73 thoughts on “December 8, 2013: Almost There”

1. This Seattle Times story of the Seattle Mariners upper management left me saying "wow" more than once.

   1. That's some very dirty laundry. Very fascinating read. It was like the opposite of Moneyball

   2. wow, indeed. I worked for an organization just like that once. Oftentimes my boss (whom I liked) had to come to me with directives from upper management that she and I both knew were impossible, but was forced to relay them to me. Like Wedge, I ignored most of them and just got the hell out when I had my first opportunity.

2. Yeah, I got sucked in by my alma mater's success on the gridiron. This Craig Bohl to Wyoming thing really reaffirms in my mind how much the college sports system sucks. Schools like NDSU have to allow coaches to leave or they won't get good candidates. A coach can leave right during the playoffs, have his new school pay the buyout and the fan base is told that they shouldn't be angry.

   However, if one of NDSU's players would sell one of his championship rings to a booster to pay rent, buy his mother a Christmas present, or hell, get a tattoo, that would be scandalous. Over and above what football can do to a person, this is just not fair. It was fun to follow the Bison the last several years, but I kind of forgot some of my ideals.

   As it turns out, the son of a good friend of mine played football for Wyoming back in the 1990s. They had a pretty good club back then when Joe Tiller was the coach. I went to Laramie for a spring game and saw a couple more games cheering for the Cowboys. Of course, Purdue came calling and Tiller left Wyoming before my friend's kid's senior year. It's pretty awkward when you sell kids on commitment to the program and then you bolt when the money comes calling.

   1. I will say this, though: if Bohl stays to coach out the season, this won't be the worst thing ever for NDSU. They had to know this day was coming. Every young coach in the country dreaming of a shot at the big time knows Fargo is the best job in FCS. Bison should get their pick of a number of great candidates.

      If he doesn't coach out the season, well, that's kind of not so good and a BS move.

      1. Bohl has certainly raised the profile of NDSU during his tenure.
         I guess he wasnt going to wait for Nebraska to fire Pelini.

         1. When Pelini gets fired next season, I don't think Bohl was going to be the top candidate. If, with his resume, he wasn't just going to be handed the job at his alma mater, why not strike when the iron is hot?

            1. Cheaty McSweaterVest was able to parlay his success at Youngstown State into the head coaching job at Ohio State. I find it hard to believe that Bohl couldn't do better than Wyoming. That's the stunning part.

               1. maybe its a middle finger to Nebraska.
                  You wont hire me, I'll go and turn around Wyoming (!!) while you flounder.

               2. Cheaty McGweaterVest is apparently also one of the people Nebraska has targeted OVER BOHL! for the inevitable Pelini firing.

         2. I'm mildly surprised that he didn't wait around to see if Boise State might call, what with Petersen going to U-Wash.

            1. Exactly. That would have been a much better job.

      2. Bohl will coach NDSU for rest of the season. That will be interesting, but certainly a third national title is there for the taking.

   2. hey stick, check out the "receiving votes" section of the AP poll

3. Arsenal-Everton, a proper breakfast (for a change), not caring about shoveling the overnight snow, my Sunday morning is going great.

   1. I slept right through the Fulham match, and they actually won. Bummer.

      1. What a shot by Deloufeu

   2. TIM HOWARD SHAVED!?

      1. I don't think I'm liking this look as much:
         

         1. Anthony Kiedis?

   3. I have never seen a goalie delay of game yellow card before.
      I didnt even know that was a thing.

      1. Yeah, you have 6 seconds by the laws of the game, but it's only enforced in very blatant violations.

         1. Howard has had two or three already this season, so if he gets a couple more he'll have to miss a game.

   4. Deulofeu is the Yusiel Puig of the Premier League.

      1. I'm intrigued by this idea. Please, go on.

         1. He's unbelievably talented and is a complete loose cannon. He has a ridiculous amount of fun out there, but I'm sure will be rubbing people the wrong way because he's a ballhog who always wants to score.

            1. Sound. Now we wait until someone starts a band with a play on his name.

               1. This has gotten me re-thinking my desire for "The Ballad of Billy Hamilton" to be a thing. I've gotten this far. It's based on "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" (The theme song for The Beverly Hillbillies) Suggestions, tweaks, and help finishing it would be appreciated.

                  Come and listen to a story 'bout my favorite Red
                  The fastest man in the game, or so it's said
                  When he pinch ran, he said “I reckon,
                  I suppose I should go steal second.”
                  Base, that is. Standing here is getting' borin'.

                  Well the next thing you know, he's standin' on third.
                  Happened so fast, the whole thing's blurred.

                  1. Looks like you've made a pretty good start.

                     1. Yes, that's some good stuff. Get another couple of verses, keep practicing the piano and you're basically in Randy Newman territory.

                        1. Hello Academy Awards

                  2. Meter! Try "The fastest in the game, or so it has been said"

   5. oh man POST

   6. What a strike by Giroud. That shot from behind the goal of the ball striking the post was awesome.

      1. And terrifying!

4. Well, I confirmed this morning that the serpentine belt replacement on my car would have been a twenty minute job, most of which would have been spent removing and replacing the guards under the car, if it weren't for that stripped tensioner bolt. But, it's done and I still paid about half of what tired plus would have charged for just the belt replacement.

5. might want to watch the Vikings today, they are playing in heavy snow

   1. And the Vikes in white jerseys- looks like a fun game.

      1. Game was supposed to be on out here, but getting detroilet at philly instead.the field is barely visible from the usual wide-angle shot.

         1. I'm getting that game, too. My main takeaway so far is that the best way to reduce head injuries in the NFL is to play every game in 6-8 inches of snow.

            1. Also, no extra points! Brilliant.

               1. I take it back, Detroit got a penalty and gave it a shot, but it got blocked. Why doesn't the NFL allow blocked extra points to be returned for two points? No Fun League indeed.

   2. that was a very entertaining game.
      yep.

      1. that was a very entertaining game fourth quarter.
         yep.

         The snow and rain were fun for the whole game, though.

6. We purchased a house built in the 60s and most of the windows were still the original single pane windows. Last Saturday I covered the two hardest windows that involved standing on the countertop. I came home Monday to this.

   

   Thanks cat. Time to replace it.

   1. The plastic or the cat?

      1. Too late to replace the cat, he's part of the family. We'll see if that holds if he keeps doing whatever to the tree skirt that the wife's (deceased) mom made many years ago.

         1. Teach him to climb the tree instead. That keeps ours out of trouble.

7. Spoons, I should be free most of the week if you finalize some plans.

8. Let me rant for a minute:

   I am the type of fool who occasionally gets sucked into facebook arguments. Not all that frequently - and far, far less frequently than I used to - but it happens. And what I hate, more than disagreement, more than all the fools that are out there (oh, I've got some family members who are downright buffoons), are the people who are intellectually dishonest. I find it comes up most often when I'm arguing the intersection of religion and politics - so stuff I won't get into here - but... gah! With stupidity, you can dumb things down a bit, make some good points, and at some point walk away, knowing you've not changed a mind, but at least with the confidence that you've won the argument - even my buffoonish relatives would probably admit I tend to get the better of them. But with intellectual dishonesty? People who are smart enough, but won't honestly engage the issues... the worst part is, I don't even feel like I can walk away... it's a special form of frustration. I know, I just shouldn't engage. But when I see idiocy in the world, I feel compelled to combat it. Which, I suppose, makes me my own special form of idiot.

   1. Preacher:choir.

      1. ::hangs head in shame::

         It just keeps getting worse...

         1. Serves you right for badmouthibg jello salads.

            1. Whimper. I wish.

               'Politics and religion!'

               SelectShow

               Conservative dude is trying to tell me Pope Francis isn't concerned with the inequality produced by the free market. Quotes paragraphs of the encyclical, writes one-sentence "agreements" that completely ignore the vast majority of what is said, and tells me I'm not Catholic because I dare to put words in the Pope's mouth. I've actually reached the point in this one where I'm able to resist. He's been taking pot-shots all night though, and I'm beginning to struggle with anger.

               1. Walk away.

                  1. I have.

                     I have.

                     No, really. I have.

               2. Anger, hate, dark side.

                  1. Aye. That's what arguing with Jar Jar Binks will get you.

                     1. Jar Jar?? Now I'M angry.

   2. I'm just bummed that I can't seem to find it to read it.

      1. You've got facebook messages.

         1. Update for others: I think its time for Phil to

            1. walk away,
            2. mock by re-writing all of his comments in all-caps (because that's how they should be read), or
            3. just reply to everything with youtube links to New-Jack Swing era hip-hop.

            I would do a mix of all 3.

9. GW blows a 14-point lead in the final six minutes (8 turnovers and 0 field goals during that stretch) against the Maryland Twerps, only to win on a jumper by former Hoosier Maurice Creek with 1.0 second left. RAISE HIGH! GW goes 2-0 against future Big Tweleven teams this season.

10. Apparently the Vikings charter plane was hit at the airport by a catering truck. Skol!

11. From Mike Berardino:

    The Twins have reportedly been linked to early trade discussions for Oakland lefty Brett Anderson, under contract for a combined $20 million the next two seasons. He won't be given away.

    That's the first I've heard of this.

    1. I think I saw some throw-away comment about it in an MLB Trade Rumors article a week or two ago. I really hope this isn't one that happens, as I trust any player Oakland identifies as desirable will actually be so.

       1. Just looked at his career stats. I think the Twins' training staff would be a bit over matched.

    2. I'm for it! Bring in Brian Roberts, too!
       Then we'll have both the lead guitar (BA) and lead vocalist (BR) from Ha Ha Tonka on the Twins! They'll probably play even more shows then!

12. So I'm improvising on altering a cookie recipe for my office's annual tradition: "Actuarial Cookie Bake."
    EAR was pretty certain we had everything we needed for some recipe we've enjoyed. "Sand bakken" is what the handwriting reads like but that's definitely wrong. Almond-flavored cookies with fine-ground almond in them. Supposed to be pressed into forms, but we just make them like PB cookies, only smaller.

    With the birthday party today, we were quite busy, and I don't start making them after all the kids are in bed. Our youngest just moved to a bed from her crib, so it's pretty late. Turns out we don't have the almond powder. I see we've got pecans. I'll use them. Rather than hand-chop, I figure I'll use the coffee grinder.

    Do you know what happens when you put nuts in a coffee grinder?

    Helpfl Tip	SelectShow
    "Only grind spices and coffee in Coffee Grinders. Never meats, vegetables, fruits, or nuts." -AltoM Rown

    Cookies turned out good very well, I replaced the almond extract with vanilla and there's a bit of a coffee flavor as well. There will probably also be a bit of pecan flavor to our coffee for weeks.

    1. Sandbakkels!! They're delicious, and even better with a dollop of vanilla ice cream in them (assuming you've pressed them into forms, that is)

       1. So they are a thing! Are they Norwegian?
          We got the recipe at Brooklyn Park's Eidem Farm, which is a late 1800s farmhouse that they do period-appropriate events in.
          You have to re-write their recipes.

          So these are vanilla-pecan sandbakkels. Which is probably offensively anti-traditional.
          I was equal-parts Tim Gunn and Larry the Cable Guy. "Make R Work!"
          Not form-pressed, but rolled into balls and then flattened with forks.

          1. Norwegian...Swedish...who cares, they're delicious!!

             We never had them with nuts, strictly as a sugar-cookie type pressed in forms. My mom sent Runner daughter some forms for Christmas a few years back, and we've made them once. Need to do it again, for sure. Seriously, though, try them with vanilla ice cream

13. Skim's puking for the fifth time in the last hour and a half. I honestly don't know how there's anything left. I don't think she's ever felt this lousy outside of the scorpion sting.

Comments are closed.