Saturday, January 24, 2015

Let's Play Two

R.I.P., Mr. Cub. Maybe the original Gheorghie. Here's a great passage from a Joe Posnanski blog post about Ernie Banks:

“Maybe it’s sacrilege but I believe Banks was a con artist,” John Roseboro said. “No one smiles all the time, naturally, unless they’re putting you on and putting you on. Every day of our lives isn’t a good one.”

Only it was for Ernie Banks. Every day was a good day. His mother had wanted him to be a minister. His father wanted him to be a baseball player. In a way, he was both. The ballpark was his pulpit. The crowds were his congregation. Ernie Banks was the first black player to sign with the Chicago Cubs, and like all pioneers he dealt with the pressures and fury that raged all around him. He dealt with it all in his way, not with speeches or sermons or shouts of anger but by being Ernie Banks, by hitting long home runs and playing terrific shortstop and never missing a game and expressing his joy for baseball and life as boldly as anyone who ever played this wonderful game."

38 comments:

TR said...

Made it to the gym at 6 AM, only to find out it wouldn't open until 8:30 b/c of snow. Dagger.

Apparently Klay Thompson isn't terrible at the basketballing.

rob said...

was just coming here to comment on thompson's night. holy shit.

TR said...

He had "only" 10 pts in the first half of the qtr, then erupted for 27 in the last six minutes. Not too shabby.

rob said...

9 three-pointers. in the quarter. damn.

klay thompson couldn't pass the 'i'm not a robot' test.

Mark said...

I hit 8 threes in a game once (not so humble brag) and I felt totally locked in. Can't imagine 8 in a quarter.

Mark said...

Big day down here. Youngest kid turned 3 yesterday so we've got a totally over the top birthday party this afternoon.

I just dropped off the 13 year old at my old high school to take the SATs.

zman said...

Is she taking them for the Johns Hopkins camp? 13 seems pretty early otherwise.

zman said...

I feel like there should be a good cheech and Chong quote involving "in a quarter" but I can't think of one. Not surprising I guess.

Mark said...

Duke Talent Search, Z. It's a program for 7th & 8th graders who excel academically.

rob said...

just agreed to go on a five-day canoe trip this summer in northern maine with my cousin and my uncle and several other dudes. speak well of me when i'm gone.

rob said...

tribe are (there you go, z) 4-point favorites at home against conference leaders northeastern this afternoon. huskies never play well in williamsburg. tribe coming off a brutal, awful, horrible no good loss at delaware. really important early season game for the tribe if they have any aspirations for winning the league regular season title. i don't have a firm vibe on this one, but i lean towards giving the points to the visitors.

zman said...

Good luck to her Mark. I did the Hopkins nerd camp and it was a good experience. At a minimum, if she gets into the camp she'll get into Duke when she graduates high school.

Mark said...

The idea of a canoe trip of any length past about an hour doesn't appeal to me in any way. Fuck canoes. Fuck camping.

zman said...

I feel like there should be a cheech and Chong quote about canoes but I can't remember one.

Mark said...

Thanks, Z. She's a good kid and we're proud of her for being invited to participate. It's about the experience for her basically. I've told her not to be nervous. She's got nothing to lose so just enjoy it.

zman said...

In contrast to Marks kid, zson recently figured out how to pick his nose and he just proudly showed me the boogers he harvested and wiped on the arm of the living room sofa.

TR said...

Have fun with that, Rob:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pRxUbv90lLI

Dave said...

snow! winter looks much better around here with a coating of snow over the mud and goose crap.

canoes are another thing i hate-- they make me feel totally claustrophobic.

and everyone can start to get excited, because i have a link to TR's nasal polyps in tomorrow's SoD.

TR said...

Yeah you do

rob said...

canoes make you feel claustrophobic? they're completely open. don't get in a kayak, man.

Mark said...

As I'm sure most of you know, women must have a theme for their young kid's birthday party.

My kid has a Homer Simpson level of love for donuts. So that's the theme. Donut decorations. She's wearing pants with donuts on them. Cake and cupcakes have been replaced with a big birthday donut and five dozen regular sized donuts.

I too love donuts so I approve of this.

zman said...

You're fine so long as it doesn't devolve into a hot dogs and donuts theme.

Mark said...

STAHP.

zman said...

My neighbor pulled her car out of the driveway to clean it off. Without clearing the windshield first. Luckily she did not run over the nearby dog walker. That's a remarkably masshole move to see in nj.

Mark said...

In the past hour I've picked up 5 dozen donuts, 3 lbs of pulled pork and 50 chicken wings. It's a safe bet I'm going to put on a couple lbs today.

Marls said...

Nice first half for the good guys in the burg.

Dave is just bummed he can't tie the dog to the canoe.

zman said...

Well said Sarana bola. I assume you're related to E bola.

Danimal said...

And smoka.

TR said...

And toilet?

zman said...

Super. Or as mike francesa would say, sooba.

rob said...

that's a nice, and really important win for the tribe. tony's wake up call after the delaware debacle must've been a good one. hofstra in the 'burg on wednesday is yoooge.

rob said...

dave might regret his pro-snow shoutout from earlier. the northeast coast is gonna get pummeled tomorrow night.

mayhugh said...

I'm headed to a monster truck rally and then drinking in DC. Anybody hanging out locally tonight?

Mark said...

I'm not in DC, Mayhugh, but I have successfully completed the SAT/Birthday party doubleheader. Ill be drunk from here on out tonight.

mayhugh said...

The deck is so stacked in favor of Grave Digger. It's like the other monster trucks are the Washington Generals.

rob said...

wrens debuted new gold home uniforms today against northeastern. sharp.

T.J. said...

hola los Gheorghies. Dulles airport baggage claim sucks donkey balls

TR said...

Hola Gheorgies. I am looking live at Gate C101 in Newark airport. I was awake at 4:15 AM, but nit in the fun way.

If the Fates are kind today, my Denver flight will be on time, my board bag will make it on the plane, a dispensary off of I-70 West will have something for me, and I can sneak in a half day on my way to a work trip in Vail.