Welcome to the Daily Bear Dump, a Write for California community board where one can talk about anything - Cal related or off-topic. Comment threads are sorted by topic. Anything is fine, so long as you’re generally civil.
I was going to post this picture, but saw that it was credited to Getty Images and they can eat my shorts.
I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and we got on a discussion tangent about Covid. The gist was Covid is now endemic and it's impossible to know the mortality rate of it any more because it's not reported in terms of infections or even cause of death. You can only look at excess mortality and then apply a bunch of assumptions. She said its mortality rate appears to be a tiny fraction of what it used to be and may even be less than the seasonal flu - but it is endemic, can be symptom-free, and appears to have more damaging effects that don't kill you but degrade you long-term or permanently - so it remains one of the top health things one should still be defending against for the rest of our lives.
I think the difference between Covid and flu is the long Covid stuff - if that ever goes away then I think you can completely just ignore it as background noise. For now, it’s still really disruptive when it runs through the house - my wife has some underlying health issues and so takes it super seriously, so we have to isolate, test everyone, blah blah. It blows!
I have a hard time understanding the effects of "Long Covid," given that it seems to be so vaguely defined and the numbers also seem to be based on a lot of self-reporting. Not saying it's not a thing, but I don't understand what it is.
I also know someone that got hit hard by long COVID just last year- was having such a hard time recovering her respiration she had to leave her home in high altitude CO and move to sea level for months (on dr's advice). She did not have pre-existing conditions that typically trigger this. She stayed sea level for months, then came to Atlanta (1000' above sea level) to finish her recovery. She could not do much for months and months, pretty terrible.
I think it just generally means symptoms that persist more than a couple weeks or so post infection. Obviously a wide range in what those symptoms are. My good friend’s wife got it really bad - has Potts which means she can only stand up for a few mins at a time. Had to stop working, really kind of crushed her
Noah Lyles not getting the gold because of Covid led to lots of media coverage. Here are a few:
Noah Lyles’ Olympic Run Is the New Normal for Living With Covid
Dozens of Olympic athletes competed with Covid as society increasingly treats it like the flu or the common cold. Public health experts warn that it's anything but.
We knew this status was coming. Bottom line, get your Covid shot along with your flu shot (hopefully combined), and also now your RSV (that was an unpleasant event!) shot.
Headed out to California next week for my nephew’s wedding. All three of my sibs families have recently had Covid go through everyone. Even though everybody is well now I decided to get the shot. Have an appointment in a few hours.
Me too! Had my second case two weeks ago, recovered early last week. I think it’s really going around quite a bit. I do not know what the numbers are, but at least anecdotally a lot of ppl seem to have gotten it recently
i had a strange cold/sickness recently that might have been Covid in retrospect. never tested because it seemed so strange .. basically felt like food poisoning
It’s time once again for Oski Disciple’s question of the day.
Kids playing baseball are always saying they want a pitcher and not a belly itcher. What the hell’s wrong with a belly itcher? Why doesn’t anyone want one?
Maranville. A Hall of Fame second basemen and shortstop who was a big leaguer from 1912-1935. Mostly with the Boston Braves. Five feet and five inches tall. Managed mostly in the minors after he hung 'em up. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_Maranville
GOING INTO THE 2023 season, Major League Baseball implemented the most extreme set of rule changes in the history of the game. The league instituted a pitch clock, eliminated the shift, enlarged the bases and placed a limit on pickoff throws. The changes have been significant leading to shorter games and more action on the basepaths. While fans are still getting used to those headline-making adjustments, the league is already identifying its next set of goals aimed at improving the product on the field.
The commissioner's office wants starting pitchers to spend more time on the mound -- pitching deeper into games -- and less time in the operating room undergoing surgery on their arms. Baseball also wants more balance in a sport that has revolved around strikeouts in recent seasons.
I'd also like a 10? run rule in/after the 7th inning (the number of 10 run comebacks after the 7th is going to be miniscule vs saving wear and tear and wasted time), and maybe a no new inning after 3:15 (excluding delays) unless tied (would address the obligatory 4 1/2 hour + Red Sox-Yankees game we seem to have to endure at some point seasonally!).
These are professionals. That's on the managers and coaches as well as the players.
The rule shortening a game to 7 innings because it's part of a doubleheader is also dumb. Now, if it's a twinight doubleheader (look that one up), that's a different story. But it's been decades since we've seen anything like that.
I think I went to the last Giants Dodgers twinight DH at the Stick. I think the 2nd game started around 1030 or 11 because the first one went into extras.
Some others, extended (> 30 minutes?) delay (weather, lights, etc.), >6 non-intentional walks, probably >3? hit by pitch (>2 in one inning?), etc.
Don't want pitchers to be required to be dangerous when its obvious they can't pitch.
Minimum batters faced for relievers has had mixed results and reviews, but it has kept the likes of Dave Roberts from making a change or 2 every batter.
You'd think that bullpen depth would be reason enough to deter the number of pitching changes in a game. But no, deterrence took the form of a rule change.
I'm no fan of the frequent changing of relievers because of "the book", but if a manager wants to burn through his bullpen and play with their minds, who am I to argue?
Despite winning their last three contests and their opponents dropping their last four, the Oakland Athletics finally went cold and fell 9-1 to the relieved New York Mets.
There weren’t many highlights for the A’s tonight as neither the pitching nor defense held up their end of the bargain. As the starter, Joey Estes had one of those nights where he attacked the strike zone but got hit around the ballpark. In his 5 1⁄3 innings, he walked none but allowed seven hits, including a pair of solo shots from Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso that put New York up 3-0.
Wednesday’s game started with Robbie Ray on the mound, and it ended with Mike Yastrzemski.
Your right-fielder making his pitching debut rarely means things have gone according to plan. When the corner outfielder lobbing 50 MPH eephuses (eeph-i?) logs a better pitching line than your Cy Young winning southpaw then you know things really really went off the rails.
The Giants have in 1 series against a near-top-tier opponent displayed the ability to play well and lose to a team that played even better, and to not play well and lose. Which has effectively offset the games they have won by playing well.
Saying this wasn’t on the bingo card for the 2024 season or any campaign for that matter, but here we are, the Dodgers lost a game on a Mookie Betts fielding error, and in right field for that matter. The winning run in the Brewers’ 5-4 victory came to score with Betts letting a single past him in the seventh after the runner on third had received the stop sign.
Neither starter impressed, both bullpens did a fairly good job, so the margins were minimal, and defense proved key as the Dodgers committed three errors to the Brewers’ one.
With no margin of error in a 1 run game, Brewers closer Devin Williams dispatched Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, & Freddie Freeman on 7 pitches, and made the top of the Dodgers order look more like the bottom of the White Sox order in the process. That qualifies as a little better than a fairly good job.
To prove it wasn't a fluke, Williams in today's game got Andy Pages to pop up for the 1st out in the 9th, but then struck out both Betts and Ohtani to save the 2 run win.
Vikings' JJ McCarthy out for season with torn meniscus. Vikings are adopting the Packers strategy of just using 49ers QBs as they will go with Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens.
State Senator Michael Maroney (R-WV) arrested for touching his Pokey at noon in the middle of the gaming room at Gumby's Cigarette & Beer World. He had all his assignments stripped from him. He was also arrested for soliciting a prostitute in 2019.
When the state announced the creation of yet another slice-niche political party that will at most briefly prove to be a divisive distraction, but have no actual effect on policy, it made we wonder why we don't relabel (or divide) a given party between the group that wants to apply certain principles to attempts to find a productive compromise and the group of dogma driven ideologic zealots that have no interest in facts or progress. Seems it would be useful.
Demetris Robertson came to Cal as a 5-star WR, the #1 ranked WR in the country. He had an freshman All-American season, then got injured early in his second season. He went to Georgia because he was homesick. He spent 3 years at Georgia buried in the rotation. He then transferred to Auburn for his sixth year and got a few more looks - but his first year at Cal was about half the production he had his entire college career. He then was an UDFA to the Seahawks and then was quickly cut and now has no presence online. He could have had a great career at Cal.
today in history
India and Pakistan gain independence from England in 1947 on Aug 15.
Per the Mercury News:
Iconic Bay Area mansion goes to Tahoe mystery buyer
81 Eagle Ridge Place
The Behring Estate in Blackhawk has sold for cash to someone whose identity is concealed by a Tahoe-based company.
Could this be the new Scootie pad?
DBDCabin!
I don't think *most* DBDers could afford to even drive by it. Oski Disciple maybe the exception?
But I know Scootie has both Tahoe & Finance industry connections. Might be able to pull it off.
Today in COVID
I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and we got on a discussion tangent about Covid. The gist was Covid is now endemic and it's impossible to know the mortality rate of it any more because it's not reported in terms of infections or even cause of death. You can only look at excess mortality and then apply a bunch of assumptions. She said its mortality rate appears to be a tiny fraction of what it used to be and may even be less than the seasonal flu - but it is endemic, can be symptom-free, and appears to have more damaging effects that don't kill you but degrade you long-term or permanently - so it remains one of the top health things one should still be defending against for the rest of our lives.
I think the difference between Covid and flu is the long Covid stuff - if that ever goes away then I think you can completely just ignore it as background noise. For now, it’s still really disruptive when it runs through the house - my wife has some underlying health issues and so takes it super seriously, so we have to isolate, test everyone, blah blah. It blows!
I have a hard time understanding the effects of "Long Covid," given that it seems to be so vaguely defined and the numbers also seem to be based on a lot of self-reporting. Not saying it's not a thing, but I don't understand what it is.
I also know someone that got hit hard by long COVID just last year- was having such a hard time recovering her respiration she had to leave her home in high altitude CO and move to sea level for months (on dr's advice). She did not have pre-existing conditions that typically trigger this. She stayed sea level for months, then came to Atlanta (1000' above sea level) to finish her recovery. She could not do much for months and months, pretty terrible.
I think it just generally means symptoms that persist more than a couple weeks or so post infection. Obviously a wide range in what those symptoms are. My good friend’s wife got it really bad - has Potts which means she can only stand up for a few mins at a time. Had to stop working, really kind of crushed her
Noah Lyles not getting the gold because of Covid led to lots of media coverage. Here are a few:
Noah Lyles’ Olympic Run Is the New Normal for Living With Covid
Dozens of Olympic athletes competed with Covid as society increasingly treats it like the flu or the common cold. Public health experts warn that it's anything but.
https://www.wired.com/story/noah-lyles-covid-olympics-new-normal/
Despite Noah Lyles’ Olympic Performance, Covid-19 Still A Risk
https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewbinnicker/2024/08/09/despite-noah-lyles-olympic-performance-covid-19-still-a-risk-for-some/
Is COVID endemic yet? Yep, says the CDC. Here's what that means
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/08/09/nx-s1-5060398/covid-endemic-cdc-summer-surge
...and there it is. COVID joins the line-up of "everyday" diseases we now have to navigate.
We knew this status was coming. Bottom line, get your Covid shot along with your flu shot (hopefully combined), and also now your RSV (that was an unpleasant event!) shot.
Headed out to California next week for my nephew’s wedding. All three of my sibs families have recently had Covid go through everyone. Even though everybody is well now I decided to get the shot. Have an appointment in a few hours.
Me too! Had my second case two weeks ago, recovered early last week. I think it’s really going around quite a bit. I do not know what the numbers are, but at least anecdotally a lot of ppl seem to have gotten it recently
i had a strange cold/sickness recently that might have been Covid in retrospect. never tested because it seemed so strange .. basically felt like food poisoning
Was that up at Tahoe? I guess we all didn't get it.
i think so. i was pooping all night long and had a fever for about 3 hours.
It’s time once again for Oski Disciple’s question of the day.
Kids playing baseball are always saying they want a pitcher and not a belly itcher. What the hell’s wrong with a belly itcher? Why doesn’t anyone want one?
We want a batter not a broken ladder!
You know, I have never even questioned that this is a stupid rhyme. It doesn't even make sense.
https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExbnczamR0NjFzaHV3aGdnZ3hoZWFkaTJ5cXVqNmQ0bXIwcDRlaTBoNSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/ZsqVl7DeLvQQw/giphy-downsized-large.gif
RABBIT
B-
Is there any college team with a rabbit mascot?
The Australian Rugby League team from South Sydney (Redfern) are the Rabbitohs.
https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/
If we are going international, then Japan's Tokyo Yomiuri Giants, the Japanese equivalent of the NY Yankees, has a rabbit as their mascot.
https://mascots.fandom.com/wiki/Giabbits
this is a good one. we were at a Yomuri Giants game last summer
RUN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMTUvyAB3zE
Maranville. A Hall of Fame second basemen and shortstop who was a big leaguer from 1912-1935. Mostly with the Boston Braves. Five feet and five inches tall. Managed mostly in the minors after he hung 'em up. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_Maranville
, WELSH
It has a lot of variants, but its base is essentially an open-faced grilled cheese sandwich with mustard
https://www.food.com/recipe/welsh-rabbit-rarebit-sort-of-toasted-cheese-387481
That's Welsh RAREBIT, Elmer.
Then there's French Rarebit.
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=french+rarebit+looney+tunes&&mid=077A04AB65DF73535AB4077A04AB65DF73535AB4&mmscn=mtsc&aps=10&FORM=VRDGAR
PRO
Could six-inning minimum starting pitcher rule come to MLB?
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40847173/mlb-rule-changes-2024-six-inning-starting-pitcher-injuries-tommy-john
GOING INTO THE 2023 season, Major League Baseball implemented the most extreme set of rule changes in the history of the game. The league instituted a pitch clock, eliminated the shift, enlarged the bases and placed a limit on pickoff throws. The changes have been significant leading to shorter games and more action on the basepaths. While fans are still getting used to those headline-making adjustments, the league is already identifying its next set of goals aimed at improving the product on the field.
The commissioner's office wants starting pitchers to spend more time on the mound -- pitching deeper into games -- and less time in the operating room undergoing surgery on their arms. Baseball also wants more balance in a sport that has revolved around strikeouts in recent seasons.
Someone explain how increasing the minimum innings pitched will help to avoid surgery. Rob Manfred's logic needs a bit more work.
Yeah, the last rule changes were good but don’t let that go to your head. These seem totally fucking stupid and unnecessary
I'd also like a 10? run rule in/after the 7th inning (the number of 10 run comebacks after the 7th is going to be miniscule vs saving wear and tear and wasted time), and maybe a no new inning after 3:15 (excluding delays) unless tied (would address the obligatory 4 1/2 hour + Red Sox-Yankees game we seem to have to endure at some point seasonally!).
A mercy rule in MLB? No new inning after 3:15 of game time? That's for Little League, not MLB.
Hard to discern the difference when a lopsided game runs way long because no one knows what they are doing.
And if it was possible to do 7 inning games when part of a double header, why is it a problem to do a 7 or 8 inning 15-1 game?
These are professionals. That's on the managers and coaches as well as the players.
The rule shortening a game to 7 innings because it's part of a doubleheader is also dumb. Now, if it's a twinight doubleheader (look that one up), that's a different story. But it's been decades since we've seen anything like that.
I think I went to the last Giants Dodgers twinight DH at the Stick. I think the 2nd game started around 1030 or 11 because the first one went into extras.
Seems to work fine in NCAA & AAA games. No one likes, or benefits, from blowout ball. Much less prolonging blowout ball.
Agree its on the managers, coaches, and players, but since they have a problem handling the responsibility, the rules can encourage them.
But there would be exceptions:
He throws 100 pitches
He gives up four or more earned runs
He gets injured (with a required injured list stint to avoid manipulation)
A TKO.
Some others, extended (> 30 minutes?) delay (weather, lights, etc.), >6 non-intentional walks, probably >3? hit by pitch (>2 in one inning?), etc.
Don't want pitchers to be required to be dangerous when its obvious they can't pitch.
Minimum batters faced for relievers has had mixed results and reviews, but it has kept the likes of Dave Roberts from making a change or 2 every batter.
You'd think that bullpen depth would be reason enough to deter the number of pitching changes in a game. But no, deterrence took the form of a rule change.
I'm no fan of the frequent changing of relievers because of "the book", but if a manager wants to burn through his bullpen and play with their minds, who am I to argue?
Manfred just needs to leave the game alone. Like Larry Bird said, "Leave the game better than you found it"
WAPO’s John Feinstein on the A’s.
https://wapo.st/3WThBMK
A’s bats go cold in blowout loss to Mets
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2024/8/14/24220761/oakland-athletics-new-york-mets-daz-cameron-miguel-andujar-joey-estes
Despite winning their last three contests and their opponents dropping their last four, the Oakland Athletics finally went cold and fell 9-1 to the relieved New York Mets.
There weren’t many highlights for the A’s tonight as neither the pitching nor defense held up their end of the bargain. As the starter, Joey Estes had one of those nights where he attacked the strike zone but got hit around the ballpark. In his 5 1⁄3 innings, he walked none but allowed seven hits, including a pair of solo shots from Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso that put New York up 3-0.
Ray loses it in the 1st
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2024/8/15/24220978/mlb-final-giants-braves-8-14-2024-recap-robbie-ray-michael-harris-ii
Wednesday’s game started with Robbie Ray on the mound, and it ended with Mike Yastrzemski.
Your right-fielder making his pitching debut rarely means things have gone according to plan. When the corner outfielder lobbing 50 MPH eephuses (eeph-i?) logs a better pitching line than your Cy Young winning southpaw then you know things really really went off the rails.
I was there. :(
Based on your post I checked the box score. Five earned runs on one hit is quite a trick.
The Giants have in 1 series against a near-top-tier opponent displayed the ability to play well and lose to a team that played even better, and to not play well and lose. Which has effectively offset the games they have won by playing well.
Dodgers commit 3 errors in sloppy, 1-run loss to Brewers
https://www.truebluela.com/2024/8/14/24220790/dodgers-errors-walker-buehler-struggles-brewers
Saying this wasn’t on the bingo card for the 2024 season or any campaign for that matter, but here we are, the Dodgers lost a game on a Mookie Betts fielding error, and in right field for that matter. The winning run in the Brewers’ 5-4 victory came to score with Betts letting a single past him in the seventh after the runner on third had received the stop sign.
Neither starter impressed, both bullpens did a fairly good job, so the margins were minimal, and defense proved key as the Dodgers committed three errors to the Brewers’ one.
With no margin of error in a 1 run game, Brewers closer Devin Williams dispatched Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, & Freddie Freeman on 7 pitches, and made the top of the Dodgers order look more like the bottom of the White Sox order in the process. That qualifies as a little better than a fairly good job.
To prove it wasn't a fluke, Williams in today's game got Andy Pages to pop up for the 1st out in the 9th, but then struck out both Betts and Ohtani to save the 2 run win.
Vikings' JJ McCarthy out for season with torn meniscus. Vikings are adopting the Packers strategy of just using 49ers QBs as they will go with Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens.
Pochettino as new USMNT HC?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/rumor-mauricio-pochettino-agrees-on-deal-to-become-next-usmnt-head-coach/ar-AA1oOX22
apparently. Mildly surprised but hopeful since he's a good coach
Max Muncy's throwing error allowed Max Muncy to score.
https://www.mlb.com/news/athletics-max-muncy-faces-off-against-dodgers-max-muncy
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
State Senator Michael Maroney (R-WV) arrested for touching his Pokey at noon in the middle of the gaming room at Gumby's Cigarette & Beer World. He had all his assignments stripped from him. He was also arrested for soliciting a prostitute in 2019.
https://www.wdtv.com/2024/08/14/state-senator-arrested-indecent-exposure-disorderly-conduct/
In case you missed it, Liz Truss was speaking in Sussex and this happened...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgYHlLg331s
When the state announced the creation of yet another slice-niche political party that will at most briefly prove to be a divisive distraction, but have no actual effect on policy, it made we wonder why we don't relabel (or divide) a given party between the group that wants to apply certain principles to attempts to find a productive compromise and the group of dogma driven ideologic zealots that have no interest in facts or progress. Seems it would be useful.
"I feel like one of my roles in this now is to be the anti-Tommy Tuberville, to show that football coaches are not the dumbest people" - Gov. Tim Walz
hahahaha
CAL
Go Bears!!!
DBD AV CLUB
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
Demetris Robertson came to Cal as a 5-star WR, the #1 ranked WR in the country. He had an freshman All-American season, then got injured early in his second season. He went to Georgia because he was homesick. He spent 3 years at Georgia buried in the rotation. He then transferred to Auburn for his sixth year and got a few more looks - but his first year at Cal was about half the production he had his entire college career. He then was an UDFA to the Seahawks and then was quickly cut and now has no presence online. He could have had a great career at Cal.
https://auburntigers.com/sports/football/roster/season/2021/player/demetris-robertson