Futbol?

Anyone up for it? Either Atlanta or Baltimore?

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=630912&sec=us&&cc=5901

Wish Me Luck

Follow my antics on Twitter: @badanes

Fulfilling a lifetime wish, I will be spending the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tourney in Vegas.

Reds W-L for 2009?

Go ahead, take a stab.

Last year they were 74-88 (Flip guessed 85-77, Mikey guessed 86-76,...also guessed a Cubs WS victory)

I say 80-82 for this year. Allllmost there, but not quite.

ps. Will someone else post something!!!??? I'm lonely.

Hardball Geek-Out

Hey boys,

With spring training under way, I again ask my baseball gurus to enlighten me about a subject I am woefully under-informed about: Batting order.

Beyond the obvious (batting a fast lead-off hitter) I don't understand why a manager pays so much attention to who bats when. Is it good statisical baseball, or is it all about massaging your hitter's ego?

I came across a super nerdy article(http://www.retrosheet.org/Research/RuaneT/lineup_art.htm) that concludes:

"...batting orders matter even less than people have believed. You would think that with such complicated forces at work here, some truly bizarre lineups might have been more efficient than the obvious ones used throughout the years, but if they exist, the methods described in this article didn't find them...There are lots of instances of very different lineups producing almost identical results. But if the normal lineups do almost as well as these creative ones, is there any percentage in straying from conventional wisdom? I don't think so. And I guess that's the real conclusion of this article: since all but the most pathologically weird lineups produce just about the same number of runs, I might be inclined to select the lineup that makes the most intuitive sense to the players and fans. Simply put, it's not worth all the fuss you'd cause trying to be clever with lineups."

Please explain.

The secret's out...

From Paul Daugherty's Blog:

"Speaking of radio, Terrific and Irrelevant Friday Night Topic this week is Best Burger in Town... Someplace called Terry's Turf Club on Eastern Avenue is getting rave reviews. The former Maisonette chef runs it, evidently. Really? I like J. Alexander's, with QUATMANS not far behind. I find the much-loved Zips to be overrated. We'll talk."

One wonders...does he get frizzled onions too?

Yet again...

I find myself (once more) very impressed with the Sports reporting in the New York Times.

Check it out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html?em

Dave, I thought of you about a million times while reading this. I think you, Phil, and Flip should start a Sports Data consulting agency.

Best Sports Theme?

This question was prompted by the following video, as referenced by Bill Simmons this week:



Which then sent me on a hunt for the BEST SPORTS THEME of all time. Of course each of us has our favorites; some for sentimental value, others for sheer camp (see below)



While I do love the March Madness Theme (especially that incredible electric guitar slide at the beginning) I have to say my favorite is the old NFL on CBS Theme:



This thing would get stuck in my head until Thursday night (when the bridge from that stupid theme from "Friends" would take over until Sunday again).

Feel free to post your own, but it must be accompanied by the relevant video.