July 22, 2007 to July 28, 2007
Wherein yes I'm reading THAT book
There's also a link to the Nine Lives of Dr. Mabuse. Previous post.
I'll be more helpful and provide a direct link to Undercover Black Man's Gwen Verdon gets crunk. Amazing, don't miss it.
There's also a link to the Nine Lives of Dr. Mabuse. Previous post.
I'll be more helpful and provide a direct link to Undercover Black Man's Gwen Verdon gets crunk. Amazing, don't miss it.
posted by bill at 7:16 AM
48 Comments:
Finished THAT book. Wasn't bad. Covered a lot of ground and involved a lot of peple and did it in a mostly entertaining manner. Occasionally touching.
Today (Monday): will have the Velonews live coverage window for Stage 15 open in a corner while working. Should by fun.
With yesterday's win Contador is setting himself to take the tour. If not this year, I'd make him the prerace favorite for next year. Rasmussen needs to gain more time in the mountains to keep from losing the race in the next TT and I don't think Contador will let him get away. Don't forget all the drama around Rasmussen.
On the American front, Leipheimer rode a great race finishing 4th, 40 seconds back. He passed Kloden in the standings and moved up on Evans--still 1:24 back. He's a strong climber, just doesn't have the explosive power of Rasmussen and Contador. If they get in trouble, Levi could definately power his way to the top.
After winning the time trial, Vinokourov completely blew up and is no longer a facter.
Here's where we're at at the start of the day:
Overall, after Stage 14
1. Michael Rasmussen (Dk), RABOBANK, 64:12:15
2. Alberto Contador (Sp), DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM, 2:23
3. Cadel Evans (Aus), PREDICTOR - LOTTO, 3:04
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA), DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM, 4:29
5. Andréas KlÖden (G), ASTANA, 4:38
In Saturday's TT, Evans and Kloden finished 2 & 3, putting more than a minute on Rasmussen and Leipheimer (about a minute on Contador). Rasmussen's old on the Yellow Jersey is tenuous and he can't afford to lose any time in these last 2 mountain stages. Yet, he might feel he has just enough room that he can mark the next 4 up the climbs without having to outduel them. Positions 2-4 need to attack or Rasmussen will win the Tour.
No predictions, other than should be a suspenseful day. Discovery, with Contador and Leipheimer have the tactical advantage; Popovych did some excellent work on the final climb and I think Hincapie was still around for awhile. But is Discovery ready to throw full support behind Contador if Leipheimer falters or will Contador have to lead out Leipheimer?
concert memories:
Sigh... those were the days. If you fell down in the mosh pit people helped you back on your feet. Now they just kick you in the head.
Email from The Wife
Subject: dirty jobs
Mike is impregnating a pig
More email
Me: Hey, Michael Weiss, from The Pretender, is an artist
The Wife: Issues I say, issues.
My wife threw me out of the house Saturday so she could read THAT BOOK undisturbed. Luckily for me she's a fast reader, and finished it that day. I would have hated trying to explain to my Mom why I needed a place to sleep Saturday night. There's no way she would have believed the real reason....
Icepick, have you listened to the Propaganda? It's the only one I got around to ripping.
Stage 15 highlights from Velonews. I've probably followed the TdF by text updates for 8-10 years. I can almost imagine a turn of the century (1900) event and a group of people outside the telegraph office waiting for the next dispatch.Surprisingly tenseful trying to figure what happening in the 3-5 minutes of dead space.
update and spoilers: turned out not to be interesting as I'd hoped. Though Discovery almost had a brilliant strategy. Hincapie went with the breakaway group, then drifted back on the final climb to pick up Contador. Unfortunately, the break was a little too big and Hincapie wasn't able to get back soon enough to help Contador shred Rasmussen.
1:31 PM Today's stage
began at 11:30 as 163 riders left the start at Foix. We see that Francaise des Jeux's Philippe Gilbert and Liquigas's Filippo Pozzato opted not to start.
There were several attacks from the start and things finally got sorted out and there are 25 men off the front with an advantage of 8:00 at the 83km mark.
Yup, you read right. That's 25 riders. We'll have the list for you in a second. We do want to mention that Christian Vande Velde and George Hincapie are in the bunch. From what we can tell, the highest GC contender in the bunch is Euskaltel's Haimar Zubeldia (13th at 12:15) and right there with him is T-Mobile's Kim Kirchen, who slipped from 10th to 14th on GC yesterday. Right now, he's 13:16 out of first place.
2:00 PM With about
2km to go to the summit, our leaders are staying together as a group. They now hold a lead of 9:25 over the peloton as they hit the halfway mark of today's stage.
2:27 PM Dang! It's the cops!
French custom agents searched at least four team buses Monday in surprise inspections as the Tour de France wobbles into its final week with yellow jersey Michael Rasmussen dogged by doping allegations.
Uniformed French officials waved over team buses as they rolled through a toll station along the A-64 highway, southwest of Toulouse. The team vehicles were driving an off-race route to the finish of stage 15.
VeloNews saw buses from Team CSC, Astana, Rabobank and Discovery Channel being searched by French authorities. Bus drivers were told to open compartments, panel doors and other storage bins as authorities made inquiries. Officials also entered the buses to conduct searches and were even spotted looking underneath the Astana team bus.
2:45 PM The break
is over the Mente. The gap is 8:17.
3:24 PM The gaps
the five leaders are on the climb, 1:15 ahead of the next 20. The peloton, which is still on the approach, is at 8:06.
4:20 PM On the descent
the trio off the front have an advantage of 45 seconds on a group of five that includes Turpin, Zubeldia, Garate, Vinokourov and Cobo.
There is a group of 10 riders from the original break - including Hincapie - trailing by 2:00 or so.
The yellow jersey group is at 6:34.
4:35 PM The yellow jersey group
is now on the climb. Will we see attacks? YES!... Popovych, 10th on GC goes.
4:42 PM Up front
Zubeldia attacks, Cobo counters... and Vino blasts past both. He is now at 15km to go.
3:31 PM The six
in the lead are 55 seconds ahead of the rest of the break, which is beginning to fracture a bit. The peloton is at 8:30.
3:44 PM So
we have Tschopp leading seven riders - Arroyo, Menchov, Zubeldia, Landaluze, Kohl, Vinokourov and Cobo. Behind them, we have riders from the break spread out over about 45 seconds. The peloton is still at 8:08 and there are attacks coming off the front, with Astana's Kashechkin.
3:45 PM Rasmussen
has lost most of his team on the climb. He has Boogerd setting tempo for him... and all of his challengers are right on his wheel. Boogerd is setting a nice tempo for Rasmussen in the peloton. He's the last Rabo' in the bunch... but Discovery has three riders in the mix, sitting right on the yellow jersey's wheel. Popovych, Leipheimer and Contador...
4:55 PM Contador has a gap
but Rasmussen has caught now....
4:55 PM Contador again
Rasmussen fights back.
3:51 PM Tschopp
is five kilometers from the summit... it's really tough here.
4:06 PM Kirchen and Tschopp
are approaching the summit. It's foggy as all get out. It's beautiful up there. The two men are 30 seconds ahead of Arroyo who is now chasing on his own. Behind, the Vinokourov group is another 25 seconds back. The peloton - which is the yellow jersey group of 13 riders - is at 6:50.
4:58 PM AGAIN!!!!!!
Contador is attacking again
4:59 PM Hincapie
Contador has joined up with George Hincapie who was trailing out of the lead group.
5:00 PM Wowie...
that climb was just a little too short... or the attacks came just a little too late.
5:04 PM Rasmussen
is on the descent with Hincapie and Contador.
5:05 PM Vino wins
5:10 PM Contador driving hard
into the final few hundred meters.... Rasmussen on his wheel. They finish together.
5:11 PM Evans and Leipheimer
have lost more time to Contador and Rasmussen.
Rasmussen and Contador gained 56 seconds on Evans and Leipheimer. Looking like a 2 man race. Tuesday is a rest day and Wednesday is the final day in the Pyrenees. Looks brutal with an HC summit finish. Rasmussen probably has enough of a gap over Evans and Leipheimer to survive the time trial, Contador is more of an unknown. Rasmussen would like more time over Contador, but I'm expecting Wednesday he'll be content to wheel suck and follow attacks. He could probably lose a minute or so to Evans and still feel safe. Discovery has done well putting 3-4 riders on the final climb and I'd expect a big attack from them. Line Popovych and Hincapie up and protect Leipheimer and Contador as long as possible. Another thought is to send Leipheimer early and make Rasmussen chase him. Try to wear Rasmussen down, so Contador can launch from behind Popovych and gain time.
1. Michael Rasmussen (Dk), Rabobank, 69:52:14
2. Alberto Contador (Sp), Discovery, at 2:23
3. Cadel Evans (Aus), Predictor Lotto, at 4:00
5. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Discovery, at 5:25
6. Andreas Kloden (G), Astana, at 5:34
7. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CSC, at 6:46
8. Andrey Kashechkin (Kz), Astana, at 7:54
9. Kim Kirchen (Lx), T-Mobile, at 8:24
10. Mikel Astarloza (Sp), Euskaltel, at 9:21.
I expect team director Bruyneel might rein him in a little, but I like his attitude:
"I attacked Rasmussen to try to challenge him," said Contador. "I saw that he was a little worse than yesterday, but he was able to follow me. On Wednesday, I am going to play for it all. Second place doesn't matter. I am going to risk all to win. If I end up in sixth, it doesn't matter."
I haven't listened to it yet. It will have to wait until I get home, as my work computer just doesn't like these kinds of things.
no problem, I have the same issue.
How I ate while pregnant
The Wife mostly ate fried okra and one other thing. But mostly as much fried okra as she could get.
Beautiful--finding the link between David Beckham and a stripper.
Americans forbidden to denigrate anyone else's culture for the next 5 months: ’Chuck & Larry’ has box-office edge with $34.8 million debut
Or maybe Adam Sandler is just in my comedy blindspot. I've never thought he was the least bit funny and he's never made me laugh--Opera guy, Cajun guy, WTF? Of course this keeps me from seeing a lot of his movies, though I've seen bits and pieces on TV, so maybe I'm missing something. There was the time Bob Barker beat the crap out of him in Happy Gilmore. That was pretty funny. I'd probably enjoy a movie of people beating up Adam Sandler.
I've heard a lot of Adam Sandler fans on TV and radio saying this isn't a very good movie. Of course, these idiots are Adam Sandler fans to begin with, and went and saw the movie anyway. But this one's so bad even his fans think it's bad. Perhaps sense CAN be beat into them....
Tuesday Trivia LVI
1. Battlescar Galactimum? I should have known this.
2. Nothing. answer.
3. There's about 4 decades worth of music to consider and I'm completely blanking on tennis star names. I'm guessing someone in the 70s. I do know that Philadelphia Freedom was written for a tennis star. Oh, the answer was so obvious and I was so close.
4. Water? Glacier? Rereading the question, I'm not quite sure what's being asked.
5. My two choices are Stanley Livingston and Richard Burton. I'll go with Livingston.
6. Mad Hatter? No, the March Hare. Curses.
7. Don't even know where to begin with this one.
This lesson considers the seventh chapter of Alice in Wonderland and the seventh great principle of wisdom in the Philosophy of Concepts as revealed through the adventures of Alice is that genius is insanity usefully applied. The close interrelation between genius and insanity is thoroughly recognized by the world at large today, but beyond acceptance of the fact the academic scholars have been willing to let the matter rest as something unexplainable or as example of the compensation of nature or deficiency in certain faculties making up for extreme brilliancy in others. That genius is itself insanity is often seen to be true by the layman but the truth is too disagreeable for the world's intelligentsia to accept wholeheartedly. The educated man of this smug age by an odd manifestation of conceit is unwilling to admit any indebtedness to one who by conventional standards he must classify as inferior to himself. Thus moral turpitude in an artist in America renders the art unworthy of consideration. Presumably in time the Babbits will achieve the moral courage to refuse to be saved from drowning by a bootlegger. Genius and insanity are identical in the fact that both are abnormality and it will be obvious that this abnormality may be either sub or super normality. In a humorous sense it is insanity if it is discovered before it justifies itself and genius if it justifies itself before its discovery as a pathological symptom. Fundamentally unbalance may be as constructive as destructive and examination of the history of human progress will demonstrate the fact very quickly that unbalance is the first manifestation of progress. So-called human balance is too often mere stagnation.
Go, Jessa!:
Boys get how to create codes and tie knots, and girls get how to throw a fucking picnic? If someone could go to the printing plant and put the contents of the boy book into the girl book, I promise to bail you out of jail if you get caught.
Terence Moore:
Worse, for the Falcons, Vick already was the most polarizing force in the history of Atlanta sports. You can blame it on his uneven play as a dramatic runner with an erratic arm combined with his hip-hop ways. Now you have this dogfighting mess with animal rights protestors fuming, active and growing from Washington D.C. to Flowery Branch. You had one U.S. senator shaking and screaming his disgust with Vick and dogfighting on the floor of the Capitol. You had another U.S. senator proposing legislation to end dogfighting and urging the NFL to get rid of Vick.
The comments are a fascinating look into many areas and issues. Very Atlantan.
Letters to the editor. What the AJC prints:
As vile as the alleged actions of Michael Vick are, the legal pursuit of him is a miscarriage of justice and, once again, represents a widespread misunderstanding of what rights are and who has them.
**********************
A country is judged by how it treats the helpless. Animals and children are at the mercy of the world. The only voice they have is yours. If the people of this state allow this morally bankrupt millionaire sports figure to continue to play football and keep a multimillion-dollar contract, there is no justice.
**********************
There are a lot of fair-weather fans in Atlanta. I'm a four-year season ticket holder, and I would have never purchased them if Vick was not here. He cannot win a game by himself, but the city of Atlanta expects him to. All this dogfighting stuff is a ploy to bring him down.
***********************
guilty of judging him unfairly. When did the life of a rabbit, squirrel, deer, duck or boar become less valuable than that of a dog? The same people who are calling Vick a bad man probably slaughter thousands of innocent animals yearly, and after killing them, speak of how beautiful they are.
Cross Edwards off the list; if he wasn't, already. I should probably make a list and see if anyone is still on it.
28. Nuclear power. Edwards: No. He's for "bio" fuel. He's against liquefied coal, because it's a "carbon-based" fuel. Like his "bio" fuel isn't. Obama: We should "explore nuclear power." Clinton: She's "agnostic" about nuclear power. "It can be a win-win if we do it right."
clipped from Althouse
Also interesting is reader_iam's continuous attempts to engage and respond to luckyoldson.
Discussing Bridge Over the River Kwai.
Dan: And yet, what a truly worthy Oscar winner this is. For all the money spent in the production of this epic, the film is really about the relationship between the Japanese (Col Saito) and British (Col. Nicholson) commanders. Each man faces not only the terrible tasks that war asks you to undertake, but also faces up to the entire weight of their history and culture, as well as to the expectation that in their positions they will maintain and uphold the ideals thereof, while in the end realizing the horrors and futility of the entire endeavor. And, most interestingly, the film does not ask you to take sides with the British in this struggle. Instead, Lean's film seems more inclined to have you feel Saito's pain, and in this we may have something truly radical. A World War II film wherein we are asked to empathize with the guys that history has judged and found wanting? Given the general similarity of viewpoint in Letters from Iwo Jima, you have to wonder if Clint Eastwood doesn't owe something of a debt to Lean's fine film.
Ben: More contentious for me is your feeling that Kwai offers an even more general humanism in the form of a blanket condemnation of war. This I believe is misguided. Forgive me for quoting myself: "Perhaps by 1957 the deep indoctrination about the meaning of WWII was so firmly entrenched in the popular consciousness, there was a little space to tell a relatively nuanced tale in that setting. When certain things are just taken for granted, a bit of eccentri city is allowed." Actually, the film is not that eccentric with respect to the humanization of the Japanese, as I just addressed above. What is quirky is the drama hinging on military careerists who - to quote myself again - "understand everything about the army and its rules and nothing about war and its realities." There is absolutely nothing in Kwai that asks us to question war in general, never mind criticize WWII in particular. Indeed, the drama of the film is predicated on taking the accepted meaning of the war for granted. For it is precisely Nicholson and Saito who lose sight of this accepted meaning. The "madness madness" is ascribed to these characters specifically and not to the war as such.
Never knew Trevor Horn was part of the Buggles.
Great quote that will be part of the Propaganda update. State of music, circa 1985, was something else:
According to Suzanne, "We did not choose the word 'Propaganda' because in Germany it has got a fascistic background."
Claudia added, defiantly: "I think if you have a name like Propaganda, you have to do propaganda. You can't be wishy-washy like Tears for Fears or Wham!" There's an ongoing debate within the group about objectives and how they should be achieved. But there's no mistaking the clear authoritative voice of Propaganda's music.
That Luckyoldson character is starting to grow on me. He reads kind of like Frank J.
I guess he is the master of the hostile non sequitor. I find it helps if you imagine his lines as read by The Comic Book Guy.
Maybe we could put Revenant and him in a room for an insultathon.
Is Man vs. Wild faked?
The network issued a statement Monday in response to an investigation launched by British television network Channel 4, which carries the program under the title "Born Survivor: Bear Grylls." Channel 4 confirmed that host Bear Grylls had partaken of indoor accommodations on at least two occasions when his series had depicted him spending the night in the wild.
"Discovery Communications has learned that isolated elements of the 'Man vs. Wild' show in some episodes were not natural to the environment, and that for health and safety concerns the crew and host received some survival assistance while in the field," the network said in a statement.
...But among the charges made against Grylls is that a raft he is depicted as having built himself actually was constructed and then disassembled by consultants to the show in order for the host to put it together. In another episode, Grylls happens upon what are referred to as wild horses that were said to be brought in from a trekking station.
Okay, now that Vinokourov has been caught blood doping, is there anyone in the sport who hasn't tested positive EXCEPT Lance Armstrong?
Tested? No. But don't forget this angle.
I think it's highly likely that he was doping and/or using PEDs before his cancer. Seems like everyone was doing it and it would fit what I know of his personality and competitive nature. Afterwards, during his TdF victories, I don't know. Wouldn't surprise me.
Yeah, I've heard of the Andreu charges. Something's never quite seemed right about that story to me.
Personally I feel that one can't conclusively say that Lance doped (either drugs, bood or whathaveyou) but it does seem probable. I also believe that after his cancer it's possible that Lance was able to train harder for a variety of reasons: a higher pain threshold, more motivation to get what he could out of life, etc. All of which would have been enhanced by various methods.
But given that the TdF tests the stage winners and race leaders almost every day, if he was cheating and they couldn't catch him then I have to assume EVERYONE was potentially cheating. IOW, his seven victories are still damned impressive.
Incidentally, this might be a good time for you to re-post and update your commentary about performance enhancing drugs. That one is likely to remain timely in spirit, if not particulars, for decades to come.
I've been thinking I should give it a rewrite. Maybe I'll do some actual research.
Here's the deal: Use this as your campaign song and I'll vote for you for president*.
I reserve the right to change my mind if you're a freak.
Why vox and a bunch of other were/are down
an explanation of blood doping
early stage news:
1:02 PM Today's stage
began with a riders' protest, from teams expressing frustration at yesterday's news of a positive doping test from Alexander Vinokourov. The teams were also angry that the Tour is being led by a man many regard as suspicious.
I also believe that after his cancer it's possible that Lance was able to train harder for a variety of reasons: a higher pain threshold, more motivation to get what he could out of life, etc.
He's always claimed that. In the current issue of Outside Magazine is an article about a human-pain lab and their research into pain tolerance. They make the point that people who have suffered trauma--like chemo patients or pregnant women--have a higher tolerance for pain.
I'd quote it, but I just threw it away. There's a podcast at the link that might have something useful and I think when the next issue comes out, they'll make the article available online.
From the NY Times:
ATLANTA, July 24 — Time’s fun when you’re having flies, Kermit the Frog once said. And how time has flown: Kermit, or more precisely one of the many puppets that have played Kermit, will be retired to Atlanta on Wednesday, part of a major gift being made by the Jim Henson Foundation.
The flippered phenom, who began life as a scrap of fabric cut from a green coat discarded by Jim Henson’s mother, will be presented to the Center for Puppetry Arts here. He is a symbol of a large gift of Mr. Henson’s work that will be donated to the center and exhibited in a planned Jim Henson Wing, said Cheryl Henson, president of the Jim Henson Foundation.
Ms. Henson, Jim Henson’s second-oldest daughter, and Jane Henson, her mother and Mr. Henson’s first performing partner, expected to be in Atlanta on Wednesday to announce the gift: 500 to 700 puppets, including some of the first Muppets built; props; scenic elements; posters; sketches; and drawings that Mr. Henson created for shows like “The Muppet Show,” “Sesame Street,” “Fraggle Rock” and “Sam and Friends” (where the Muppets first appeared). Cheryl Henson has also pledged $1 million of her own money to the center.
As long time members of the Center for Puppetry Arts, the Soquoted household approves.
I was aware that Lance had made that claim, and I tend to at least believe it's plausible based on personal experience. I didn't know that research had been done that supports the claim. Interesting stuff....
I've got a question about the protest at the start of the day. I read at ESPN that it was mostly French teams and riders that protested, and that the protest was designed to draw attention to the problems of illegal performance enhancement (IPE) in the Tour. Are French teams/riders notable clearer than others?
Are French teams/riders notable clearer than others?
I don't know, I'd guess probably not. Wish I followed it enough to say. French riders and teams haven't been that great in recent years and I suppose they could claim it's because they're clean and everyone else is dirty. But maybe that's too cynical.
French rider, Richard Virenque, was a confirmed and admitted doper during the Armstrong reign. While Armstrong was being spat on by drunks on the side of the road and hounded by the French press, Virenque was a national hero.
From Floyd Landis:
Just as in my case, LNDD (Laboratoire National de Dépistage du Dopage / National Anti-doping Laboratory) has leaked the test results to l'Equipe, permanently damaging Vino's reputation and causing him to defend an allegation without any evidence. Furthermore, it is similar to my case because the LNDD's leaked results have the potential to alter the outcome of the Tour de France before they have proved the alleged doping violation,
Highlights--edited even further to the final climb--from Stage 16:
4:44 PM On the climb
the leading four are hitting the lower slopes of the Col d’Aubisque, but with Sastre in there, the peloton is not willing to let these boys stay away. The result, though, is that Rabobank may have spent a lot of energy in the chase.
4:45 PM 43 seconds
the yellow jersey group hits the climb behind the power of Boogerd and Menchov. How long will they last?
4:53 PM Menchov has
blown.... man, it looks like he's trying to do a track stand.
4:55 PM Rasmussen
is now without teammates and Popovych is at the front of the group. There is bound to be an attack soon.
4:58 PM With 10km to go
Sastre and Mayo are 18 seconds ahead of a group that is down to Popovych, Contador, Leipheimer, Evans, Rasmussen and Soler... the rest are gone.
5:00 PM Rasmussen has to chase
Popo has popped... Now it's just Evans, Leipheimer, Contador and Rasmussen.
5:04 PM Rasmussen is chasing
but Contador has a gap. The yellow jersey has Evans and Leipheimer on his wheel. Rasmussen has come back... largely because Contador waited. It was a dig... a test.
5:08 PM Contador
has a gap. He's taking another dig. Rasmussen is clawing his way back... Leipheimer has popped.
5:10 PM Contador
goes again.... Rasmussen follows, but Evans has dropped again. He's with Leipheimer.
5:13 PM It's down
to Contador and Rasmussen, but it doesn't look like the two men up front can get rid of each other. Leipheimer, meanwhile, has left Evans and is just 10 seconds behind the leading pair.
5:18 PM With 3.5km
to go, the three leaders are still together.
5:19 PM Evans
is still trailing by nine seconds.
5:23 PM With 2km to go
the three leaders are working their way to the finish. Evans is at 17 seconds.
5:26 PM Unbelievable
performance. Rasmussen has left Contador and Leipheimer in the final kilometer.
5:27 PM Rasmussen
will win the stage, add to his lead and set himself up for a podium spot in Paris.
5:28 PM Rasmussen
is crossing the line... and we heard BOOs coming from some in the crowd.
5:28 PM The gap
Leipheimer is in second at 25 seconds.
5:28 PM Contador
comes through in third.
see the updated Dr. Mabuse.
More stuff from me and a buttload of quotes and links.
America's Got Talent update.
Another wonderful performance by Cas Haley (nbc.com). I am really enjoying this guy. Just a pleasure to listen to and it might all be an act, but he comes across as extremely likeable. Here's his week 5 performance.
Butterscotch is another one I've enjoyed. The trumpet is weak and I think she over does the beatboxing, still it's unique. Earlier.
Comment I left at Throwing Things:
I have no problem with performance enhancing substances (go Tour DAY France!), Barry Bonds is a schmuck, Selig is out schmucking him, and I agree with Sheehan.
And I'll add that Barry Bonds WAS a great player who probably had a couple of enhanced years. I think it would be easier to accept him breaking the record if he wasn't broken down and washed up and struggling just to play. Much like the shameless glory-hog Cal Ripken broke a record a couple years past his ability to play*, Bonds will break the record due to shear inertia and his team's inability to let go a guaranteed box office draw. I've never been an Atlanta Braves fan, but as an Aaron fan I'd prefer Bonds not break the record against the Braves. Frankly, I think it would be within their rights to protect Aaron by having the Brave's pitchers plunk Bonds instead of giving him a chance to hit.
*might be harsh, but I was never all that impressed with Ripken. At his best he was a decent player, nothing more.
comment found:
I shot a sparrow with a 10 gauge once... I though matter couldn't be destroyed, but I believe I broke the laws of thermodynamics.
Double bonus Friday
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