Braunie may have an upper-respiratory infection (or cold for the non-contusion speaking folk), but the lovely Ms. Fraser would certainly ease the discomfort, I'm sure.

I would expect with the short start yesterday, Wolf will either go deep in this game or be the(sorry for the pun) sacrificial lamb

Packers Finally Get Rings

Quite the story to put into one boat anchor.

What a year that was. Despite them being favored quite often in the playoffs, I still get somewhat taken aback when I think about them actually winning the SB. I guess I always felt the injuries were a good excuse... and proving once again why I am not a world class athlete (well, that & my bowling ball physique), the Pack did not use anything as an excuse & rose to the top.

I will never understand why pitchers that are staked to large leads begin to nibble at the strike zone. You don't do yourself any favors by walking people, especially the pitcher.

EDIT: And, as inevitably happens, a home run.

I have a good idea how winded Prince feels scoring from 1st... us chubby dudes aren't given any favors on a wet field.

Congrats to the 2011 NHL Champion Boston Bruins

Since my interest in the Finals ended when the Pens were eliminated, that's all the commentary you'll get

Does it bother anyone else out there that Alyssa Milano is pregnant & we haven't heard one "Samanta!" from Tony Danza?

Saw steel panther last night. Wow. Hysterical. Those guys are crazy! - Ashley Greene

Yet another reason she's the only good part of Twilight

Listening to ESPNRadio on the way home, they were debating the Heat trading LeBron to Orlando for Howard. A dude called in & said "why doesn't the Heat just call up Orlando & offer Bosh for Howard? At least they'll get something in return for Howard."

... and that's why casuals are not GM's. I might do that trade if I get Bosh AND Wade.

Bryce Harper acting very much like an 18-year-old that has had his ass unduly kissed for most of his life. Classless.

I almost wish he'd done that in the Show just to see how far a baseball can fit inside the ear hole on a batting helmet.

Braun will never be mistaken for a great OF, but he has learned his limitations very well in the last three years. He's never been comfortable going back on balls, so he's learned how to judge the carom. Nice strong throw for the out on 2nd.

With the #15 pick, the Milwaukee Brewers select...

Jed Bradley, LHP, out of Georgia Tech.

I've seen his stuff compared to Andy Pettite, which would be just fine with me. An innings-eating lefty with four good pitches? Yes, please.

One other note... parents, teach your sons how to throw left-handed. Can you say "Job Security"?

So Morgan slides safely into 1st, clearly not sliding over the bag. Buck slides into Morgan, pushing him off the bag, turning the play into an out. Did the rule change when I wasn't looking?

With pick #12, the Milwaukee Brewers select...

Taylor Jungmann, from the University of Texas.

Hard thrower with the ability to hit the upper 90's. May have gone higher without elbow surgery in HS, but pitching is always a crap-shoot. With that velocity & a plus curve, I could see a three year debut.

I'd feel pretty good about the two predictions I made in early May:
1. The crew were OPSing too much not to start scoring runs & winning ballgames
2. Nyger would be the "starting" CF by June 1st

... had I not said this the other night: "Wow, our entire lineup can go yard, well, except for Morgan". Of course, he turns on the first pitch & deposits it in my mouth (which had surprisingly enough room with my foot in it).

Tough 4 week stretch coming up to the AS break... hang on for the ride!

Thank God common sense prevailed... a month later.

By the way, Kloppenburgular, when do I get my reimbursement check for financing your pettiness?

Gomez drives me nuts with the bat, but if kept that first at-bat approach to right more, with his speed, he'd be worth 10mil/per easy.

Speed kills no matter what sport you play.

Warrant "Rockaholic" review

So I've been living with the new Warrant disc for over a week now & I've come to the conclusion that while it is a nice slice of melodic rock, it really should not be under the Warrant moniker.
New vocalist Robert Mason (Ex-Cry of Love, Lynch Mob, Big Cock)is one of my favorite rock singers. He possesses a classic dirty, Sunset Strip voice and is an outstanding performer. But here's the rub, and something the four original Warrant members need to remember: Jani Lane, being the primary songwriter, was the possesser of the Warrant sound.
On the other hand, taking it for what it is, Rockaholic is an interesting, fun romp through pop metal fields:

1. Sex Ain't Love: Reminds me of the sexual innuendo days of the late '80's. Anyone familiar with Mason's previous band Big Cock will no doubt feel this tune. 3.5 stars
2. Innocence Gone: Starts off with a Jackyl-style intro, then veers off into a tune that would not have been out of place on Dirty Rotten. A rolling chorus really pulls the start-stop of the verses into an interesting place. 4 Stars.
3. Snake: Another late 80's groove, evoking the title. I really like Mason's voice on tunes like this. Guitars are reminiscent of Hollywood Vampires-era L.A. Guns. 3 stars
4. Dusty's Revenge: Southern-rock swing, with a nice chugging, crunchy guitar riff in the verse. The chorus falls a little flat for me. The first relative dud, aside from the guitars
5. Home: Yet another Home-titled ballad... But this is where Mason's organic vocals shine. His phrasing is quite emotional and he easily goes from subdued to the huge chorus. Joey has some nice guitar fills, but I rather miss the opportunity to put on a majestic solo. 3.5 stars
6. What Love Can Do: Here's where the band really hits their stride. The chorus melody is absolutely gorgeous. The subdued verses really highlight the chorus sections. Reminds me of something Khymera has been doing for years. Joey's solo almost has an Ace Frehley tone to it & is strangely tucked back in the mix. 4.5 stars
7. Life's A Song: The 1st single... much more modern sounding, but the melodies in the verses are quite good. A nice laid-back groove builds through the bridge and really comes together in the chorus. I like the tension built into the tune, but more in a poppy way. Seems like a decent cruising song. And here's the first Joey Allen classic solo. 4.5 stars
Halfway through the disc & I'd say it's very solid.
8. Show Must Go On: Another song that I think must have been on a Big Cock album at some point. Maybe it's just Robert Mason's distinctive pipes. Kind of a throwaway for me until the solo, when Joey throws in a few dive bombs and some Rainmaker-style attack. 3 stars
9. Cocaine Freight Train: Starts our with an aggressive double-bass attack. Must be this album's "Inside Out". Another song that doesn't do much for me until the solo, complete with accompanying harmonica. 2.5 stars
10. Found Forever: Change of pace mid-tempo groove. More laid-back vocals, but the chorus is pretty decent. Higher-register and almost seems to float on the clouds, if that makes any sense. Light & airy, maybe. 3 stars
11. Candy Man: Presumably not about Sammy Davis, Jr. Another modern-sounding mid-tempo rocker. Could've been left off this release. 2 stars
12. Sunshine: The verse riff almost sounds like a tamed-down Alice In Chains without the teeth. More modern, in the vein of Smashing Pumpkins. Another miss in the 2nd half. 2.5 stars
13. Tears In The City: Second real ballad on the disc... and just a heard-it-before track. After the genius "Don't Ask Me To Be Faithful" from Big Cock's "Motherload" I was expecting some great ballads. 2 stars
14. The Last Straw: This almost saves the second half. Driving riff, classic vocals, almost early Sammy-Hagar sounding. Great, loud, huge chorus. Outstanding finish. 4.5 stars

All in all a great listening experience. Again, if you're expecting Rainmaker II or Dog Eat Dog the second, it's not here. This is a different band, but not a bad band. I would've liked more Joey Allen ripping-solos, but Robert Mason's voice is rock gold.

I suppose before I get too political, I should say I was raised in a Democratic household & am a factory-working man. Throughout my teens & twenties, I didn't much care about taxes, mortgage rates, & the like.

However, nearing 40, my views have morphed towards fiscal responsibility & curbing excessive handouts. Tax less, spend less, let people keep more of their own money.

Here's some more fodder... Gee, sounds like a good way to curb voting fraud, though I'm sure the Dems are worried their fly-by-night votes will be gone then.

And can I just say, NOT voting on something isn't taking a stand. Voting NO or YES is taking a stand. NOT voting is simply shirking the duties you were elected for... much like holing up in another state instead of doing your job.