61 thoughts on “February 1, 2013: Wait, What? February?”

  1. No games to report on today. The Caribbean Series starts tonight, as do the Australian League playoffs. Technically, given the time difference, the Australian League playoffs have already started, but I don't have any results yet.

      2. Ooof:

        Game one of the Australian Baseball League Preliminary Final presented by Fielder's Choice, scheduled for Friday night between the Sydney Blue Sox and the Alcohol. Think Again Perth Heat at Blacktown International Ballpark, has been postponed because of rain.

        (Emphasis mine.) I think that means that the Perth Heat's sponsor is a public awareness campaign entitled "Alcohol. Think Again."

  2. This Superbowl thing is a BFD, eh? I mean, I've never seen such madness confined into such a small space + carnival. On my way out of work yesterday I met the (or one of) Japanese sports journalist dispatched to cover the 'bowl half a block off Bourbon, and the dude looked a little shell shocked. On the next block over I saw some linemen from Baltimore. I cannot believe how big those dudes are. Seriously, huge.

    1. I saw Phil Loadholt at a Buffalo Wild Wings once. Yeah, he was a huge guy, but what really surprised me was how in shape he looked. Not as much fat as I would assume.

      2. I saw [vikings offensive lineman that I don't know the name of, or really care about] at a Chipotle in Mankato during training camp. From his size, and the way those burritos seemed to disappear into him, I assumed he was an isolated gravity phenomena.

          1. the Vikings used to play charity basketball games back in the day and came to Spamtown to play a team of alums from Spamtown High in the mid-1970s. I. could. not. believe. how. huge. Bobby. Bryant. was.

            He was an effing cornerback. but he was a big, strong man.

              1. There was very nearly a brawl in the game I attended. Not sure who instigated, but Dave Simonson, ex-NFLer for the locals, was involved.

    2. A son of a friend of mine was with the Seahawks for part of a pre-season. I went to see him play a pre-season game against the Cowboys. After the game, I saw Sam Adams. Dude was short, he was about three feet thick from the front of his chest to his back and no fat. Flat out scary.

      1. So, I guess he wasn't that short. I remember him being significantly shorter than me. But, he is 6'3 and 351. And, like I said, no fat. He was terrifying.

    3. I saw Paul O'Connell at the celebration for Ireland winning the Six Nations grand slam. For those who don't know, Paul O'Connell is a 6'6", 240 lb. ginger rugby player. He was easily the most massive person I've ever seen up close. When he talked, you could see that even his jaw was ripped (in the muscle-ly sense, not torn). If he wasn't such a nice bloke, he would absolutely scare you sh!tless to meet in a dark alley.

      A couple of the All Blacks that I saw were mind-bogglingly massive, especially for how effin' fast they were, and I saw them from the cheap seats. I can hardly imagine what they'd look like up close.

      1. I met a dude who played for some Gaelic club on a bus in Ireland last year. He was scary looking. Nice guy, but scary looking.

    4. The O-Line constantly ate at The Ground Round in Mankato when I worked there. I always had that same reaction.

      Mitch Berger, on two separate occasions, drunkenly fell on me at Boomtown. That dude is huge and powerful, too.

    1. I can't believe he's still playing. He was a crappy starter for the Twins in the late 90s. It seemed he had nine lives as a starter before they finally made him a reliever and it finally clicked.

      1. Just saw that this morning. In 1999 he didn't look like a good bet to make it 2000, much less 2013.

      2. Poor starter, poor closer, quality in set-up.
        I assume that LaTroy let the "end-of-the-game" jitters give him the yips.

  4. Just heard a reference to the "both kinds of music - country and western" line from The Blues Brothers (on The Current). I might need to go watch that movie again soon. It's been a long time. I remember it making my top comedies list at one point.

  5. Here's some stuff.

    As of December 31, I became unemployed. The grant I was doing research under ran out, and since I had been at my position the longest, I was due for a change in position title (you can't be a postdoc for more than 3 years, I guess). So my position went from postdoc to not employed. Ugh. I always knew that the position was temporary, but I had hoped it would last until this summer, as I had started a pretty extensive job search and application process in the fall of this year, but the professorial positions available generally started in Fall 2013.

    Of course, I still had to actually get a job for the upcoming school year. Fortunately, my (former) boss here was very clear that he would still write positive letters on my behalf, and I managed to get a bunch of phone interviews and a couple of on-site interviews as well. Long story short, the first interview I went on came through and I've accepted that position, starting in August. So, we're moving! and I get to do what I've wanted to do since I started college 13 years ago. That's quite a bit different feeling than in October when I was informed of my impending joblessness.

    In the meantime, I'm working temp jobs, which isn't great, but it's money coming through the door, and knowing that I've got something starting this fall makes it a lot easier.

        3. UNM?

          I may or may not have a contact or two in ABQ. One of my former grad students is on the faculty, and I have a cousin who runs a project management consultancy out of ABQ (mostly nukular stuff). Lemmee know if you would be interested in an intro on either side (or both).

            1. Congrats on the job, DG. I still think this is a wolfy kind of post, but whateves.

              Also, if you're in need of a good time with the kid I suggest a stop by the Museum of International Folk Art's toy display in the Girard gallery. Seriously, it's awesome, and probably more fun for you than the kid.

              Also, have yourself a meal at the Shed. Order something with red chili. Then call me to tell me about it.

    1. He's moving to somewhere where proper reply nesting isn't necessary.

      (all kidding aside, congrats DG!)

    2. I think you're the devil for tricking me into following a PFT link. You're a merciful devil though, since it wasn't a Florio post and the comments weren't open.

  9. the Wolves play a oddly timed 8:30 home game tonight because its on ESPN, but I'll probably watch the hometown feed on My29. But then the Wild play at 9. I hate how these games are overlapping each other.

  11. Bad news in the Algonad household this week. Mom diagnosed with multiple myeloma. She seemed completely healthy until catching the flu a few weeks ago. It sounds like it had gone undetected for a while.

    Siblings flying to AZ now. I am going next weekend just to spread the visits out a little.

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