The Player 2B Named Later

This morning I started my journey to shredded beefiness.  I got up at 6:50 am, ran downstairs and popped in the first cd. Chest & Back is what the course starts with.  I’ve got my pull-up bar, my 35lb dumbbells and a set of resistance bands so I was ready to “BRING IT”.  Each workout is an hour long and then three times a week you do the Ab Ripper X workout.  Chest and Back was basically pushing and pulling your body weight with different variations of push-ups and you guessed it, pull-ups.  Doing these exercises back in the day was no problem, but now that I’m pushing a deuce and a half with a bad shoulder it’s a different story.  I did my best though, kept the reps in the 8-12 range, all except the diamond push-ups.  The first round of those I was able to push my big ass up 7 times.  The second round I got to 3 and I had to finish a set of ten on my knees like a girlie push-up.  I didn’t feel like a girl doing it though, just happy it was over. Diamond push-ups are man push-ups.   After the workout was over I staggered up the stairs and started getting ready for my work day.  I realized in the shower as my muscles were filled with lactic acid making it difficult to wash the couple of hairs on my head that this was going to be no easy journey.  Not going to quit though, going to keep pushing play as Tony says.

Lunch time brought more pain for TP2BNL. I did the Ab ripper X cd.  Consisted of 349 different moves.  I managed to perform about 275 of those moves.  I thought underneath the exterior beer belly was an ok strong core.  I was wrong. My abs felt like they went three rounds with Tyson before Buster beat him down.  Looking forward to tomorrow,  Plyometrics.  It has been broughten…for today at least.

P90X

After several years of growing outward and half ass-ed workouts at the Natatorium   I have decided to commit to a 90 day workout program called P90X.  If you watch any TV you have most likely seen the infomercial.  I have watched that infomercial several times and heard the praises from a buddy that has done the program.  According to my buddy, P90X will “kick your ass real real bad”.   So in the spirit of spring training and the Westminster Dog Show,  I am taking a leap into Xtreme training to see if I can get my soon to be 36 year old body back to my college playing form.  I’m writing this the night before day one.  I will be doing the  workouts at 7am, 6 days a week starting February 17th.  My personal trainer for the next 90 days…Tony Horton, a 50 some year old guy with a six pack and a helmet do.  We will be doing chest and back tomorrow morning to kick things off.  I will try to post everyday for the next 90 days to track my mental weakness.  Tony’s motto: ” BRING IT”.   My motto: I’m going to go with Tony on this one and say bring it.  We will see what I think after tomorrow morning.  Just want to say thank you to my wife for supporting all my stupid ideas, this being one of them.  My starting stats: 6′0″ 247lbs.  Pic coming.

P90X, Spring Training

I read an article this morning about Magic Johnson and Larry Bird speaking on where they would like to see Lebron James next season.  Read it here.  In the article, of course Magic is saying that Bron Bron should jet to NYC.  His reasons are that it would create a “buzz” in that city unlike any other.  Players would want to play with him and he would win a championship.  Why does New York need more “buzz” Magic ? You don’t think they have enough ?  This is exactly why the Cavs must win it this year.  Guys like Magic and Jay-Z getting in the King’s ear that he needs to be in New York to create some crazy “buzz” that won’t happen by staying in Cleveland.  Who do we have saying he needs to stay here ? Soft spoken Larry Bird and us.  I have always been a Bird over Magic guy anyway. It’s probably all to sell their book but please Magic stop talking.  Don’t you have a talk show you need to get to, oops…cancelled.  Or a movie theater to run?   You’re an L.A. guy, why you trying to take Lebron and put him in NYC?  Isn’t Kobe going to be mad at you?

Sorry my fellow Clevelanders, but all our eggs are in one basket.  The way the Indians and Brownies look, this Cavs team is our only hope, and this season is the last season with Lebron.  Maybe the Cavs will meet the Lakers in the finals. Maybe it will be a 7-game series that goes down as the best ever.  Maybe it will create a buzz bigger than the world has ever seen.  Maybe this buzz will radiate from our small market city  into the hearts of all the talking heads out there making them believe that Cleveland is where Lebron needs to be.  Maybe they will all start saying, stay in Cleveland Bron, those loyal die hard people need you.  Maybe you can make just as much money there as you could in NYC.  Yep, and Maybe I’m on crack.

F-Pittsburgh Magic

Cleveland, Cleveland Cavaliers, Jay-Z, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, NBA, NYC

Remember that commercial with the umpire in the eye doctors office who kept saying ” cow ” for everything on the eye chart?  I think baseball’s shortseason has been full of umps like that guy.  Throughout the divisional rounds, the LCS’s and now the World Series, the boys in blue have missed some pretty big calls.  This has people screaming for instant replay to be expanded from just home run calls to whatever call on the field they can slow down with a camera and change. I am personally against instant replay.  Sorta? 

Having played the game my whole life, I have had my share of bad calls go my way and probably more go against me.   A bad call is like a bad beat in poker, you will always remember the ones that didn’t go your way more so than the crap you gotta away with.  This being said, bad calls are part of baseball.  The umps are human, they make mistakes and the players, managers and fans have to live with them.  It’s a big part of what makes baseball a pure and beautiful game .  It’s entertaining to watch a manager kick dirt, throw bases, turn the cap around and basically act like a two year old after a bad call.  Three reasons why baseball should stay the way it is:

1. It’s entertaining to watch players and managers argue calls
2. Instant replay would slow up the game. (another thing that makes it a great game is there is no clock, baseball games end when they are over)  TV people want time frames so this would slow it up even more and they would cry.
3. Bad calls give us reasons to say ” our team would’ve won if Utley were called safe and Howard hit a 3-run job ” ( Philly fan)

 On the other hand I could live with some kind of challenge flag.  Something the manager can use once or twice a game to make the umps go check the video to see if what they saw was the right call, or a cow.  I guess it would be kind of cool to see a red flag come flying out of the dugout onto the field.  Maybe it should have the letters BS written on it in yellow?  I would say let them have two challenges over the span of a game, but if they challenge and are wrong with the first, the second challenge cannot be used. This way managers aren’t just challenging calls because they have two in their pocket.   This change to the game I can live with.  I don’t like to see the outcome of a game or a season  influenced by a call that could have been fixed by going to the film.  That’s it though, once or twice a game. For all the other calls we will just have to live with the blind eye of the umpires.  Bud, go ahead and start the paperwork, it’s cool with me.

F-Pittsburgh

Bad News Bears, MLB, Umpires, World Series

After an 0-2 start to the season, Cavs GM Danny Ferry has decided to chalk up  2009-2010 as a rebuilding year.  Following in the footsteps of the Indians and Browns, he is sending Cavs playmakers to New York for draft picks and cash.  A move not expected until next summer, Lebron James and Shaquille O’neal are now part of the Knicks.  Sorry Cleveland, you have been shat upon again.

Two and out

Sad thing is, Cleveland sports fans reading this had to check ESPN or the Plain Dealer to make sure this wasn’t true.  Who am I kidding, there is nobody reading this.  I will say this though, after an opening night loss to Boston, the national media sure has jumped off the Cavs bandwagon.  Come on people, let’s have some faith here.  I think this team will start to gel and be playing its best ball by the end of November.  I definitely think Boston will break down at some point this season.  KG will play too hard on that knee and will be on the shelf again by February.  Is anyone in Cleveland really telling themselves that this team will bring home a championship ?  No way, Cleveland fans are way too smart for that.  We are protecting our trampled upon hearts by rooting for the team but in the back of our minds setting ourselves up for the dramatic collapse.  That’s how we roll.  I’m here to tell you it’s going to be different for me this time.  I am going to ignore that prudent little voice in my head that whispers, ” don’t let yourself believe that this is the year.  You know something always happens and you’re left crying on the bathroom floor,  praying to the porcelain god for mercy  that never comes”.   Screw that guy, I’m going to put my faith in the hands of the king and his court.  It’s time to believe Cleveland!!!!!!!  Say it with me….team of destiny.  Okay, who am I kidding, we are in sports hell Cleveland.

F-Pittsburgh

Browns, Cavs, Cleveland, Indians, Lebron James, New York

Well the Indians shipped another player off to New York.  Wait a minute, I’m so use to saying that.  I mean the Browns shipped Braylon Edwards off to the Jets this morning for two players and two draft picks.  Personally I could care less.  He was gone after this year anyway.  A warning to all athletes in this town, don’t mess with Lebron or his friends.  Could the Browns use Braylon this year?  Yes.  Was he going to make the difference in any game?  Maybe he could have dropped some more first down throws. What do you think about this move ?  He thought Cleveland fans and media were tough on him.  For his sake I hope he plays well in NYC because if he plays like he has this year and last season they will run him out of that town too.  Good luck Braylon, try not to drop your airline tickets on your way.

F-Pittsburgh

Braylon Edwards, Browns, Cleveland, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets

Sunday I had the chance to go up to Cleveland and watch what turned out to be the most competitive game of the ‘09 Browns season.  But, you know what happened, Browns lose in OT to the Bungles 20-23. Had the chance to do a little pregame tailgating in the West 3rd lot and I have to tell you we(Cleveland fans) do football right. You guys make me proud. The team? Not so much.

The Glass QB

How do we let this guy beat us with a 4th down scramble? I thought for sure he was going to slide and break a hip he is so fragile.

What really chaps my ass is all of the Bungles fans that were at the stadium.  I have noticed, especially living in Akron, the Steelers and now Bengals bandwagon fans are crawling around in plain sight more than ever. If the Browns don’t put a season together sometime in the next decade the fair-weather fans will all be gone. We as true die-hard Cleveland fans need to stand up, put the gear on and get out there to stomp these little roaches out and take back our rightful claim.  I can see why some people would jump on the Steelers wagon but the Bungles??? How can you get behind a guy from USC that goes on the record dissing the Ohio fans that back him. If he were the Browns QB I don’t know what I would do with myself ?  Cheer when he makes a play then turn around and tighten up the cilice wrapped around my leg like the crazy dude in “The Davinci Code” to punish myself ?  Must be very confusing to a Bungles/OSU fan.

F-Pittsburgh

Bengals, Browns, Cleveland, OSU, The Davinci Code

Well it’s been a long eventful summer for TP2BNL. Haven’t been able to keep up with this blog all that much because, well frankly I have a life. Kidding, I’ve just been lazy and every time I watch an Indians game I want to move, much less write about it.  Now that the season is coming to an end,  the players have been traded to contenders and the manager has been fired (thank the lord) at least the playoffs will be fun to watch. Not really a better time of year if you ask me or any other sports fan. Football has started (Go Bucks!), baseball pennant races and playoffs, and the weather in Ohio this time of year is perfect. Well the last couple days have been a little cold and rainy but it will get better. Lucky for me I get to attend a Browns game this Sunday. The 2-1 Bungles are in town and I might quarterback after Brady Quinn and Derrick Anderson each throw a couple picks with no touches. Seriously, this is an NFL team for cryin out loud. They couldn’t  score a touchdown if they were playing a MAC team and my buddy’s mom was layin in the endzone with nothing on but a thong made of licorice.

Man that's nice!

Browns, Cleveland, Indians, OSU, Playoffs

I sit here today, ass chapped by another loss given to us by a Boston team. I know it’s a regular season game that doesn’t mean all that much but I am sick of losing to that city.  It does mean another series loss for the Indians this year who have only won one.  How did they ever win one? Over the past couple of years it seems like Boston has owned us. They are our daddy as Pedro would say.  The Sox beat us in 2007 to go on to win the world series. The Celtics took down the Cavs last year in seven games on their way to the NBA title. Just seems like the road to a championship for that city goes straight through Cleveland. Frankly, I’m sick of it.  As far as I’m concerned that city has won enough championships in football, basketball and baseball in recent history to last them for the next 100 years. That’s how long I hope they go until their next.  On the other hand I am rooting for the Celtics right now to win against the Bulls and in the next round. It is time King James gets payback for the whole city. That’s right Boston, the king must put the curse back on. Not just the Red Sox, this time on all your teams.  Hope you like misery for the next 100 years.  I know we will enjoy it.

 Who’s Next?

Indians

The Indians had a chance to win another series last night against Boston but they had a stat that they needed to fix. They haven’t lost a game all year when leading after seven.  They didn’t want this to be the one thing they haven’t screwed up.  Can someone tell Grady to stop trying to hit the ball out of the yard when he’s got two strikes on him, there is a guy in scoring position and the game is on the line.  Wedge should have sat down with him after he called out the offense on Saturday and said “Grady, I’m basically talking to you when I say that offensively we have to take a better approach”. Twice last night he was up with two out and guys on. I will give him credit (slack I mean) for the line drive to right but the strike out to end the game?? You have to shorten up kid. I don’t know about you but I’m sitting there watching thinking, “how are we going to blow this one”, and at that point they were still up by three. Then I see Derosa bobble a would be double play ball and I say ” Ah, that’s how”.  I would just like to see one part of the team that is not failing. The starting pitching is coming around so maybe that will be it.

Travis Haffner is back on the 15 day DL with soreness in his right shoulder.  Is it me or did Wedge say the other day that he was keeping Travis out of the lineup Monday because of his stats against Wakefield? Didn’t he say there was nothing wrong with the Pronkmister and that he (Wedge) didn’t want to mess up the swing that he has worked hard to get back this season.  Now Travis is on the shelf.  I think Tribe fans knew that would happen. Just a matter of time.

The Tribe is now 8-14 on the season which puts them in the cellar of the division. How did they ever win eight? The good news is they are only 3.5 back. It’s nice to be in the central this year I guess.  Carmona looked good last night, which is promising. He pitched 6 and 2/3 giving up 2 runs on 5 hits. I am happy to see him and Cliff Lee getting back on track. Sorry to see the offense and defense not supporting them and basically give them a kick in the homies for their efforts. That’s baseball though.

 There goes another game

Boston, Boston Red Sox, Celtics, MLB, Patriots, Playoffs

Well if you were not able to watch the Tribe/Royals game last night let me give you a quick summary: Ground ball right side…out, ground ball left side…out, ground ball back to the pitcher…out, strike out looking…out, strike out looking…game over.  I feel sorry for the few fans that actually stayed to watch that paint dry in the cold only to go home unsatisfied.  At least sitting at home watching it on TV you could change the channel and watch Ghost Hunters or an NBA playoff game.  I guess it’s a good thing to be one of the fifteen people that were there, at least you leave with a foul ball or two! Was it the amazing stuff of Brian Bannister (1-0, 0.00 ERA) or was it because the Tribe bats just didn’t show up to work? Grady Sizemore is quoted saying: “you have to give him credit but offensively, we just didn’t get it done”. I agree with him.  The only real threats were in the 4th and the 9th innings. Both were ended with a bat on the shoulder (Shoppach and Crowe). Trevor Crowe might just need to take a trip down south to Columbus pretty soon. Which will probably happen when Dellucci is ready. I know that was a tough curveball to hit but at least fight it off.

 Victor Martinez

Victor has been one of the lone bright spots in the young 2009 season. He is hitting .403 with 5 home runs and 9 RBI’s.  He is an emotional leader on the team and looks like he is back to form after a 2008 season where he missed 2 months for elbow surgery.  If he keeps this up he should be an All-Star again, voting started online at MLB.com.

Cliff Lee

Lee was back to his 2008 Cy Young form last night going 8 innings giving up 2 run on 9 hits. Lee looked strong in the later innings, his pitch count was 122. None the less he took his 3rd loss of the season which was his total loss count all of last year.  Just didn’t get the run support from a team scoring over 5 runs per game.  Now he just needs to win his next 22 starts. Okay maybe throw some no-decisions in there but no more losses right?

April Baseball, KC, MLB, Royals, Victor Martinez