February 13th. What’s so ironic about that? Well, only that the next day is the First Day for Pitchers and Catchers to report to major league camps, or in otherwords, one of the bestest days of the year for me. Sounds like it’s been timed exactly to coincide with the launching of the season, or, as far as Congress is concerned, perfect for gaining the most airtime. I still cannot believe that Congress is taking the time and money to decide a he-said/he-said. Furthermore, that they think they can determine this in one month and it took Mitchell years to get anything done.
If this Inquisition took place on January 16th, as originally scheduled, we’d have a month to put it behind us and finally get ready for the regular season… a regular season that could not come soon enough after this horribly damaging Winter. Bud, thanks again for ordering the Mitchell Report. Incomplete, suspect and based primarily upon two trainers/in-house staffers based in NY. Yes, I am angry.
The esteemed Buster Olney of ESPN fame, lead his blog today (Insider access required) with this:
Some baseball executives wonder if federal investigators will uncover trainers and batboys in other cities, in Los Angeles or Kansas City or Boston or Texas or some other place. “You have to figure that there was a Kirk Radomski in just about every clubhouse,” a GM said the other day. “It wasn’t only in New York.”
jnr
I’m an admitted and notorious seamhead first and foremost, though I do keep tabs on the other major sporting events, particularly football. Due to my employer, I won’t even discuss basketball. I still love live hockey but my interest has waned since Messier led the Rangers to the Cup in 1994 (yes, I have polaroids of me with the Cup; I’ll try to get them scanned). I’m clearly not a Saturday football fan, mostly because I went to school in the Big East and my team was in a dome.
That being said, I am just stunned to find that Arthur Blank, the incredibly successful co-founder of the Home Depot and also owner of the Atlanta Falcons, has cast his gaze upon the visage of Pete Carroll, head coach of the USC Trojans. SAY WHAT?
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