“Honestly, my thought in the medical room, I was sitting in the corner and was like, ‘What am I anymore if I’m not this?'” Rousey said. “Literally sitting there thinking about killing myself. In that exact second, I’m like, ‘I’m nothing. What do I do anymore? No one gives a shit about me anymore without this.'”
This was the quote from Ronda Rousey on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Am I the only one who thinks she’s a tad bit egocentric? Instead of getting your ass kicked and thinking that you’re going to train harder to beat your opponent, you contemplate suicide and say this head scratcher, ““I just looked up at him (her boyfriend) and I was just like I need to have his babies, I need to stay alive.”
Act like I didn’t see this picture and say she wouldn’t whoop up on Rousey.
I feel bad for someone who has suicidal tendencies and this woman is obviously a bit mental from all I’ve heard about her but get it together. You have the world at your fingertips and it’s drama, drama, drama. Has anyone even heard one word about Holly Holm since her victory? No. She’s probably in the gym training for her next fight. Get off this Rousey band wagon if you are on it. This body painting swimsuit looks horrible. Give me a chance to improve.
Subsequent posts will have a trip report but I wanted to give an overall feel for European culture being an American.
Being completely alone in a foreign city is a bit intimidating. I’ve only traveled to Europe once previously and I was mainly guided. This time I was by myself to explore cities. Not speaking any foreign language made every interaction challenging. You’ll hear often that “don’t worry, everyone speaks English.” This I found to be largely true in consumer oriented (hotels, restaurants, museums) interactions. However, waltzing into a bar and sitting down ordering, “ein Bier”, wasn’t very comforting. Making efforts to speak and order in German actually made it worse because they would follow up with some more German which I obviously wouldn’t understand. Lesson learned.
I met a German who was in his early 20’s and we talked and he liked all of the exact same TV shows. Fargo, Breaking Bad, and House of Cards to name a few. It was cool to see that media was universal. He also liked professional basketball and said his “dream” was to go see a game live. I was like, “that’s pretty easy to make happen” but shows it’s a different world out there. Once again though he spoke good English and was one of the few people who I could have a detailed conversation with.
I also felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb being an American. Walking the streets everyone spoke whatever language of the country and dressed, acted, and looked different from me. I mean this as European’s physically look different. They seem more sophisticated and I get the feeling that they look at Americans with their noses in the air. This carries no weight for the people that I met as I was treated with the utmost respect from all. I also think this comes with the fact that I have no idea what they are talking about so it feels foreign and unsettling which is why I probably have this opinion.
I’ll close this entry with the ease of getting around as I was lost precisely 0 times during the entire trip. The train systems were without fail and there were 0 hang ups at the hotels. I walked entire cities and did every tourist attraction I could squeeze into a short time there. Aside from a migrant situation that I’ll describe in further detail in future posts, I never felt unease. Those are some general thoughts about the trip.
We have a bowling league that started up on Monday that is more official than the Manayunk league at Hi-Spots. You have to pay $10 to become a USBC member for the half year to allow you to play for the money involved. It’s sanctioned which allows the prize pool to take place. Last night was the 2nd week and I have already had a situation come up where the captain has to make a decision.
In Week 1, our entire team came into the league with 120 averages which is normal considering we have yet to bowl in the league. As such, we were all far better than 120 bowlers. This was the week 1 scoreboard.
When the standings came out, it says we were 3-1. In bowling leagues, you roll 3 games and the 4th game is total pins. All games are handicapped. Now considering we all entered with 120 averages, you can see by the picture that the other team was giving us 67 pins. There is about a 0% chance that we lost a game under these circumstances.
Here is where my moral issue comes in and I’m asking my blog audience what they would do. I can ask the league coordinator to see the scores of the games to see how we lost a game. It is possible that there is a justifiable reason we lost. This could be that they took our averages after we rolled and handicapped the game from there. It’s also possible that the game was so lopsided (which was no fault of our own but completely unfair coming in with a 120 average) that they gave a game to the opposing team because one of their members is the President of the league out of pity. Or I could say I don’t give a shit, it’s one game over the course of the season and it won’t matter in the long run. Plus if the game was handicapped accurately, it would have played out completely different because we would have been giving pins to start. I tend to not think it will make a difference but want to do right by the team. What should I do?
I know, I know, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time because he went to the finals 6 times and won every time. Or it’s Bill Russell who won the title 11 times in 13 seasons. Or it’s Kareem Abdul Jabbar who holds the record for most points scored of all time. After watching Wilt’s videos and reviewing his stats, I can’t think of anyone else who deserves the honor.
Who’s Stronger?
Wilt is Legendary
Wilt and Kareem Tip Off
The Big Dipper was off the charts. He got the nickname from his friends, who first called him “Dip” or “Dippy” because he had to dip under doorways. The best argument that can be made against Wilt is that his competition wasn’t nearly as fierce. That being said, if Wilt was playing in today’s game, he’d probably score even more than he did in the 60’s. If Kwame Brown can last 10 years in the NBA, let’s double check how good it is today. Let’s break down Wilt.
Wilt Knows Volleyball
At 7-1, 275lbs, he was a freak of nature. He was an avid track and field athlete: as a youth, he high jumped 6 feet, 6 inches, ran the 440 yards in 49.0 seconds and the 880 yards in 1:58.3, shot put 53 feet, 4 inches, and broad jumped 22 feet. These are insane numbers for a guy that tall.
Wilt got his bench press up to 500 pounds. Shaq could only bench about 450, probably less now.
He was ranked the #1 volleyball player in the world at one point. He liked volleyball because it helped him pick up chicks.
Wilt played every minute of every game some seasons. In the 60’s, the seasons were 80 games with 12 minute quarters which was 3,840 minutes. In one season he played 3,882 minutes. In 9 seasons he played over 3600+ minutes. Jordan’s most ever was 3,311.
When he was 25, he averaged 50.4 points per game.
Was a Globetrotter before playing for the Philadelphia Warriors
Wilt holds the record with 55 rebounds in 1 game AGAINST BILL RUSSELL.
He averaged over 20 rebounds a game for 12 straight seasons and dipped to 18+ for his final 4 years.
Only player in NBA history to record a double – triple – double. On February 2, 1968 against the Detroit Pistons, he logged 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists.
He also won seven scoring, nine field goal percentage, and 11 rebounding titles in addition to an assist title.
Wilt slept with 20,000 women (according to him). If Wilt started at the age of 15, from then up to the age of 55 (when the book was published) he would have had 40 years to sleep with 20,000 women, or 500 different women a year-easy math. That works out to roughly 1.4 women a day
Notable Quotes on Wilt
“Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath.” – Wilt Chamberlain
“Wilt was on of the greatest ever, and we will never see another one like him.” – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
“One-on-one he [Wilt] would’ve murdered Russell and everyone. But playing five-on-five, Wilt was consigned to a specific role because of his ability to score so easily, whereas the Celtics fit Russell into their team concept better.” -Red Holzman, A View form the Bench, p. 78
“Once Wilt got upset with me and dunked the ball so hard it went through the rim with such force that it broke my toe as it hit the floor.” -Johnny Kerr, Tall Tales (by Terry Pluto) p. 237
Outsiders have been sending me info so I present it to you with objective intentions…to start.
Evidence 1:
Adam alerted me that Denver is 7-0 in the last 7 games when Ed Hochuli refs. Their record ATS is 4-1-2.
10/22/2000: Denver beats SD 21-7, line Den -4.5 Denver Home
9/14/2008: Denver beats SD 39-38, line Den -1. Denver Away
9/27/2009: Denver beats Oakland 23-3, line Denver -2.5 Denver Away
9/18/2011: Denver beats Cincy 24-22, line Denver -3. Denver Home
12/30/2012: Denver beats KC 38-3, line Denver -17. Denver Home
12/22/2013: Denver beats Houston 37-13, line Denver -9.5, Denver Away
12/28/2015: Denver beats Cincy 20-17, line Denver -3, Denver Home
Rob Kelley sent me this little tidbit.
The Line is currently Pats -3.5 (-105)
First things first, I haven’t been that great during the playoffs this year. I’m 3-3 for a profit of +55 (this is negated by a $-250 bet on Alabama). I didn’t bet the Minnesota game because I didn’t wake up in time and didn’t bet the Steelers because I was sick from the Seattle game. That being said, I’m giving this game a hard look. Here is what I’m considering.
Colin Cowherd said Peyton is throwing wounded ducks and the Pats will destroy his inability to throw the ball with any velocity.
Gronk looked unstoppable against the Chiefs. Bronco’s linebacker Brandon Marshall said this, “I say because he pushes off,” Marshall told NBC Sports’ “Pro Football Talk Live” radio show. “I mean, he pushes off, and he gets away with it about 98 percent of the time.”
CJ Anderson is running like the first round fantasy pick he was this year.
The Broncos got real lucky to beat a depleted Pittsburgh team with a late game fumble from Toussaint.
I can’t imagine the NFL wants Brady to win this game. Then again, him going to the Super Bowl is a network’s dream.
Brock Osweiler beat the Patriots 30-24 in Week 12.
Where’s My Action? – The Hochuli stats mean little to me because Peyton hasn’t been the QB for all those years. I tend to agree more with Cowherd and Peyton’s problem getting the ball downfield. I’m a bit surprised he’s gotten this far with his noodle arm but it’s a team game and his D keep the Broncos in games so he only has to do so little. Let’s be honest though, that line is highly aware of what is going on. The Broncos are playing a HOME game and are dogs by 3.5. Home dogs are generally a good bet (Wins – Bengals, Vikings… Loss – Texans). I thought the Chiefs were a good team and their D stacked up but the offense was no where to be found. This is the reverse of a Broncos team who squeaked by a damaged Steelers team. I’m leaning towards the Pats -3.5 with a major inkling to buy the half point.
Wayne Gretzky is hockey’s Greatest of All Time. When you are picking an athlete to be the absolute #1 best player of the history of the sport, it will lead to some difference in opinions. I intend to move this type of post to each sport but I wanted to start with the unmistakable greatest hockey player ever, Wayne Gretzky.
Hockey – Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky winning the Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers
Analyzing Gretzky’s hockey skills, he says, “What we take to be creative genius is in fact a reaction to a situation that he has stored in his brain as deeply and firmly as his own phone number.” Gzowski presented this theory to Gretzky, and he fully agreed. “Absolutely,” Gretzky said. “That’s a hundred percent right. It’s all practice. I got it from my Dad. Nine out of ten people think it’s instinct, and it isn’t. Nobody would ever say a doctor had learned his profession by instinct; yet in my own way I’ve put in almost as much time studying hockey as a medical student puts in studying medicine.
The Great One’s career started at the ripe age of 19 and lasted all the way to 38. In his rookie year he totaled 137 points (goals and assists) and tied for the league lead. Not being a huge hockey fan this number meant little to me. Upon further research, his stats are out of this universe.
Wayne Gretzky Fan Club
He won the scoring title 7 years in a row and his margin over the second place person was 29, 65, 72, 79, 73, 74, and 75. Mario Lemieux dethroned him for 2 years in a row in ’87 through ’89. Gretzky then won the next 2. Mario won 2. Gretzky won his final scoring title in 93-94.
Wayne Gretzky has scored 891 goals. Gordie Howe is second with 801 and Brett Hull is 3rd with 741.
Gretzky has 1,963 assists. The second place person, Ron Francis, has 1,249.
Gretzky has 2,857 points. This is 970 points ahead of 2nd place Mark Messier.
Gretzky holds the record for 92 goals in a season.
He has the top 7 spots for most assists in a season. His 163 assists is untouchable.
He’s 18th in amount of games played. His 1,487 is 280 less than Gordie Howe’s 1,767 which is the all-time most. These make his feats more remarkable.
Daughter Paulina Gretzky
He won 4 Stanley Cups, all with Edmonton between ’84-’88.
He played in 18 All Star Games.
He lead the league in assists 16 times and goals 5 times.
His greatest accomplishment is creating Paulina who married PGA Pro Dustin Johnson.
In 1980, when an exercise physiologist tested the recuperative abilities of all of the Edmonton Oilers, Gretzky scored so high the tester said that he “thought the machine had broken.” His stamina is also indicated by the fact that Gretzky often scored late in the game. In the year he scored his record 92 goals, 22 of them went in the net during the first period, 30 in the second—and 40 in the third.
Home dog. I don’t know if I need much more of an analysis than that for a first round playoff game with teams that don’t have high powered offenses. Alex Smith is a game manager and Brian Hoyer is Brian Hoyer. I’m a big Nuk Hopkins fan so he will be the entire Texans offense. I also give Alex Smith a HUGE amount of credit for what he does. 20 TD’s to 7 INT’s is solid and he’s athletic and runs for 1st downs. My target is not picking who is going to win this game, it’s if the Texans will cover the spread and I think they will. 3.5 isn’t 3. Being at home will be an advantage and even though I think the Chiefs are the superior team, I believe they will win the game but not cover the spread. Texans +3.5
Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals (+3)
Another home dog. Another easy cover. There is no doubt in my mind that everyone and their grandmother would think that Big Ben and AB will run all over AJ McCarron. Football doesn’t work this way. Big Ben can struggle against a solid Bengals defense at home and the Bengals have weapons all over with Gio, J Hill, Sanu, and AJ Green. What I hope happens is that the Steelers win and the Bengals cover exactly what I’m hoping for in the 1st game. Now, this is going to sound incredibly stupid but if the first game goes reverse than what I hope, there is an even greater chance I jump harder on the Bengals because I don’t think that both home dogs won’t cover. Count it, Bengals +3
I’ll take a stab that they are broke and want the insurance money. Golf courses are the ultimate waste of space. Huge amount of land that require enormous sums of money to maintain. Combine that with a game that is too expensive for most people to afford and you have country clubs burning down. Of course this is insurance fraud but when people get backed into a financial corner, they will do anything.
Yes, I am alive. Yes, I will continue blogging. Yes, I needed a break from it. Sorry for trying to persuade you to start blogging on New Year’s Day, Gourlay. We all know it’s a past time with little satisfaction.
This is how I envision the conversation with Jeff Lurie and Chip Kelly.
The good old days.
JL: Bradford had the 28th worst QB rating this year (min 100 attempts) behind guys like Blaine Gabbert and rookie Jameis Winston. Is he the best we can do? CK: He’s elite JL: What about our WR’s and losing our best the last two years? Maclin had the 19th most yards this season with Alex Smith, a guy who avoids throwing the ball downfield like the plague. DeSean had 528 yards and 4 TD’s in 8 games. I think we may lack talent to spread the field thus opening up our run game. CK: No. Matthews, Agholor, and Riley are elite. JL: Agholor only had 21 catches all season (the same as Riley Cooper). Matthews had 943 yards and 261 came in the last 2 games which were essentially blow outs. Remember that big catch he dropped against Carolina? We are still talking about Riley? CK: They’re elite talent just waiting to explode. JL: What about the Shady for Kiko trade? Shady was 6th in the NFL in yards and even missed 3 games. Kiko had 34 tackles and 1 pick in 10 games. Didn’t seem to work out that well for us. CK: Kiko’s elite. JL: DeMarco was a real bummer this year only averaging 45 yards a game. What happened? CK: He’s not elite. JL: We’re finished here.
Shut up, Chip!
I want to chip in my opinion on this matter with absolutely no inside knowledge about the truth.
Chip is stubborn and doesn’t play well with others.
His “players” and “system” needed to develop.
Ownership didn’t have the Sam Hinkie time frame to wait.
Chip got fired for refusal to adapt to ownership’s viewpoints with the mindset that he knew what he was doing and wasn’t budging.
No longer bleeding green.
The Eagles are not a good football team talent wise. Chip Kelly is to blame for this. Some stats:
The Eagles avg 22.8 points per game good for 16th in the league
The ran the 2nd most plays from scrimmage this year (1037) behind only the Texans
Their TO margin was -4, good for 22nd in the league
The D gave up 26.7 ppg good for 28th in the league
The D gave up 394.9 ypg which was 29th in the league
They were outscored 342-400
Another shitty year for another Philadelphia sports team. Shocker.
Let me set the stage: It’s week 15, fantasy championships, your team didn’t make the playoffs and is in the toilet bowl. This game decides who finishes last in the league with unknown consequences. It’s a 2 QB league and Marcus Mariota got hurt last week and needs to be replaced. Do you put in a waiver wire bid for a QB?
Some Schools of Thought
No. You are out of the playoffs and should not potentially disrupt the championship game that actually matters.
Yes. You know that other people who are out of it are going to do the same and if the rules don’t apply to everyone, they don’t apply to me. It’s always a competitive league.
Yes. Waiver wire is open all season to anyone and everyone. Fuck em.
My Thoughts
How my fantasy season went this year.
By nature, I don’t like to give up. Even if I’m out of the playoffs, I don’t lay down. If there were end of year consequences for last place, there is 0 chance I’m laying down which I believe would be agreed by everyone. I don’t like the idea of being told that I can’t pick up players even though I understand what I’m doing serves 0 purpose. If I see ODB in my lineup this week, and I have no one on my roster to substitute him with, I don’t like giving the other person I’m playing the satisfaction of playing me against a lineup that isn’t set. Am I the only one who thinks like this?
This starts to truly come into play when the bid system is in place. In the playoff round of 4, I had 18 dollars, Bud had 9, Evan had 4, and Big Jer had 0. Guys who weren’t still in it had 30+ dollars and I had no idea if I should bid 18 or 10. I would have had to strategize differently if there was a chance other people would bid. People don’t talk about this but it’s a rule that is non-existent and shouldn’t be. What do you think?
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