Forotten Books Friday: The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty

As Spring Training is in full swing and the Yankees are once again defending World Champions, I'd figure I'd chat a little about Buster Olney's book about the Yankees of the early 2000s.

If you remember, Mariano Rivera blew a 9th inning lead in game 7 of the 2001 World Series and the Yankees lost. The book is about that game, that series, and the years that preceded and followed it.

But it mainly focuses on that game.

It's like an episode of LOST tied around a baseball game. Olney looks at the players in that game, deep into their baseball lives and how they got to that moment. He looks at Brian Cashmen's attempts to rebuild an aging dynasty while keeping his young players. At the same time, he looks at George Steinbrenner wanting to up the marketability of the team with his new TV network and his attempt to acquire every All Star in the game.

It's a fantastic book with lots of in depth scenes and quotes that you won't see an an oridinary newspaper article. If you're into the backstory of baseball and the inner workings of a general manager, find this book.

Movie Review: BEER WARS

A few nights ago, I rented the movie BEER WARS. It's a documentary about the "Big Three" Beer Companies and the rise of the micro-brews. As uaual, it's a documentary so it's biased against the Big Three.

That said, it is a very compelling piece of film.

The success of Dogfish Head's brewer is combined with the "Never Say Die" attitude of the brewer of Moonshot, a caffeinated beer.

The movie does a great job showing how the Big Three corporations do their best to shut down all these microbrews. Even with a checks and balance system envoked by using a beer distributor middleman, the companies find ways to slow the little man.

All in all, this is a very good 90 minute film. If you like beer at all, it's worth checking out.

Farmville

I'm cranky this week, so you can expect that in my blog posts. I'm writing these during the waning hours of my vacation. I have to return to work tomorrow. So my crankiness is expected.

And I've been surfing Facebook.

That's not about to cheer me up. You see, if you've been living in a Facebook-less cave for the last two years, there's this game called Farmville. It's sort of a role playing game, I guess. You have to collect items and build a farm, and then keep the farm healthy. Kind of like Sims, but boring.

And apparently its boredom is incredibly addicting.

There are people all over the place playing this game. You have to give gifts to other people to keep your farm going. Sad cows wander into your fields and you have to make them happy.

I don't know. I don't play the game. All I know about the game comes from the status updates.

Because the thing about Farmville is... you don't just play the game... you let everyone KNOW you're playing the game. Farmville apparently updates your status automatically, which means the people you're friends with see everything you're doing.

Now, those people can block Farmville updates from their feed, but they shouldn't have to. People should know that no one cares about an imaginary farm. People should know that they don't have to update their status about the farm. Can't all this gifting be done in the confines of the game? Where I don't have to know about it? And why are there like 8 different versions of Farmville that I have to keep blocking. We don't want to know.

Believe you me, I keep my Bejewelwed Blitz scores a secret.

(That said, for the most part on Facebook, I love clever and witty status updates and links. Keep 'em coming folks!)

New Jersey: The Promised Land--Identity

If there's one thing about people from New Jersey... we have an identity. People know us. People know what to expect from us. At the same time we surprise people.

We're tough. We handle the crap people try to throw as us with thick skin and we fight back. We always get back up. People from New Jersey... we're the code hero.

We're sarcastic. You make fun of us? We'll make fun of you and you won't even know it. All you'll hear is something that SOUNDS like a compliment. Then us New Jerseyans will sit back and laugh at you.

Plus we're "new." We're the improved version of Jersey. We're spit shined and ready to go.

That's who we are.

But who is North Carolina (#33)? I can't tell you their identity. What are they known for?

Annoying basketball players? They do have a multitude of them. But that's not something to be proud of.

Originality? Nope, there are two of you.

Ummmmmmm.... Barbecue?

Nah, pretty much all of the south has famous barbecue.

So... yeah, no one really knows anything about you. You blend in. You disappear. Do you even know you're a part of a country? Did you try to leave 150 years ago?

Sigh, nope. People don't think about you.

They think about New Jersey.

Grocery Shopping

I hate grocery shopping.

Okay, seriously, who enjoys grocery shopping? Not many people.

But I really hate it.

I don't hate going up and down the aisle and picking out delicious foods that my tummy will soon enjoy. I don't mind pushing a cart. I don't mind the constant BEEP BEEP BEEP of the scanner rounding up the prices of said delicious food..

I hate the people in the grocery store. Especially when it's crowded.

You see, people in the grocery store have two speeds. Slow and so slow you're stopped in the middle of traffic causing the cereal aisle to be backed up.

Come on people. Make a freakin' list. Clip your coupons at home, know what you need, go to the store and get it.

Today I was in the local Shop Rite, and it was like the equivalent of those old reel-to-reel movies that teach you how to drive. People stop carts in the middle of an aisle. They dart in front of you to grab an item. The slow to a crawl to check their cell phones.

THEY DO ANYTHING BUT SHOP.

Are you there to help feed your family? Or are you hired by Shop Rite to attempt to slow me down?

(Yes, I'm stealing a joke my dad makes about the Parkway. But I'm twisting it to my needs.)

I walk around, sighing, huffing and puffing, grunting and being about as obnoxious as I can just so I can get a stinkin' packet of Au Jus Sauce for my Thursday Night London Broil Sandwich.

Keep moving people. If you keep moving we'll all get out of there faster.

What are your food shopping nightmares?

Pitchers and Catchers

Pitchers and Catchers are reporting to Spring Training soon (if they haven't already).

A lot of people says that signals the start of spring to them. Not me. In fact, I find pitchers and catchers to be a signal that spring is still too far away.

Nothing happens when pitchers and catchers are in camp. You get a few shots of Jorge Posada jogging or chatting with a coach or signing an autograph. It's in Florida so they're warm.

But it's still cold here. And there's still the never ending month of March to come. And March--for the most part--is still winter. It's cold, it's gray, and usually you get that one 60 degree day that's just a tease of what's to come before you spend your time in the 30s and 40s for the next few weeks.

Just like pitchers and catchers. It's a tease. They lob the ball back and forth to each other, play golf, don't work really hard. It's a hint of baseball. It's a tease.

Give me the last spring training game anyday. That's a signal spring is here.

Not two guys oiling their mitts in February.

Dave White as a Teen: Band Bashes

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was in the marching band in high school. Along with Marching Band came the "band bashes."

Yeah, band parties. I believe they cost five bucks to get into and were held in a church basement. They were like low key school dances. Pizza, music, strobe lights, awkward "Wanna dance?" questions.

We'd probably have five of these throughout the year--a "Welcome Freshman" bash, a Halloween Costume Bash, and three others. (Plus a Christmas dance, but that was more formal and held in a bigger church basement.)

But what I remember most was the music. It was the early to mid 90s so you could expect a slew of those tunes. I remember "Total Eclipse of the Heart" being the big slow dance. Then there was the "hit"--"Two Princes"--which I hated then and still hate now.

"Paradise by the Dashboard Lights" was played at EACH dance... At the same time of the evening.

"Timewarp" from Rocky Horror Picture show.

And finally, to close out the night, "American Pie" so everyone could yell out "The Marching band refused to yield."

Yeah, we were pretty cool back then.

Telling me what to write

Every writer talks about the person who comes up with the idea and wants you to write it for them.

I've had that happen to me. It's easy to say no to that. I do it all the time. The person walks away disappointed because now they have to do the work, but otherwise, no harm done.

I've started to get a different kind of request. It's the "You should write..." request. It's not so much an idea, but a genre or type of novel. People usually get the idea from seeing someone else being successful with it, and immediately think of their friend, co-worker, next door neighbor, or any writer they know.

And they just HAVE to tell 'em.

"I just heard about so and so. He wrote a this--self published it, got noticed and got a huge deal! And a book deal!"

or

"You do such a great job talking about so and so. You're funny! You should write a book about it!"

Now usually it's something I've considered and either put on the back burner until I'm done writing what I'm writing. Or something I've thought about and thought--No, that's not me. I can't do that well enough to make it worth my time.

I don't know really how to respond to these people. I usually give them a quick, "Okay, I'll keep that in mind."

But that's never enough. They respond, "No. I'm serious."

"Okay, I'll consider it."

"You'd be good at it. It'd be BIG!"

"Okay thanks. I'll keep it in mind."

"No. I'm serious. You have such a way with words you should do it."

"Thanks."

"I'm serious."

I try to be polite... but here's what I really want to say:

NO! LET ME WRITE WHAT I WANT TO WRITE! I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE BOOK I'M WORKING ON FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS! I WANT TO DO IT WELL. I AM HAVING FUN WITH IT! IT'S MY IDEA, MY BOOK, AND THERE'S NO HELP FROM YOU! I HAVE TO AT LEAST TRY WHAT I WANT TO DO AND YOU SHOULD RESPECT ME ENOUGH TO DO THAT! WHAT YOU MENTIONED--I'VE THOUGHT OF THAT! I HAVE AN IDEA FOR THAT AND I THINK, IN TIME, I'LL GET TO IT! BUT THAT'S NOT BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR IDEA. IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING YOU SAID.

LET ME BE!

Phew. That felt good to get out... narcissitic or not.

I'm serious.

New Jersey: The Promised Land--Relevancy

Let's face it, New Jersey is one of the most relevant states in the Union.

In education, it is consistently ranked in the top five among states. Our kids are smart, they pass their tests, they graduate and go to college. And we're still consistently trying to get better. Princeton and Rutgers are two of the top universities in the nation.

In agriculture--we're the Garden State. Jersey Tomatoes, Jersey corn... all good stuff. We get our food out there to the nation. People enjoy its deliciousness, even if they don't realize where it comes from.

Innovation--Thomas Edison was born and lived here. Albert Einstein lived here. Joyce Carol Oates and Toni Morrison were here at points in their lives.

We are very important to the union. Our state is a cornerstone.

Compare that to New York (#32).

New York's not relevant.

First of all, forget New York City... it's closer to New Jersey than the rest of the New York State anyway. NYC is pretty much a part of New Jersey.

So, once you forget that city, what do you have?

A college known for it's journalism/communications school and it's basketball team full of thugs.

A city known for it's chicken wings.

That's it. New York State really has nothing.

Yeah, New York City is important, but no one is really coming out of NYC, they all go there.

We produce. NYC usurps.

New Jersey wins...

Again.

Stuff Yer Face

As you clearly know, I have Rutgers basketball season tickets. Whenever I get the chance to get down there early and grab dinner I try to hit my favorite sports bar in the area.

It's a wood paneled place, with a bar, and then a little restaurant area in the back. It's the perfect college eatery, cheap, fun, and tastey.

Stuff Yer Face.

The place where Molto Mario started his career. Honestly.

If you're a beer taster it's heaven. They have all different types of beers: Ales, Lagers, Stouts, Wheats. Small breweries from the area all distribute beers to the restaurant. You can go there just to taste the beer.

But that's not why I go.

No, I go for what the place is known for. Bolis. Well, that's what they call them. They're strombolis, and you can build your own. There's a BBQ pulled pork boli. There's a regular cheese, peppers, and onions. There's the eggplant boli.

And my favorite... The Fireman boli.

Mozz, tomato sauce, peppers, onions, pepperoni, and capicola. Just great stuff.

If you're ever in the New Brunswick area, I highly suggest trying it out.

Pearl Jam Bootlegs

Most people I know aren't fans of live albums. As far as I can tell, these people feel the albums are messy and don't sound like what you hear on the radio. I disagree. The Allman Brothers' Live at the Filmore is one of the greatest live albums ever. The songs go on and on and they rock. The band is playing their heart out.

Which brings me to Pearl Jam.

Those of you who know me well know I've been to a bunch of Pearl Jam concerts and I will go to more, assuming there are some in this area.

And what PJ does, a move I think is brilliant (along with greedy), is they record all their concerts and put them out for download the next day. And this is what made me love live albums.

The Pearl Jam concerts make the songs sound even better. On an album, PJ plays their songs at a restricted pace. They let the songs breathe and you can hear each and every note.

At a concert... there's energy. When you hear the crowd singing along, the bouncing rhythm... You hear the band get more and more into a concert. That's what playing music is all about...

If you like rock music, but hate live albums I dare you to pick on of these bootlegs up (be sure to check the setlist first). You'll be amazed. Each time I listen to a new concert, my adrenaline surges... I want to jump up and down... It's a childlike excitement.

To me, that's what music is all about...

I was at one of the Philly shows last October... I can't wait for the boots to be released... Until then, I just checked out one of the LA shows...It's fantastic. Definitely worth a listen...

Where else can you hear a band perform Jazzy Odyssey live?

Bacon Salt

There's this thing called Bacon Salt out there. My fiancee got a sample pack of it when she ran a 5K in Paramus.

One night we tried it on baked potatoes.

Okay, seriously the stuff does not taste like Bacon. Or Salt... or even a combination of the stuff.

It tastes like really bad barbecue sauce. The stuff you get to put on chicken nuggets.

And, seriously, if you're going to make something called Bacon Salt, it damn well better be bad for you.

This stuff was made from soy and natural goodness stuff.

Needless to say, it's a disappointment.

If they make barbecue sauce salt, lemme know.

That'll probably taste like bacon.

LOST

I'm writing this post on Sunday night--two days before the premiere of the sixth and final season.

You're reading this now, and you and I both know what happened.

Did Juliet actually reset time by setting off the bomb?

Do we know more about Jacob and his friend?

How many thousands of questions have been raised?

Do we seem to be moving toward a conclusion...?

Let's talk about it in the comments...

New Jersey: The Promised Land--The Jersey Devil

How many other states have their own Devil?

And, no I'm not talking about the hockey team. The Jersey Devil is a myth, a legend, and one of the coolest things about New Jersey.

When the Leeds woman was about two have her 12th child in 1735, someone decreed it would be the Devil. When that child was born it transformed from normal baby to a being with wings, a tail, and a horse's head. It then killed the mid-wife and flew up the chimney (Hat tip to wikipedia).

People have seen this thing hanging out in the Pine Barrens. Napoleon Bonaparte's bro saw it in Bordentown. In 1908... the damn thing was everywhere. In 2009, some dude saw it in Parsippany. It can fly. It's fast.

It's scary... and it even inspires a hockey team.

Even the X-Files dealt with it in an early--GOOD--episode.

And please, what other state has this? New Mexico (#31)?

They have the chubabra, which sounds like a dog that hasn't eaten in three weeks. It doesn't kill midwives. It doesn't haunt brothers of reputed anti-Christs... It doesn't bother pizza delivery boys or people from Parsippany. It just is sort of... talked about.

The Jersey Devil can mess up a pack of chubacabras...

And then hip check you into the glass.

Rutgers Basketball: A Win!

RU beat Notre Dame 74-73 Saturday night.

While that sounds exciting, it's really not. It's great the kids--especially Hamady N'Diaye--got a win. They played their hearts out and got themselves a victory. Hamady put a show, blocking two crucial plays and getting a tip on a missed free throw to give RU an extra possession.

Does this change my mind on Fred Hill?

No.

I like Fred, but I still think he panics in game situations. For instance, RU is up 4 with .8 seconds left on the clock. There is no way ND can win, and they can't even tie unless they hit a 3 pointer and someone on RU fouls the shooter. So, Hill yells "NO FOULS" (along with the rest of the crowd) and then calls time out to reinstate that.

What happens?

My guess is he gets in the players' heads so much, they do exactly what they're not supposed to. Because on the the final play, N'Diaye LUNGES at the 3 pt shooter to try and block the shot. No contact was made, no foul was called, but seriously, why did any RU player move? (N'Diaye can be blamed for this as well.)

But this leads to a bigger problem. Anytime Hill calls a time out to set a play it hardly ever works. It often results in a turnover or bad possession. It seems the other coaches know what Hill wants to do.

What can change my mind?

Start with a win against St. John's Tuesday night. Get some momentum going. Then we'll talk.

I don't see it happening. In fact, I see the more interesting discussion happening after the season is over when we're talking about who the next coach will be.