[Posted 1:45 PM ET…July 4]
NATHAN”S FAMOUS HOT DOG EATING CONTEST
Under picture perfect conditions for stuffing one’s face (temps in
the mid-70s, sky overcast), all eyes were on Coney Island, New
York, and the Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest.
Japan has won 9 of the last ten, and America sucks in the Ryder
Cup, too. In other words, it’s about redemption, sports fans!
Can Joey Chestnut, the 23-year-old American student out of San
Jose State, who recently set a world record of 59 ½ hot dogs and
buns in 12 minutes, bring home the Yellow Mustard Belt? Or is
six-time winner Takeru Kobayashi capable of another
stupendous performance, despite an arthritic jaw? Or will one of
the 13 other contestants, the pretenders, die 10 years earlier than
they otherwise would if they stayed out of the sport?
As to Takeru and his injury, it’s been the talk all week, with the
attention of the world turned to his interpreter and handlers,
while Presidents Bush and Putin fished off the rocky coast of
Kennebunkport. Could Takeru even compete?
For the answer we turned to ESPN, and announcers Paul Page
and Rich Shea. Kobayashi was indeed going to show! Just last
year, in stifling heat, 30,000 turned out to witness Takeru defeat
the upstart Chestnut, 53 ¾ to 52 wieners. But then last month
Chestnut set down the new marker.
Before today’s event, Chestnut said it’s all about “eating the hot
dogs and having fun…and pretending it’s another practice.” So
inspirational…kind of like Patrick Henry.
Think about it. Chestnut’s new world record of 59 ½ dogs and
buns represents 11,000 calories. As spray zone reporter Jimmy
Dykes noted, you would have to run on a treadmill for 18 hours
straight to wear that many off and even a Kenyan couldn’t do
that, I think you’d agree.
As the contestants were introduced, with the lovely Sonya
Thomas, the “Black Widow,” making the scene along with a new
female competitor, the equally beautiful Juliet Lee, 41, from
China and now making her home in Maryland, I couldn’t help
but think we were about to witness something truly special. You
could, indeed, cut the tension with a Ginsu knife set.
And so the contest started…and at the two minute mark Chestnut
held a 20-18 lead over Kobayashi, with the latter showing no
signs that his injury was a hindrance, thanks to the acupuncture
treatment he had received hours earlier.
4 minutes in…Chestnut up, 35-29.
6 minutes in…Chestnut up, 43-41. Both appeared in good form
with minimal drooling.
8 minutes in…Chestnut still clinging to a two wiener lead, 51-
49!
10 minutes…Chestnut’s lead is now down to one! 57-56.
BOTH HAVE ALREADY SMASHED THE NATHAN’S
FAMOUS RECORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [I wondered if my
parents would be serving hot dogs later at their cookout.]
One minute to go….IT’S TIED…61-61….
DOWN…THE…STRETCH…THEY…COME!!!!!!!
And it’s….it’s….it’s……JOEY CHESTNUT!!!!!!!!!!
But first a commercial break while the judges decide if with three
seconds to go, Takeru Kobayashi had a “reversal of fortune,”
which he clearly did.
We’re back…AND IT’S OFFICIAL…JOEY CHESTNUT HAS
DEFEATED TAKERU KOBAYASHI…66-63!!!!!!! [Nathan’s,
realizing they couldn’t possibly disqualify Takeru after his
amazing performance, let the reversal fade into hot dog lore.]
Yes, America holds the belt of gluttony once again, as this nation
of pigs should. Two comments from Paul Page and Rich Shea
seemed so apt as the contest was unfolding.
“Kobayashi clearly didn’t come here to phone it in,” and for this
we will forever remember him, while as Rich Shea noted, “For
12 minutes the entire free world focused on these two,” which
means the telecast wasn’t beamed to Pyongyang or Burma, I’m
assuming.
And that’s all from the world headquarters of StocksandNews
and our crack staff at Bar Chat. But as I ponder the #66, a figure
Sammy Sosa made famous, I have a queasy feeling…like there
may have been steroids at play here. Let’s face it, folks, this
country could not deal with another fallen idol at this point in
time.
**********
[7/3]
*An oldie but goodie for the 4th.
Independence Day
On June 6, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced the
following resolution:
“That these United Colonies are, and of a right ought to be, free
and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance
to the British Crown, and that all political connection between
them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally
dissolved.
“That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual
measures for forming foreign Alliances.
“That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the
respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.”
Lee’s resolutions were debated, but the Second Continental
Congress was unable to pass them.
On June 11 John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson,
Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman were appointed to draft
a declaration. Jefferson prepared the first draft, with slight
improvements being made by Adams and Franklin. Lee’s
resolution of independence was adopted on July 2 by a vote of 12
to 0, New York abstaining (Hillary!). Then the actual
Declaration was approved on July 4, after the congress made
some further changes.
On July 3, John Adams wrote the following to his wife, Abigail,
in Beantown. [Spelling and punctuation is correct.]
“Yesterday the greatest Question was decided, which ever was
debated in America, and a greater perhaps, never was or will be
decided among Men. A Resolution was passed with but one
dissenting Colony ‘that these united Colonies, are, and of right
ought to be free and independent States, and as such, they have,
and of Right ought to have full Power to make War, conclude
Peace, establish Commerce, and to do all the other Acts and
Things, which other States may rightfully do.’ You will see in a
few days a Declaration setting forth the Causes, which have
impell’d Us to this mighty Revolution, and the Reasons which
will justify it, in the Sight of God and Man. A Plan of
Confederation will be taken up in a few days.
“When I look back to the Year 1761…I am surprised at the
Suddenness, as well as Greatness of this Revolution. Britain has
been fill’d with Folly, and America with Wisdom, at least this is
my Judgment. – Time must determine. It is the Will of Heaven,
that the two Countries should be sundered forever. It may be the
Will of Heaven that America shall suffer Calamities still more
wasting and distresses yet more dreadful. If this is to be the
Case, it will have this good Effect, at least: it will inspire Us with
many Virtues, which We have not, and correct many Errors,
Follies, and Vices, which threaten to disturb, dishonour, and
destroy Us. – The Furnace of Affliction produces Refinement, in
States as well as Individuals. And the new Governments we are
assuming, in every Part, will require a Purification from our
Vices, and an Augmentation of our Virtues or they will be no
Blessings. The People will have unbounded Power. And the
People are extremely addicted to Corruption and Venality, as
well as the Great. – I am not without Apprehensions from this
Quarter. But I must submit all my Hopes and Fears, to an
overruling Providence, in which, unfashionable as the Faith may
be, I firmly believe.”
Later that same day, Adams wrote Abigail a second letter.
[Geezuz, why wasn’t he quaffing ale at Ye Olde Taverne?]
“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable
Epocha, in the History of America. – I am apt to believe it will
be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great
anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day
of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It
ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews,
Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one
End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever
more.
“You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. – I
am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will
cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend
these States. – Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of
ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than
worth all the Means. And that Posterity will triumph in that
Days Transaction, even although We should rue it, which I trust
in God We shall not.”
On July 13, Abigail Adams replied.
“By yesterdays post I received two Letters dated 3 and 4 of July
and tho your Letters never fail to give me pleasure, be the subject
what it will, yet it was greatly heightened by the prospect of the
future happiness and Glory of our country; nor am I a little
Gratified when I reflect that a person so nearly connected with
me has had the Honour of being a principal actor, in laying a
foundation for its future Greatness. May the foundation of our
new constitution, be justice, Truth and Righteousness. Like the
wise Mans house may it be founded upon those Rocks and then
neither storms or tempests will overthrow it.
[ Source: “The Declaration of Independence,” edited by Wim
Coleman. Of course in celebrating the Fourth, Adams was quite
prescient, if but two days off.]
—
The Declaration of Independence
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for
one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected
them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth,
the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of
Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of
mankind requires that they should declare the causes which
impel them to the separation.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the
pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments
are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of
Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of
the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new
Government, laying its foundation on such principles and
organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most
likely to effect their Safety and Happiness….”
The Declaration wasn’t published for the first time until July 6,
as it appeared in the Pennsylvania Evening Post under the title
“A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of
America, in General Congress Assembled.” The Evening Post
was a four-page paper and the Declaration covered the entire first
page and part of the second. Imagine sitting in a tavern as it
came out. Oh, the Bar Chat!
Jefferson and Adams
And each year at this time, I can’t help but retell the story of
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, Founding Fathers and our
2nd and 3rd presidents, who both died on the Fourth of July,
1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Adams’s last words were reported to have been, “Thomas
Jefferson still survives.” He had no means of knowing that
Jefferson had died the same morning at 9:50 AM.
For his part, Jefferson had ten days earlier declined an invitation
to attend ceremonies in Washington marking this golden
anniversary. Barely able to hold pen in hand, he wrote his last
testament to the American people:
“All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The
general spread of the light of science has already laid open to
every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not
been born with saddles on their back, nor a favored few booted
and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God.
These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the
annual return of this day, forever refresh our recollections of
these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.”
—
Stuff
–According to Larry Celona of the New York Post, the IRS has
notified Major League Baseball of a sweeping investigation into
clubhouse workers “for allegedly pocketing huge, under-the-
table tips from players,” sources told the Post.
It’s all about the gratuities paid by the players to their gofers.
The teams normally employ a few young men in their teens and
20s as “clubbies” and pay them $15,000 to $20,000 a year. But
it’s believed they are raking in tips of up to ten times that
amount! I’ve heard these stories before, but never thought about
the actual amount per season they are taking down.
In the old days, the clubbies did the laundry, took care of the
equipment, and made sure the players signed autograph
memorabilia requested of them.
But today they fetch takeout food, warm up players’ cars after
games, all for big money from athletes who look at $100 bills
like you or I would a $ingle. Some players have been known to
give the clubhouse guys a share of the playoff loot, though that is
not supposed to occur. Now the IRS wants to know why it isn’t
reported by the clubbies, even as the players are annually
claiming thousands of dollars in tips as tax deductions.
–Forbes senior editor Michael Ozanian, who specializes in
valuing baseball teams, thinks that when the Yankees move into
their new stadium in 2009, the team will be worth $2 billion.
Today Forbes places the value at $1.2 billion, with the Mets next
at $736 million. About 35 years ago, George Steinbrenner and
his associates spent all of about $8.8 million to purchase the team
from CBS.
*******
Baseball Quiz: 1) Name the top three in career pinch-hits
entering 2007. 2) Name the leader in pinch-hit home runs,
career. 3) Who played the most games at first, lifetime? 4) Who
played the most at second base? [Hint: This is hard. Last name
begins with ‘C’] 5) Who played the most at shortstop? Answers
below.
U.S. City Quiz: This was released last week from the Census
Bureau. Name the ten largest cities in America. Answer below.
10,000 Ls
As of this writing, the Philadelphia Phillies’ franchise has lost
9,995 games. [Next in line are the Braves with about 9,680.]
Sports Illustrated’s Frank Lidz explored the worst of the bunch, a
few of which follow below.
From 1918 through ’48 the Phillies had only one winning season.
Over 27 seasons, from 1919 through ’45; they had 16 last-place
finishes. The biggest lowlight was the 1964 collapse, chronicled
in these pages, where they blew a 6 ½ game lead with 12 to go.
Loss number 3,586, Sept. 28, 1930
“Have you looked at my pitching, by any chance?”
–Burt Shotton, manager, on why his Phils had finished last, 40
games back, despite a team batting average of .315, second
highest in the NL since 1900. The pitching staff, meanwhile, had
a 6.71 ERA and surrendered 1,993 hits in 1,372 innings.
[For example, Les Sweetland gave up 271 hits in 167 innings;
Hal Elliott, 191 in 117. I mean to tell you, not that you need me
to, these are absolutely hideous figures.]
Loss number 4,962, June 2, 1945
“Vince DiMaggio hit a pinch grand slam, yet the Phillies still got
beat by the Pirates. Vince led the National League in strikeouts
that season despite missing almost all of September with an
injury. It figures we got Vince, and not Joe or Dom. When
brothers played in the majors, the Phillies usually wound up with
the one who produced less. We had Harry Coveleski instead of
Stan, Irish Meusel instead of Bob, Frank Torre instead of Joe,
Ken Brett instead of George, Mike Maddux instead of Greg,
Rick Surhoff instead of B.J. and Jeremy Giambi instead of Jason.
If there had been a Zeppo Alou, the Phillies would have signed
him.”
–Harold Herman, 90-year-old fan
Loss number 7,124, June 26, 1971
“We were losing [by seven runs to the Pirates] when a flaky
rookie named Roger Freed led off an inning with a hit. When
Roger came around to score, he figured he was done for the day.
But we nearly batted around in the inning, and Roger was
nowhere to be found. Eventually, one of the coaches discovered
him in the sauna, where he was trying to lose weight by doing
sit-ups as he ate fried chicken.”
[Ed. I looked up Freed’s career. Don’t know why he died at the
age of 49, but eating trans fats could be a culprit.]
Loss number 7,226, July 9, 1972
“Nobody’s gonna make a scapegoat out of me.”
–Frank Lucchesi, manager, after a 26-50 start led to his firing
Loss number 9,987, June 15, 2007
“If we have 10,000 losses and 8,800 victories, that means we’re
only a hundred-and-something wins away from reaching the .500
mark.”
–Charlie Manuel, arithmetically-challenged Phillies manager,
after a 12-8 loss to the Tigers.
Stuff
–A lot of us are scratching our heads, trying to figure out what
happened with Seattle Mariners’ manager Mike Hargrove, who
takes an 8-game winning streak and a 45-33 surprising start….
into retirement! Hargrove, in his 16th season as manager, just felt
he had lost his passion for the game.
–Cristie Kerr captured her first major by winning the U.S.
Women’s Open, the 10th title overall for her. Doesn’t seem like
the kind of person I’d like to share a brew with, frankly.
Michelle Wie, by the way, withdrew after 27 holes, 17 over par,
once again blaming the sore wrist that she hurt last winter while
running backwards. Which just goes to show, friends, that man
was made to run forward.
–Believe it or not, I have no problem with Barry Bonds in the
All-Star Game. Going by the stats, he’s as deserving as anyone
else. And in the end, the fans really didn’t screw up that much.
–Well, thanks to the trusty archives, I now realize Johnny Mac
and I already did a blurb on pitcher Bobo Holloman back in Aug.
2000, in a piece on no-hit trivia.
Holloman was J. Mac’s personal favorite as it was in 1953, in
his first season as a long relief man with the St. Louis Browns,
that Bobo was given the opportunity to start a game. The
date…May 6. Holloman throws a no-no, even as he finished up
the season 3-7 with a 5.26 ERA. That was also his career mark.
But he’s in the record book.
And then there is Virgil “Fire” Trucks. Yes, a hideous nickname.
But this was a pretty darn good pitcher who compiled a 177-135
record in the majors, mostly with the Tigers in the 40s and 50s.
Trucks had only one real off season, 1952, when he went 5-19
for a horrible Tigers ball club (50-104). Horrible all around,
except for two things. Trucks threw two no-hitters! Both 1-0
masterpieces.
But back to Holloman, I just want to add a little meat to my
original tidbit from 2000. Bobo was a 30-year-old rookie when
he was called up to pitch for St. Louis and after appearing in
relief a number of times, he begged manager Marty Marion to let
him start a game. And then he goes out and gets the no-hitter;
one of just two* to throw one in his first major league start. He
also had two hits and three RBI in the game; the only ones in his
short career.
*The other, incidentally, was Wilson Alvarez in 1991, who threw
his no-no in the first game of his rookie season with the White
Sox. It would have been his first game in the majors, except two
years earlier he had appeared in relief for Texas without
recording an out.
[Next week I’ll have more on the topic of obscure pitchers who
either threw a no-hitter….or came tantalizingly close.]
–On Thursday, Frank Thomas hit his 500th home run, while
Craig Biggio reached the 3,000 hit mark in style going 5-for-5.
Barry Bonds is at 750 as I sink into depression, saved only by a
loving family and Coors Light.
–With a 35-45 record, the Orioles are on pace to become just the
4th team in major league history to have 10 consecutive losing
seasons after a first-place finish. The Pirates are en route to their
15th losing season after finishing first in 1992. [The others are
the Red Sox, 15 losing campaigns after 1918, and the
Philadelphia Athletics, 10 losing seasons after 1914.] [Source:
Murray Chass / New York Times]
–So Johnny Mac and I were exchanging some bits on pitchers
from the 60s and 70s and came up with two ironman
performances.
Ferguson Jenkins…1971…39 starts, completed 30, 325 innings,
only 37 walks (fanned 263), 24-13, 2.77 ERA.
Catfish Hunter…1975…first season with Yanks…also 39 starts,
30 complete games, 328 innings, 23-14, 2.58 ERA.
We just thought these stood out because it really wasn’t that long
ago when compared to today’s standard of seven innings being a
long outing.
And I also couldn’t help but muse about one of my favorite old-
timers, even though I was too young to remember him on the
mound, that being Bob Friend. In a 16-year career, 1951-66, all
but the last being with the Pirates, Friend was 197-230, but with
a solid 3.58 career ERA. So Johnny noted that in 1963, when
Friend was 17-16 with a 2.34 ERA (3rd in the league), in the 16
losses, he got a total of 18 runs, including losing three 1-0 games.
18 runs in 16 outings! Yes, it’s because of stuff like this that
I say Bob Friend was one of the most underrated hurlers in
baseball history.
–Johnny also came up with this good tidbit. The Detroit Tigers
have seven who played 2,000 games in a Tigers’ uniform.
Al Kaline (#1), Ty Cobb, Lou Whitaker, Charlie Gehringer, Alan
Trammell, Wahoo Sam Crawford, and Norm Cash. Harry
Heilman just misses with 1,991. We’re not aware of another
franchise with this many. [The Yankees have five and the Red
Sox just four, for example.]
–And now…outfielder Willie Davis. Over an 18-year major
league career (1960-79…with two years in Japan), mostly with
the Dodgers, Davis accumulated 2,561 hits, 182 HR, 1053 RBI,
138 triples, and 398 steals, to go along with a .279 career
average. He was also perhaps the fastest man in the game.
Davis was a three-time Gold Glove winner, 1971-73, but his
worst moment came in the fifth inning of Game 2 of the 1966
World Series, when he committed a Series-record three errors.
As noted in the “Total Baseball Encyclopedia”:
“His first was on Paul Blair’s flyball, which Davis lost in the sun
and dropped for a two-base error. The next batter, Andy
Etchebarren, lifted a short fly to center, which Davis again
flubbed. Picking up the ball, Davis saw Blair heading for third
and overthrew the base, allowing Blair to score and Etchebarren
to take second.”
Davis was a weird dude, too. He used to say, “I consider myself
better adjusted than anyone else in this game. That’s because
nothing can make me unhappy. If we win, I am happy for
myself. If we lose, I am happy because of the happiness it has
brought the other guy. There is no way baseball can upset me.”
Management wasn’t always thrilled with this. Dodgers vice
president Buzzie Bavasi once commented, “He can run, hit, and
throw. The only thing Davis has never been able to do is think.”
In 1971, Davis became a member of a Buddhist sect. Before
each game he would fervently chant, “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.”
Needless to say, his teammates couldn’t stand the guy and it’s no
coincidence that by 1974, the Dodgers traded him and his final
five years saw him on six teams, including the years in Japan.
While with the Chunichi Dragons, Davis continued to finger
prayer beads and go into Buddhist chants prior to each game. “It
gave the others the feeling they were at a Buddhist funeral,”
Chunichi manager Wally Yonamine said.
–Wouldn’t you know…SI had its annual “Where Are They
Now” issue and one of those featured was Peggy Fleming, who
looks as beautiful as ever at age 59. Peggy and her husband run
a California vineyard. She is a nine-year survivor of breast
cancer.
–I haven’t followed the NHL in years, but even I have to admit
it’s a pretty big deal that the New York Rangers picked up Devils
star Scott Gomez. So……I just may have to watch 40 minutes or
so of NHL action this coming season.
–SI polled NASCAR drivers on various topics, a few of which
follow.
Would you rather watch Formula One or golf on TV?
F/1…82% Golf…6%
Golf or hunting?
Golf…41% Hunting…35%
Should Barry Bonds go into the Hall of Fame?
Yes…53% No…18%
Who’s the best driver in Nextel Cup?
Jeff Gordon…35%
Who’s the most overrated driver?
Dale Earnhardt Jr. …41%
The current 36-race Nextel Cup schedule is…
Too long…59% Just right…41%
Which is your favorite racetrack?
Bristol Motor Speedway…18% [I’ve got to get here]
Would you allow a daughter of yours to date Dale Earnhardt Jr.?
Yes…6% No…65% [Comments: “Absolutely not.” “Are you
crazy?” “Hell, no.”]
Which driver has the hottest wife or girlfriend?
Clint Bowyer (girlfriend Athena Barber)…29%
–NBA great Oscar Robertson, in a New York Times op-ed on
the NBA draft and the new eligibility requirement that you can’t
enter unless you are 19.
“If an 18-year-old can fight and die in the military, why can’t he
pursue an NBA career if he’s good enough and someone is
willing to offer him a contract?….
“If the NCAA really wants bona fide student athletes, then it
should allow athletes of any age to enter a professional draft
without forfeiting their collegiate eligibility. Under the current
policy, college players who declare themselves eligible for the
NBA draft can return to the NCAA only if they withdraw their
names at least 10 days before the draft. In addition, college
athletes can test the professional waters like this only once.
“Remove the restrictions on entering the draft and two things
will happen. First, a lot of teenage athletes will get a reality
check as to their readiness for NBA careers. Second, the NCAA
and its member schools will benefit by having more players who
realize that college is their better option. With luck, they will
take their education more seriously. A revolving door of talented
freshmen brings no growth or stability to a college’s athletic
program, nor does it reinforce the ‘student athlete’ ideal, because
these ‘one and done’ players don’t really even have to attend
class in the second semester….
“In no other line of work is someone penalized for leaving or
delaying school and returning later. Besides, college coaches –
who can make millions of dollars – negotiate with other colleges,
or with NBA teams, all the time. They don’t forfeit their
employment if they decide to stay put.”
–Lili Singer of the Los Angeles Times notes the opossum gets a
bad rap…switching gears. Despite its scary appearance, it is
“one of the gentlest animals out there. When it senses danger, it
usually just freezes, motionless, and waits for the hazard to
pass.” [Ed. One example of a hazard would be Pacman Jones.]
And they don’t bite or run well. Instead, they are nature’s
garbage men, “working the graveyard shift. Like little dust
busters, they cruise the landscape, round ears tilted like satellite
dishes, fleshy pink snoots to the ground. They feast on snails
and slugs, perhaps even a cockroach or two.”
However, one expert notes the opossum is not the intellectual of
creatures. Then again, the same could be said of many an NBA
ballplayer.
–The New York Post reported on a sexual harassment suit
involving the hosts of the former morning show “Cold Pizza.” A
makeup artist has accused Jay Crawford and Woody Paige of
groping the show’s staff and demanding lap dances as a perk of
the job.
But I can’t help but note one of Rita Rangone’s claims, accusing
Paige of grabbing Ragone’s butt at least three times – in one case
so hard that the makeup artist went airborne.
“Paige grabbed her butt so forcefully, Ragone, quite startled, was
propelled forward and into the air,” says the suit.
Huh. Kind of like the elevation trick by that guy on “John From
Cincinnati.”
–Meanwhile, at Madison Square Garden, a long-running
harassment suit continues against New York Knicks management
and Knicks head coach/GM Isiah Thomas. According to the
latest bombshells, Thomas urged a team cheerleader to flirt with
NBA referees and Stephon Marbury allegedly had sex with a
team employee who felt coerced into the liaison.
Former Garden employee Anucha Browne Sanders first brought
the suit and claims that cheerleader Petra Pope was asked by
Isiah “to go into the referees’ locker room and make them
happy,” Brown Sanders testified. “I asked her to tell me what
that meant and she said, ‘Well, he wanted me to flirt with the
referees.’”
As for Marbury, he allegedly text messaged a Garden staffer,
“When am I going to get that again?” after an evening that began
at a gentlemen’s club. I’m assuming he wasn’t referring to a
high five…or the latest copy of The Economist.
And now the Knicks just acquired Zach Randolph, a talented
player with a mile-long rap sheet who is also known to frequent
more than a few strip clubs. Girls, you’ve been warned.
–WFAN, the first all-sports radio network in the nation, is
celebrating its 20th anniversary. Among the lowlights is the work
of Christopher Russo and Mike Francesa, aka “Mike and the
Mad Dog.” Back in 1998, the Star-Ledger reminded me of this
one.
Mike and the Mad Dog discuss the movie “Saving Private Ryan”
on the air. “I’ll tell you what I take from this movie,” Mad Dog
says. “War is bad, Mikey. War is bad.”
–The summer-long Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby in Alaska is
underway and last week Daniel Prisaznuk landed a 340.6 pound
monster flatfish. Daniel thought, for sure he was in line for the
$40,000-$45,000 first prize when the contest ends in September.
But two days later, Jerry Saunders hauled in a 358.4-pound
halibut. Remarkably, Homer hasn’t seen a fish of either size in a
decade. The record is 376-pounds from back in 1996.
Minnesotan Jerry Meinders reeled this one in.
–Two stage hands, working with the Rolling Stones, were killed
dismantling a stage after a concert in Madrid. Two others were
injured. According to police, three of the workers fell 33 feet
from a metal structure and landed on a fourth. The Stones were
“deeply saddened” to hear the news.
–I thought Jeff B. had a brilliant idea with regards to “For Better
or For Worse.” We’ve been trying to figure out if Lynn Johnston
is hallucinating as her health deteriorates, which is why the strip
has descended into this touchy-feely stuff about high school kids
treating each other with respect in an otherwise Facebook /
MySpace age. Yeah, like this is really happening. Jeff wrote he
(got sick) upon seeing April muse “Life is like Christmas –
When you think all the boxes have been opened…you discover
another gift”; this as Shannon heads off to find some stylish
clothes, at least one hopes, instead of the Hillaryesque pants suits
she’s always wearing.
But then on Monday, out of nowhere, “The Wedding of the
Century” resumed! This is rather bizarre. For two weeks all the
guests, let alone the bride and groom, went back home, resumed
work, etc., then reassembled for the reception, thus making it
“The Longest Wedding of the Century.” I don’t know about you,
but there is no way I could adjust my schedule like this. Jeff also
noticed that Mason, who was matched up with Liz, appears to
have aged 25 years since the wedding commenced, and, it
appears he has been drinking from a chalice rather than a wine
glass.
Jeff and I are still hoping that we’ll eventually get back to April,
who would then revert to her bitchy ways, while Dr. P. gets
gunned down by the Canadian Mounties during a raid on his
drug stash…the Doc’s last words being “Who are those guys?”
as he emerges from behind the sofa, Uzi blazing…and then, a la
“The Sopranos,” FBOW just goes black.
–And lastly, as if A-Rod doesn’t already have enough problems,
his wife, Cynthia, appeared at Yankee Stadium yesterday
“wearing a tight-fitting, white tank top bearing a foul message on
the back: ‘F— you.’
As reported by the New York Post, “The obscene phrase was
plainly visible to thousands of fans – including plenty of kids –
as she, her 2-year-old daughter, Natasha, and an older woman
took their seats in the players’ family section of the House that
Ruth Built.”
One father, sitting directly behind her, was so embarrassed he
left the game with his 10-year-old son. Expect more on this one.
Top 3 songs for the week of 7/1/78: #1 “Shadow Dancing”
(Andy Gibb) #2 “Baker Street” (Gerry Rafferty…one of the
great beginnings for a tune…then fades into supreme mediocrity)
#3 “It’s A Heartache” (Bonnie Tyler)…and…#4 “Take A
Chance On Me” (Abba) #5 “Use Ta Be My Girl” (The O’Jays)
#6 “You Belong To Me” (Carly Simon) #7 “Still The Same”
(Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band) #8 “Love Is Like
Oxygen” (Sweet) #9 “Dance With Me” (Peter Brown with Betty
Wright) #10 “The Groove Line” (Heatwave)
Baseball Quiz Answers: 1) Career pinch-hits (entering 2007):
Lenny Harris, 212; Manny Mota, 150; Smoky Burgess, 145.
[Mark Sweeney entered the season with 139 and by my cursory
glance is up to 147.] 2) Career PH homers: Cliff Johnson, 20. 3)
Most games at first: Eddie Murray – 2413. 4) Most games at
second: Eddie Collins – 2650. 5) Most games played at short:
Luis Aparicio – 2581. Omar Vizquel entered the season at 2427.
U.S. City Quiz: Ten largest –
New York 8,214,000
Los Angeles 3,848,000
Chicago 2,833,000
Houston 2,144,000
Phoenix 1,512,000
Philadelphia 1,448,000
San Antonio 1,296,000
San Diego 1,256,000
Dallas 1,232,000
San Jose 929,000
Next Bar Chat, Monday, July 9….BUT…tune in late July 4 for a
brief update, including a recap of the Nathan’s Famous Contest.
