Friday, June 26, 2009

For the Ladies

In recognition of our recent tilt towards the lad magazine side of the bookstore, we offer a little eye candy for the ladies in the audience.

(Insipid Michael Jackson tribute forthcoming, in case you were wondering.)

118 comments:

rob said...

we had to do something to help shlara get over the disappointment of last night's draft thread.

Shlara said...

Thanks Rob. Who's baby is Gheorghe holding?

rob said...

mark's.

Mark said...

Is this what happens when I go out of town? Rob's right though. That's my latest.

So...re-signing Hedo is now a "longshot"? Fuck me. I'm not a happy man right now. I love Courtney Lee. I don't love Vince Carter and the mismatches that Hedo created were a large part of what made the Magic good. It feels like the Magic have mortgaged much of their future for the next year or so. With Dwight and Jameer both being under 25, I can't say I understand this approach.

Mark said...

And, yes I know he has no ACLs, but I still can't believe that DeJuan Blair didn't get picked until the 2nd round. (Sam Young too). The Spurs are gonna win another title in the next two years and we're all gonna have to bow down to Greg Poppovich and RC Buford. Fucking amazing.

Jerry said...

That trade is going to help them a lot in the next 2 years. I like Lee, but he's kind of become this year's Rodney Stuckey overrated guy. I don't think Lee will ever be anything better than a league average starter (which is fine, but obviously not great).

In order to properly analyze it though, you have to determine whether the trade was the cause or the response to the potential loss of the Dusty Ottoman. Also, you have to consider what kind of contract it would take to keep him in the Blue and White (Ignite).

Mark said...

Per usual, Simmons brought the heat ith his draft diary. I truly feel bad for missing out on last night's festivities. We had some real momentum going after last year and last night was actually one of the more interesting draft nights in some time. We could've built a beautiful comedy rhombus. Could've been a banner night for G:TB. For once, I actually blame myself.

In other news, I called one of my cousin's friends who I had just met a "stupid bitch" last night during an argument over Michael Jackson (In my defense, she claimed he wasn't a musical legend/genius), drank entirely too much Jager (even for me) and got my cousin so drunk that he fell down a flight of stairs and is now sporting two huge scabs on his face. At least it will make us look tougher when we attend this afternoon's Cubs-Sox game.

Mark said...

I agree with all that Jerry. Except for Lee. I don't think he's going to be great but I think he could be the 4th best guy on a championship team. As for Dusty, well, I thought they'd be able to get him for $10-11 million. If thats not the case then, yeah, they should let him go.

I hadn't heard anything that intimated that the Magic weren't going to be able to re-sign Hedo (but I've been a bit out of the loop since I've been traveling for the past week) so all of this came as a bit of a shock to me. Also, I've never been a big fan of Wince so my judgement is somewhat clouded by that. He's still definitely the best 2 that the Magic have ever had. Finally Jerry, what are your thoughts on Ryan Anderson?

rob said...

if i were dejuan blair's agent, i'd probably not let myself be alone in a room with him for a while. kid got some bad advice.

Mark said...

Its not his agents fault that he has no ACLS.

Also, Mardy Fish's wife is really fucking hot. Apparently, she's a model on Deal or No Deal. I've met Mardy...these kind of things don't happen if you're not a professional athlete.

mayhugh said...

Today's lunch topic du jour was "who was the bigger influence: Elvis or Michael Jackson".

While I personally love the frumpy camp that Elvis brought to the table, I don't think he comes close to MJ.

Jerry said...

4th best guy...average NBA starter...not that far apart.

With Dusty, the $$ sound about right -- the concern would be the length of the deal. If he gets 4 years, how much does he give you in years 3-4? Hard to say. Maybe a decent amount, maybe not.

Instead (assuming Dusty walks, which is no sure thing) you get VC for 2 and then free cap space, which may mitigate to some degree losing the future value of Lee.

Also, people have been raving about Carter's attitude recently.

I like Anderson as a bench guy that's nice to have around. He shoots well for his height and he's a decent rebounder. Upside is a bench guy for a good team, but he definitely fits Orlando's style. He's a 6'10" guy who shoots 3s.

Geoff said...

I'll disagree with you there Mark. I think Elvis has significantly more social and cultural significance than Jackson. I'll back it up with nothing other than my own smugness and self-satisfaction.

rob said...

i witnessed first-hand the caliber of talent that pga tour players attract during my stint on the michelob championship staff. we're not breaking any new ground here, but mark's absolutely right.

T.J. said...

Graceland here we come...

TR said...

Ryan Anderson will help your team off the bench. He was stuck in the Nets' log-jam of mediocre bigs last year (Chairman Yi, Sean Williams, Boone, Najera, Lopez, etc.), but he's got potential if he gets 20 minutes a game.

VC's game has been surprisingly consistent the last two years. He played relatively hard, considering he was on a team going nowhere. Some may say he was playing for his stat line, but the Nets needed him to carry a big load.

The issue for him will be if he is willing to sacrifice his numbers to win a championship. He may be gunning for one more payday in 2011. Sharing touches with Lewis won't help his numbers, but I bet he is dying for a title.

Meanwhile, the Nets are a shit-show of a franchise. They still are unsure where/when/if they're moving, and they barely have one marketable star (Harris). If Jay Z can't bring in Bron Bron, it will be ugly. As in Calipari-era ugly.

rob said...

tr, i commend to you the final comment of the farrah post for your gastronomic pleasure.

TR said...

Mark - Have an Old Time for me. And don't follow my decision to eat a trifecta of pork products on a bun at Wrigley. Seems fun at the time, but wreaks havoc later.

I will be spending my late afternoon on a cattle car of a two-hour train to the Jersey Shore with an oil can of Foster's in my hand and a guido-loathing sneer on my face. Good times.

TR said...

Rob - Should I find myself in the vicinity of a Ben's Chili Bowl restaurant at some point in the future, I will throw down a bowl and think of you.

rob said...

tr, i should think it's reason enough for you to travel to d.c. (home of the one and only and quite historic ben's chili bowl). seeing us would be but a nice appetizer.

Jerry said...

The Nets are able to operate like a Madden franchise because they don't feel obligated to show any loyalty to their fans and they get minimal media coverage. They can completely punt multiple seasons without serious repercussions.

I suspect that Thorn was anticipating a horrendous record last year and was somewhat bummed when they played well and ruined their chances of getting a high pick. Next year they'll be even worse. It's actually a pretty decent long term strategy.

Mark said...

I'll have a Old Time or five. I'm legitimately pumped about attending today's baseball game. I haven't been to a regular season game since I went to a game at Safeco 4 years ago. My cousin tells me that the vitriol between the Cubs and Sox fans is both palpable and awesome.

As for Anderson, I knew he could shoot it but didn't know he was a decent rebounder. I'm hoping he'll be a guy who can be a nice addition off the bench for the Magic.

With that said, I'm out. Time to get base buzz on before I hit the south side.

Whitney said...

There's a joke somewhere in the W&M "Thriller" dance and MJ's death, but it's probably in poor taste to even make jokes that mild at this point.

Marls said...

I think MJ was the more talented artist, but in the end, I think Elvis ends up having a larger influence because he made it socially acceptable for good christian white folks to listen to music created by bands with less than 25 people.

By the way, how did MJ go from former superstar turned creepy pedophile back to to beloved superstar in one day?

T.J. said...

Based on the number of messages I have received from Mark, his trip to Wrigley has renewed his love for baseball.

And I'm quite certain Mark caused the Piniella/Uncle Milty fracas.

rob said...

i can't believe mark sparked up with piniella. looking forward to the story on that one.

also can't believe we've never extolled the awesomeness of the rick ankiel story. that will be rectified soon.

Mark said...

Fuck fucking yeah. I'm drunk and about to get waaaaay more drunk

Greg said...

Sparky started a fracas with Sweet Lou Pinella?

Mark said...

In case anyone was wondering, Chicago is awesome and I can't wait to go back. But, for the time being, I'm pretty fucking happy to be home. I've spent just under 36 hours in my hometown over the past 9 days. I really couldn't be happier to see my bed or my dogs.

Mark said...

By the way, I didn't do anything to or with Sweet Lou...(sighs)

rob said...

dempsey! nice service from spector.

u.s. far more composed in the early going than they were last week against the brazilians.

T.J. said...

Even I'm watching this game...or match...or whatever the hell it's called.

TR said...

USA!

Geoff said...

Ok...what the hell is the constant noise in the background in these international games? Do the first 10,000 spectators get a free kazoo?

T.J. said...

I thought it was a biblical swarm of locusts.

rob said...

u.s. defense doing a nice job of denying open shots from distance, also sure on clearances thus far.

and that noise is insane-making.

T.J. said...

Yep, shut your yap Melo Yelo

rob said...

the chippiness of the brazilians is underrated. solid save by howard.

rob said...

donovan gave up on that play - almost cost them.

T.J. said...

OK, that was awesome

rob said...

donovan! makes up for his mistake in a big way.

Geoff said...

Holy shit.

Mark said...

This is pretty fucking awesome and unexpected. Both goals were fairly spectacular in the lead up and finish. And, I too think it sounds like this game is being played in a beehive.

rob said...

easy, john harkes. lotta game left.

Geoff said...

I say we kick it out of bounds for the next hour. Who's in?

rob said...

brazil playing like they're not used to being pressured. keep it up, boys.

rob said...

tim howard! stud.

TR said...

USA!

(FYI - I'm 5 minutes delayed on my TiVo. Can't wait to catch up at halftime.)

Mark said...

I would venture to say that even TJ finds this game mildly exciting.

T.J. said...

Can you play four corners in soccer?

Geoff said...

The odd part is the US looks borderline dominant so far in this one.

rob said...

not if you're the us and playing brazil.

T.J. said...

Whoops Geoff beat me to it...

TR said...

The entire crowd has horns. I think they give them out. Soccer's version of thunder sticks.

You can expect to hear them at the Cup next year. Not good times.

rob said...

charlie davies: lots of speed, not lots of touch.

and tim howard says 'fuck you, douchebag'.

Geoff said...

That was a nice run by D. Charlie Davies III.

T.J. said...

There was once some goofy made-for-tv movie about a boxing kangaroo...and the kangaroo was undefeated or something...and then he finally got punched for the first time.

That kangaroo reminds me of Brazil.

(And no, I have not elected any popes today)

T.J. said...

Uh oh rob, Mike Lowell's hip is flaring up...

rob said...

brazil is so good, but we're giving them nothing easy so far. solid, solid work.

rob said...

yeah, teej. lowell's hip's been an issue for the last week or so. looks like he'll be getting an injection of the good stuff tomorrow.

Mark said...

That's really too bad TJ. The part about not electing popes, not the part about Mike Lowell's hip.

T.J. said...

Wait a second, who the hell is the guy on our squad wearing the gloves? And why?

And don't say Howard, Mark. I mean the non-goaltender wearing the MJ tributes.

T.J. said...

Greg might be helping me rig an election here at halftime.

rob said...

that's oguchi onyewu. it's winter in south africa.

Geoff said...

I came in from the beach to see this game. When my wife comes back up to the hotel she'll be happy to see I've depletd the adult beverage section of the minibar.

T.J. said...

Yiiiiikkkkkesss

Mark said...

In the first game versus Brazil, our defenders often looked frozen/intimidated by the skill of the attacking Brazilians. Thats certainly not the case today. We're closing off angles and playing with a controlled aggressiveness.

Oh wow...that was close.

rob said...

they couldn't have played a better first half. no letup now, boys.

Mark said...

Geoff Burr: True Patriot.

T.J. said...

Geoffrey, what lovely seaside town are you vactioning in?

T.J. said...

Soccer commercials, a tad over the top.

Geoff said...

We're at the Sanctuary in Kiawah. Playing The Ocean Course in the morning...home of the 2012 PGA.

Mr KQ said...

hey, you guys playin cards?..

long time listener, first time caller -had to chime in on this one though - brilliant so far - and what's up with the kurt warner lookalike playing for Brazil?

Mark said...

From what I can tell from the interwebs, Geoff's hotel is pretty nice. I doubt I'd be a big hit hanging out and drinking in the lobby bar.

rob said...

teej, i may need a ballot before this is over. think you can make it out here?

rob said...

rico, it seems brazil wanted God on their side.

TR said...

The US needs to have control of the ball more in the second half. Too much reliance on full-field counterattacking. And Howard was ridiculous. Can't expect him to keep it up. Brazil will score soon if they keep hammering away.

rob said...

well, shit. that's not the start we're looking for.

Geoff said...

Yikes. That was easy.

Mark said...

That didn't take long.

Mr KQ said...

it can't be him because they haven't showed brenda twelve times, btw i won an over bet on her in the superbowl..

whoopsie, trouble thar 2-1

rob said...

gtb goes quiet. nervous?

Geoff said...

Julio Caesar just pulled a Spurrier.

Mark said...

I've done something to calm my nerves. I'd suggest the rest of you do too.

rob said...

is it me, or is the clock not moving?

Mark said...

There are so many possibilities for the term "pulling a Spurrier".

Geoff said...

if you're not using a mood altering substance right now, you hate America.

T.J. said...

Mark, Greg and I just did the same.

rob said...

howard! damn.

rob said...

spector's having a very solid match.

Geoff said...

That looked like a goal.

rob said...

nope, that one stayed out. whoa.

rob said...

we need a third goal, because brazil's getting another one.

rob said...

i was wrong, that was a goal. thank god for no instant replay.

Mark said...

Yeah, I appreciate the homer announcers but that was definitely a goal. And...we'll be lucky if Brazil only gets one more goal the way they've played so far in the second half.

rob said...

time for some new legs in the midfield, bob.

rob said...

weak dive by kaka there. punish him.

rob said...

oh, tim howard.

T.J. said...

Howard is gonna kill that tiny kid.

Mark said...

Howard just saved Dempsey's ass. What a terrible pass.

T.J. said...

Greg would like to know why that guy has on a scarf or "dickie" as Greg put it.

rob said...

davies needed one more touch. nice, dangerous run.

Mark said...

If Davies could keep the ball more consistently close to his feet on the run he would be deadly.

rob said...

fuck. matter of time.

T.J. said...

This is not gonna end well.

rob said...

jay demerit hanging tough. whew.

rob said...

aaand fuck.

Geoff said...

Dagger

T.J. said...

Fucking a man.

Mark said...

We could all see it coming but, damn that sucks. Pretty impressive execution by Brazil, both in the set piece and in their second half gameplan execution.

rob said...

lots of lessons for the us here. enough there to be optimistic for 2010 and they know how big the gap they need to fill is.

rob said...

and, hey - the draft thread did go over 100 comments.

ohhhhhh, gooch.

T.J. said...

Glove guy...so close.

Mark said...

The US subs brought nothing to the table. Klestian in particular was awful.

Whitney said...

You wanna talk about awful subs, just walk into any Blimpie. Terrible.

Mark said...

G:TB Programming Note:

If you have HBO, turn on the replay of last night's Victor Ortiz- Marco Rene Maidana fight. It only lasted 6 rounds but man was it fantastic. I won't ruin it in case anybody wants to watch it but trust me, you'll see tons of knockdowns, entertaining fighting and some bizarre post fight antics.

rob said...

for whitney's sake, i hope that he and teejay never consummated a case bet on the yanks/mets series.

rob said...

has anyone seen the new giant cheetos? color me intrigued.