notepad.exe
Friday, March 11th, 2005It turns out that life in a blue state includes more than just Steely Dan, gay sex in public, and chardonnay with the fellows. How many of you suckers are drinking a $36 Home Heating Credit this weekend?
All my best, from the state with two hard-charging elk on its seal,
Mattbot
Music News!
More lost classix…
The Walkmen, Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone
Braille Stars, "Golden Dream"
Sparklehorse, "Apple Bed"
…and the first purchases in over three months!
Bullet Train to Vegas, s/t (EP)
Wilco, A Ghost Is Born (2xLP)
Stars As Eyes, Enemy of Fun (LP)
For some reason I don’t remember Rick Ankiel’s implosion in the 2000 NLDS. These sorts of physical and mental blocks are incredibly interesting to me, and not just because I can identify with throwing 20 balls and 3 strikes. (In my only in-game pitching appearance that I can recall, I walked the only batter I faced. I distinctly remember striking out Jeff Schulte in practice though.) From an excellent article:
By the time he took his first legal drink, Rick Ankiel was already an accomplished major league pitcher. As a teenager he was both the High School Pitcher of the Year and the Minor League Player of the Year. At age 20, his first full year in the bigs, he won 11 games for the Cardinals, struck out over a man per inning, and logged an ERA a run below the league average. He possessed a mid-90s fastball and a devastating curve – the best I’ve ever seen – and his future seemed unimaginably vast.
Then one afternoon everything fell apart. You all know the story: he started Game 1 of the 2000 NLDS against the Braves, was sailing along with a big lead in the third inning, then walked four of the next eight hitters and uncorked five wild pitches. His throws hit off the catcher’s glove, hit the backstop, hit everything but the Durham Bull. It was a disaster, an agonizing meltdown on national TV.
The years since have been both strange and oddly familiar for Rick Ankiel, a ceaseless round of hopes and disappointments, one on top of the other.
The stress is gone, but the work is still there. And it was weird so I had some beers.
March 11th, 2005 at 10:18 am
A Ghost is Born is great, but please tell me that you have listened to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot first.
Ankiel is an outfielder for now, someone should pick him in fbb for their utility spot, for old times sake.
March 11th, 2005 at 11:55 am
D00, I’ve listened to it all! One of the best shows I’ve been to was Wilco at Grinnell in 98 or 99. It took me quite awhile to get into A Ghost is Born, and it’s probably my least favorite of their albums but I do enjoy a lot of it. Plus over the last few albums it’s been interesting to watch Jeff Tweedy de-emphasize his pop song writing strengths and move into a more experimental (yet somehow not that risky) phase.
March 14th, 2005 at 10:21 am
the best was when i saw the drummer and the guitar guy at the java house the “morning after” wilco played at the union. i politely congratulated them on a show well done and shook each of their hands. they rolled their eyes and said “thanks” while staring at the ground. it was my only encounter with a celebrity who wasn’t christina applegate. moving on, i was wondering if you have your picks for the ncaa tournament. remember when i used to copy yours and claim them as my own? i want to do that again. except that i have already decided that illinois is “going all the way!”
March 14th, 2005 at 1:04 pm
Poor, unknowledgeable Kate. Don’t you know Coach K and the Blue Devils are due for another title? With a go-to white-boy like JJ at the helm, how can you bet against them? Anyway, the Final Four is overblown, all the fun is in the first two rounds. Who’s picking Iowa over Cincy? It makes m sick that Alford may have salvaged yet another year in Iowa City, but for the first time in years I am actually rooting for his team. And how bout those Panthers? Busting everyone’s bubble! Can’t go watch them this year and they’ll have a tall task in the Badgers, but let’s hear it for the best basketball coach in Iowa, McG. Not the director of those horrid Charlie’s Angels movies.
March 15th, 2005 at 11:51 am
If history tells us anything, it’s that McNeese State is due.
March 15th, 2005 at 12:17 pm
you met christina applegate?
March 15th, 2005 at 1:57 pm
what about your picks? i got a pool to ante up to and i don’t know what the hell i’m doing! oh yeah, did you know that leah dugan is pregnant? it’s due on my birthday. or right around there, at least.
March 15th, 2005 at 4:46 pm
What about Kelly Bundy goddamnit?!!
March 15th, 2005 at 11:00 pm
What great news, this means that Rodney J. III will be an UNCLE! I hope she names the little kid Hogan.
April 7th, 2005 at 5:55 am
I was wondering if I know the same Leah Dugan your talking about. She’s a remarkable person and I’m trying to track her down. The Leah I’m looking for grew up in Cedar Rapids, IA. Let me know if you know the same Leah
Sincerely,
Karen McCort
April 7th, 2005 at 8:19 am
Haha, awesome, this blog is good for something after all!
You’re definitely thinking of the same person.
September 20th, 2006 at 7:02 pm
Penis articles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penis