Sinéad O’Connor, an Irish singer-songwriter who sold millions of records in the 1990s with her ethereal ballads and rebellious anthems, all while defying expectations of how a female pop star should behave — shaving her head, speaking out about her mental health struggles, protesting the Catholic Church during a performance on live television — has died at 56.
Her family announced the death in a statement Wednesday, released to Irish media and viewed by The Washington Post. Additional details were not immediately available.
Appellate court upholds plea deal - allows Oxycontin maker Purdue Pharma to take it in the shorts but allows the Sackler family any further consequences
Watching the Nats and Rockies. Nats down 4-1 entering the bottom of the ninth. Four walks and a hit batter (and one ground ball single) the game is tied and bases loaded with two outs. Bud Black finally goes to another reliever. Seems like not great managing.
The Oakland Athletics made the short trip across the Bay Bridge to take on their local rivals the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco tonight. The A’s sent an opener, righty Tayler Scott (0-0 with a 6.94 ERA) to the mound to face 35-year-old righty Alex Cobb (6-3 with a 3.15 ERA). This was Scott’s second start of the season and fourth of his career.
The fans were more hospitable than Cobb who struck out six of the seven batters he faced to start the game. But fans started the game off with chants of “Sell the Team.” Ken Waldichuk took over in the second inning for Scott and tossed a 1-2-3 inning.
Good pitching from both sides. We watched the game from the box nearest the Giants on deck circle. If there were shots of Giants warming up on or near their on deck circle, you might have seen our group of four (me, Mrs Slug, Double D, and his gf).
Different perspective of the game from that angle. Also, I have more respect for the players and the umps, especially the good ones. I thought last night's HP umpire did an excellent job.
One other thing - Tyler Rogers, who pitches submarine style, releases his pitches at almost ground level. That may not be apparent on the broadcasts, but it is when you see him pitch from the vantage point I had last night.
Indeed, we did have good seats, although there was no way in which to judge a ball as fair or foul from where we sat. Mrs Slug says she now has a new Lotto fantasy and it involves sitting in seats with such a view.
This was a one off thing courtesy of Double D's employer who sometimes hand out tickets to those seats to employees who ask kindly for them. An absolute treat. It was also Double D's birthday yesterday, which made it twice as fun.
The San Francisco Giants started their game against the Oakland A’s in style. With a look of both calmness and determination on his face, Alex Cobb took the mound and struck out the first batter he faced, Tony Kemp. Then he struck out the second batter he faced, Zack Gelof. And then he struck out the third batter he faced, JJ Bleday.
The San Francisco Giants ended their game against the Oakland A’s in style. With a look of both calmness and determination on his face, Camilo Doval took the mound and struck out the first batter he faced, Ramon Laureano. Then he struck out the second batter he faced, Jace Peterson. And then he struck out the third batter he faced, Shea Langeliers.
Punch, counter-punch. That was the theme of this Tuesday’s game, and after a four-run comeback in the ninth, the Dodgers walked it off on a James Outman 10th-inning double off the wall to beat the Blue Jays, 8-7.
Trailing by four with three outs to go, the end seemed near, but in a ninth inning highlighted by a Matt Chapman error, the ball bounced in the Dodgers' favor. As they secured one of the more thrilling comebacks of the season.
The Blue Jays returned the favor from the night before, where the Dodgers used irrational pitching management to blow a near-certain win. In this one, Toronto sent Erik Swanson out in the 9th, and after the first couple hits, it was obvious by the deer in the headlights look in his eyes he did not have it, and would not find it. But instead of getting him out of there, they left him out until after he managed to blow the game.
It evens out, as both teams won a game they shouldn't have, and lost one they shouldn't have.
I think the Jays were shorthanded in the bullpen. Not too many options since their closer had thrown in the last 2 games. Sounds like their bullpen has been overused recently, similar to the Dodgers a month or two ago.
Crazy! Though it reminds me a bit of playing tackle football as a little kid - is actually a lot easier than when you get older as no one is strong enough to hurt each other yet
i am in College Park/DC for 3 wks and i go to JTTC to try to sign up for some tennis lessons while i am here. talking to the receptionist who is coincidentally from my town (New Rochelle). one of the coaches walks and asks if i went to Cal since i was wearing a Cal t-shirt today.
turns out he is a Cal grad as well from the Kapp-Bartkowski era. we exchanged a good "Go BEARS"
They missed an opportunity to show leadership and uncommon resolve. Simply refuse to answer questions about the allegations or the lawsuits. State and re-state that their presence is to answer questions about football and Northwestern's prospects for the 2023 football season.
I dunno, is a lot to stuff on a 20 yo who was probably on the receiving end of the hazing. These guys are student volunteers, just let the coach answer the questions
It's also a lot to ask of 20 year-olds to attend these media days functions with the knowledge that there are hazing allegations, as lurid as they are, regardless of their involvement.
If, as you posit, the players were on the receiving end of the hazing, then the head coach and athletic department erred in selecting them to attend to begin with. They might have erred in selecting *anyone* to attend.
Nonetheless, my comment stands. If they prefer not to, that's their call. I'm merely noting that there was an opportunity to do something uncommon.
Jim Leonhard signs on to be a [checks notes] analyst at [checks notes again] Illinois. This has to be one of the greatest staff hires that Illinois has ever done.
It is kind of crazy how far he has fallen. I always felt like he was a bit overrated, basically Wilcox 2.0 but I thought he would at least get a DC position somewhere in CFB.
This is really a surprise. Agree with the Wilcox comp…he knows D and will likely be in the mix for a Coordinator position next year. Maybe he’s being picky and looking for a specific gig to open up.
Sinead O'Connor, Irish singer of 'Nothing Compares 2 U', dies at 56
https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/07/26/sinead-oconnor-dead/
Sinéad O’Connor, an Irish singer-songwriter who sold millions of records in the 1990s with her ethereal ballads and rebellious anthems, all while defying expectations of how a female pop star should behave — shaving her head, speaking out about her mental health struggles, protesting the Catholic Church during a performance on live television — has died at 56.
Her family announced the death in a statement Wednesday, released to Irish media and viewed by The Washington Post. Additional details were not immediately available.
Sad news. Can’t imagine Lorne Michaels is shedding any tears though.
DBD Street Journal
Elon gives big boost to porn business.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/07/24/xvideos-trends-on-twitter-as-platforms-new-name-draws-comparison-with-adult-video-site/?sh=1ffd721461ce
I don't even need to read the article to know that Elon is proving his galaxy brain status.
What a maroon.
Buy, Mortimer, Buy!
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/florida-faces-historic-crisis-for-its-most-iconic-agricultural-export-an-all-time-low-supply/ar-AA1eko6Z
Where the hell is Beeks???
One bedroom Upper East Side AirBNB has 360 glass views and an en-suite bathroom
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/795808602044005557
Appellate court upholds plea deal - allows Oxycontin maker Purdue Pharma to take it in the shorts but allows the Sackler family any further consequences
https://apnews.com/article/purdue-pharma-trustee-bankruptcy-sackler-opioid-oxycontin-713134927e34ef071803b3983ddd01ac
Environment
We're all boned.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/25/world/gulf-stream-atlantic-current-collapse-climate-scn-intl/index.html
Paris has cleaned up so much that they'll soon allow people to swim in their river. Really? That's in Seine.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66238618
Haha
Indi...
. . . e Rock
Indiana
Jones, my a$$hole Brittany’s namesake!!
lived in Bloomington for 7 years during grad school and the last year in Indi when i was mostly in the thesis writing phase.
even the last year i drove down to B'ton 3 days a week to play basketball at lunch ...
it was generally very nice and a good time in life
Bus #2 got an extended tour of north and northwestern Indiana
PRO
Watching the Nats and Rockies. Nats down 4-1 entering the bottom of the ninth. Four walks and a hit batter (and one ground ball single) the game is tied and bases loaded with two outs. Bud Black finally goes to another reliever. Seems like not great managing.
Athletics drop the first game of the Bay Bridge series to Giants 2-1 in San Francisco
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2023/7/25/23808063/athletics-giants-bay-series-waldichuk-cobb
The Oakland Athletics made the short trip across the Bay Bridge to take on their local rivals the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco tonight. The A’s sent an opener, righty Tayler Scott (0-0 with a 6.94 ERA) to the mound to face 35-year-old righty Alex Cobb (6-3 with a 3.15 ERA). This was Scott’s second start of the season and fourth of his career.
The fans were more hospitable than Cobb who struck out six of the seven batters he faced to start the game. But fans started the game off with chants of “Sell the Team.” Ken Waldichuk took over in the second inning for Scott and tossed a 1-2-3 inning.
Good pitching from both sides. We watched the game from the box nearest the Giants on deck circle. If there were shots of Giants warming up on or near their on deck circle, you might have seen our group of four (me, Mrs Slug, Double D, and his gf).
Different perspective of the game from that angle. Also, I have more respect for the players and the umps, especially the good ones. I thought last night's HP umpire did an excellent job.
One other thing - Tyler Rogers, who pitches submarine style, releases his pitches at almost ground level. That may not be apparent on the broadcasts, but it is when you see him pitch from the vantage point I had last night.
You had good seats!
When I go with my wife, we sit in a view box. Higher up, but you also get a nice view across the bay and you can see the Campanile, aka Sather Tower.
Indeed, we did have good seats, although there was no way in which to judge a ball as fair or foul from where we sat. Mrs Slug says she now has a new Lotto fantasy and it involves sitting in seats with such a view.
This was a one off thing courtesy of Double D's employer who sometimes hand out tickets to those seats to employees who ask kindly for them. An absolute treat. It was also Double D's birthday yesterday, which made it twice as fun.
Strike out the side
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2023/7/25/23807969/giants-athletics-recap-alex-cobb-camilo-doval-mike-yastrzemski
The San Francisco Giants started their game against the Oakland A’s in style. With a look of both calmness and determination on his face, Alex Cobb took the mound and struck out the first batter he faced, Tony Kemp. Then he struck out the second batter he faced, Zack Gelof. And then he struck out the third batter he faced, JJ Bleday.
The San Francisco Giants ended their game against the Oakland A’s in style. With a look of both calmness and determination on his face, Camilo Doval took the mound and struck out the first batter he faced, Ramon Laureano. Then he struck out the second batter he faced, Jace Peterson. And then he struck out the third batter he faced, Shea Langeliers.
Dodgers cap epic comeback with a James Outman walk-off double
https://www.truebluela.com/2023/7/25/23808061/james-outman-walk-off-dodgers-comeback-blue-jays
Punch, counter-punch. That was the theme of this Tuesday’s game, and after a four-run comeback in the ninth, the Dodgers walked it off on a James Outman 10th-inning double off the wall to beat the Blue Jays, 8-7.
Trailing by four with three outs to go, the end seemed near, but in a ninth inning highlighted by a Matt Chapman error, the ball bounced in the Dodgers' favor. As they secured one of the more thrilling comebacks of the season.
The Blue Jays returned the favor from the night before, where the Dodgers used irrational pitching management to blow a near-certain win. In this one, Toronto sent Erik Swanson out in the 9th, and after the first couple hits, it was obvious by the deer in the headlights look in his eyes he did not have it, and would not find it. But instead of getting him out of there, they left him out until after he managed to blow the game.
It evens out, as both teams won a game they shouldn't have, and lost one they shouldn't have.
I think the Jays were shorthanded in the bullpen. Not too many options since their closer had thrown in the last 2 games. Sounds like their bullpen has been overused recently, similar to the Dodgers a month or two ago.
USA Boxing (the official sanctioning body) sanctions a boxing match between 9 year olds.
https://www.wtrf.com/west-virginia/boxing-promotion-advertises-two-9-year-olds-fighting-each-other-in-west-virginia-causes-controversy/
Crazy! Though it reminds me a bit of playing tackle football as a little kid - is actually a lot easier than when you get older as no one is strong enough to hurt each other yet
Pro golfer cheats, gets caught, and confesses. Fine/suspension probable. Loss of sponsors certain.
https://golf.com/news/mini-tour-pro-confesses-cheating-twitter-post/
Player newly promoted from the bench scores 2 goals and gets an assist. He might be pretty good.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/38070248/lionel-messi-sergio-busquets-make-first-inter-miami-starts
86 year old billionaire owner of Tottenham Hotspurs charged with 16 counts related to insider trading.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66238618
Jets refinance to go to an interest only loan on Aaron Rodgers
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/jets-aaron-rodgers-work-out-revised-contract
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
MoscowMitch.exe has stopped working. Rebooting...
https://twitter.com/frankthorp/status/1684262402664038405
Makes a person wonder if McConnell is seriously ill.
I can't get enough of this.
"Political activist" tells the Senate Judiciary Committee that it has a lot of nerve to question his bribing of Clarence Thomas
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/25/politics/leonard-leo-supreme-court-senate-response/index.html
CAL
i am in College Park/DC for 3 wks and i go to JTTC to try to sign up for some tennis lessons while i am here. talking to the receptionist who is coincidentally from my town (New Rochelle). one of the coaches walks and asks if i went to Cal since i was wearing a Cal t-shirt today.
turns out he is a Cal grad as well from the Kapp-Bartkowski era. we exchanged a good "Go BEARS"
I read I'm at College Park/DVC, which would make sense to some of us here in the east bay.
as yes. DVC is much closer to home for many
Go Bears!!!
DBD AV CLUB
Finally got around to starting The Offer from last year…it’s been on my list forever.
F-ing love it. 4 episodes in.
Kevin Spacey not guilty on all counts -- at least according to the jury. https://twitter.com/ReutersShowbiz/status/1684201093486592001?s=20
https://media.tenor.com/Sks9JyPI25YAAAAC/gone-vanished.gif
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
Colorado apparently seriously considering a move to the Big 12, per Pete Thamel.
Uh oh.
https://twitter.com/petethamel/status/1684308770065641476?s=61&t=W-5Y0dlCBnBi1fUZsWspSQ
The crap gets deeper in Evanston
https://twitter.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/1683959487538032646
Uh oh. The older brother of Aaron Hernandez is arrested during his plot to shoot up UConn. Mental illness appears to be an issue. CTE?
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38069059/dj-hernandez-arrested-amid-alleged-plans-school-shootings
Yikes. What a bloodline.
Kansas player must have really not wanted to go work out
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/kansas-football-player-arrested-on-criminal-threat-charges-hours-after-bomb-threat-evacuates-facilities/
Three player reps for Northwestern pull out of Big 10 Media Days to avoid the shitshow
https://twitter.com/NUFBFamily/status/1683930203783831555
They missed an opportunity to show leadership and uncommon resolve. Simply refuse to answer questions about the allegations or the lawsuits. State and re-state that their presence is to answer questions about football and Northwestern's prospects for the 2023 football season.
I dunno, is a lot to stuff on a 20 yo who was probably on the receiving end of the hazing. These guys are student volunteers, just let the coach answer the questions
It's also a lot to ask of 20 year-olds to attend these media days functions with the knowledge that there are hazing allegations, as lurid as they are, regardless of their involvement.
If, as you posit, the players were on the receiving end of the hazing, then the head coach and athletic department erred in selecting them to attend to begin with. They might have erred in selecting *anyone* to attend.
Nonetheless, my comment stands. If they prefer not to, that's their call. I'm merely noting that there was an opportunity to do something uncommon.
I wonder how unique this stuff is to Northwestern. It wouldn’t shock me to discover more schools with weird hazing rituals in their football teams
Wilcox has a weird hazing ritual that basically involved his OL not pass blocking for the QB.
Ouch
Jim Leonhard signs on to be a [checks notes] analyst at [checks notes again] Illinois. This has to be one of the greatest staff hires that Illinois has ever done.
https://twitter.com/IlliniFootball/status/1683880388144377863
It is kind of crazy how far he has fallen. I always felt like he was a bit overrated, basically Wilcox 2.0 but I thought he would at least get a DC position somewhere in CFB.
This is really a surprise. Agree with the Wilcox comp…he knows D and will likely be in the mix for a Coordinator position next year. Maybe he’s being picky and looking for a specific gig to open up.
Yeah, maybe he is being picky and waiting for the right opportunity as a DC for a bigger program or a HC position at a G5/MAC school.
Who he?
[Canzano] Oregon HC Dan Lanning to be extended through 2028
https://twitter.com/johncanzanobft/status/1683990659571806208
I guess this means that he won't have to touch up his tattoo any time soon
https://www.outkick.com/oregon-head-coach-dan-lanning-wife-cancer-sauphia-children-sons-life-tattoo/
[Dellinger] Michigan and ex-Furdie HC Jim Harbaugh to be suspended 4 games
https://twitter.com/RossDellenger/status/1683874240871669760