Syndicating an XKCD cartoon today. That is all…
FRUSTRATION
Monthly Archives: July 2008
Proof
Today, I offer up direct evidence that there is not nearly enough useful knowledge or information being produced by our species to justify the size of the Internet:
This is how Brewers pitcher Manny Parra puts on his pants.
You’ve just gotta love that riveting ESPN psuedo-journalism.
Numbers Game Redux
The hundred-game mark is in the rearview mirror and the Crew is riding into town on an 8-game tear tonight. Seemed as good a point as any to look back on my numerical assessment that came after the Boston Massacre, and see how the team is doing. In case you feel like looking back, I am referring to this post from May 20. On that day, here are some of the things I said:
You figure 90 victories will still win the division.
Well, things have changed. I no longer expect 90 to be enough to win the NL Central. The Cubs are not *as* hot as the Brewers right now, but they’re still in first place, and they weathered a tough stretch without Alfonso Soriano. Will 90 be enough to get into the post-season? Still likely. The biggest shift since the early part of the season has been the Senior Circuit’s balance of power being located squarely in the middle: the top 3 teams in the NL are the Cubs, Brewers, and Cardinals. Meanwhile, there’s a dogfight (albeit a few games behind) in the East, and a depressing state of affairs in the West. There are still 60 games to go, but it looks like 2 teams from our division are going to be playing in October.
With their 118 remaining games, the Brewers would have to go 70-48 [to reach 90 wins].
That would be a .593 winning percentage. Since that May 20 post, the Brewers are winning at a .672 clip (39-19), and, as noted in the Journal this morning, they’ve actually gotten themselves on pace for 94 victories. I predict there is going to be another lull before the end of the year (probably in August, when 17 of 27 games are on the road), but if they can stabilize, at least split those road games, and come into September around 12-15 games over .500, they’ll be looking good.
What if they split the rest of the road games (which is what you kind of need to do, at a minimum, to be a winning ballclub)?
A 7-0 trip will make anybody’s road record start to shine. And hey– a win is a win, not matter if you had to come from behind 3 out of 4 times in St. Louis. Since May 20, the Brewers are 19-11 away from home, and they’ve pulled their road record up to 28-26 overall. Quite impressive.
It’s shaping up to be a helluva season. The city is nuts with Brewer fever, and since picking up CC the first week of July, they’ve sold out virtually every game at home. The writing’s on the wall; it’s post-season or bust, and I think this team’s got tools to make it.
(Probably) The Last Word You'll Read About Brett On This Blog
I can’t take the credit for digging up the column from coldhardfootballfacts.com (that goes to the folks over at the Journal-Sentinel) but it is a helluva read for anyone in Wisconsin (or South Dakota) that might still be emotionally torn about the Favre situation.
They lay it all out in, well… cold, hard, fashion. It seems to be an aptly named site. 16 years of Brett-filled glory, 1 Super Bowl title, and 2 total appearances in the big game. They also bring up seasons like 1999, 2005, and 2006. That hurts.
Anyway, I am far too immersed in the ongoing baseball season to even have football on my radar. Good luck with the quarterback shat, Green Bay. Catch you after the bye week.
Yes, I Have Been Taking Some Photographs
There’s been some barking over the last week or so about the lack of new photos (of my apartment, in particular). Rest assured, I have taken photos and you’ll all have a chance to see them. First things first, though: a month later, please take a look at the handful of shots from Jen and Joe’s Justin Roth House Concert. They are in the Milwaukee gallery.
Have to get back to making dinner now– I have plans to go to Mayfair to see Batman, and the show’s on in less than 2 hours.
Chmura: This Year's Freshman Class is SUPER-Hot Packers Should Let Brett Go
Evidence that in today’s day and age, the media will not stop until everyone who could possibly have an opinion about anything has been interviewed and quoted.
Haven’t been here in a few days, thanks to a very, very busy week of work and after-work activities. A brief re-cap:
- Michelle’s condo is sold
- All the “stuff” is out of said condo
- A/C? Installed
- All-Star Game? First one I watched in YEARS, and it was good!
- The 80s? Still rocking like hell, after all these years.
Just Like That, It's the Weekend Again
This was a zippy week. Work is a complete F-show at this point. We’ve gotten to the point in the year where processing is SOOO backed up, and people are SOOO far behind, and students are SOOOOOOO pissed about the whole thing, we have little meetings to talk about how far behind we all are and how no one should bug anybody else with anything or we’re going to have to start putting in OT. Which would be bullshit.
Other than that, I’m just putting some finishing tweaks on my new apartment. By popular demand, I will shoot up some photos of that sorta stuff in the ensuing week. I ordered a wall-mount for my LCD monitor to help save space. I’m trying to get creative with storage and using all the space as best I can. I think I could have guests over night, but probably not more than 2. Anyway, you’ll see what I’m talking about…
Here’s another interesting thing– Joe Knitt started himself a blog. So if you’re interested on the latest from Brookings, SD (and I mean seriously, who isn’t???), check it out.
End of day. That is all. See you at the ballpark.
I Hart New York
Hey– been busy at work since getting back from my break, so that’s why there’s been a lack of news. Photos to come in the next couple days from various events since the end of June…
In the meantime, get out there and VOTE YOUR ASS OFF FOR COREY HART until 4 PM CDT (remember the balloting is unlimited). Let’s show up those chumps from NYC, who have David Wright in a dogfight with our rightfielder…
Back to work then, carry on.
Creepy Holiday
I mean the 4th is creepy in terms of its creep-up-on-you-ness, not in a bum-on-the-bus-staring-at-you-licking-his-lips sort of way.
Mid-point of the summer season, and where has the first half already gone? Seems like just over a month ago it was Memorial Day, and… er– wait, ummm– well, the rest of the summer is gonna cruise by, and I’ve got most weekends booked up already, so… maybe it just seems like it’s flying as usual. I think the scheduling has a lot to do with that. Once you have plans for every weekend in a summer, even though the time hasn’t passed, it feels like it has. I should take some more vacation this summer. Don’t know when I would, though.
Here’s a big switch from last year– I moved, and effectively got “settled in” all in a matter of a few days. I could totally entertain at my new apartment already, and I haven’t even lived there for a week. Pretty sweet. I have another piece of furniture to add, which I believe Michelle is going to be gracious enough to provide. This last piece will keep the booze out of plain sight, which is a plus when you’re trying to not look like a drunk. I think I’ll take some photos and put ’em up here. I said that about Justin Roth, too, I know, but I mean it on both fronts…
Oh, and speaking of mid-points, and thinking of it because the Brewers are on right now: I mentioned in a post back on May 20 when the team was 20-24 and in last place that they needed to get hot in a big hurry and start winning at an alarming rate in order to stay in contention and live up to expectations. Since that time, they’re 26-14, which I believe is still the best in the NL over that particular period. They’ve picked up just 3 games on the Cubs over this stretch, but more important than that is that the top teams in the NL Central have distanced themselves somewhat from the rest of the pack in the league.
I feel confident that if we can’t catch Chicago, we could still get into the playoffs as the Wild Card. On 5/20, I was thinking that 90 wins would meet expectations. Earlier this week, after exactly 81 games (half the season), they were 44-37; on pace for 88. They still need to continue streaking throughout the second half, but I feel a lot better about the team now than I did six weeks ago.
Tonight, I’ll be at Michelle’s apartment to view the “4th” of July fireworks at the lakefront. Tomorrow, we’re going up to Waupaca to meet Michelle’s cousins for the weekend. Enjoy your 4th!
Please Excuse the Brevity of This Post
Things at this new apartment are coming together just swimmingly. Jen helped me out with the kitchen and hauling some stuff down to storage yesterday, and Grandma was here today to help with some other stuff (she got the paint off the front of all the bookshelves with steel wool). Grandma also took one for the team when the coffee table got tipped over and tagged her in the melon. I gave her some ice in a washcloth to keep the swelling down, and that seems to have worked OK.
By the end of my “vacation,” which comes to a close tomorrow, I think I’ll have all of the furniture arranged, and some spots plotted out for things on the walls, anyway. I’m definitely more excited to live here than I was in the last place. So that’s something. Also– even though I only moved across town, it feels like I’m in a totally difference place. Can’t really account for that, but it is what it is.
I’m going to turn on the pre-game for the Brewers now and try to finish up in the living room. More on this and other goings on later…