its about 10 degrees cooler than it was a week ago. The July/August 7th Circle of Hell period looks to have crested and habitable conditions will hopefully resume in the next few weeks
One night after looking Sleepy in Seattle, the Oakland Athletics hoped to rebound in game two of the three-game set against the red-hot Seattle Mariners. The 75-56 M’s are one game ahead of the Astros in the AL West and had won nine of their last ten games. The Athletics sent lefty Ken Waldichuk to the mound tonight. Waldichuk is 2-7 with a 6.05 ERA in 29 games (eighteen starts) in the 2023 season. Luke Weaver took the mound for the Mariners, replacing George Kirby who was a late scratch with an illness. Weaver is 2-4 with a 6.05 ERA in 21 starts this year, but this is his first start since being traded to the Mariners at the deadline.
Seth Brown got things started early sending a Weaver 84-mph sweeper into the right field stands for his twelfth homer of the year. Brent Rooker lined a double into the gap in right-centerfield, but Tony Kemp grounded out 1-3 to end the inning. Waldichuk breezed through the bottom of the first with the Julio Rodriguez-less lineup. Rodriguez was also a last-minute scratch due to a sore foot.
It’s the time of the baseball season where, if you’re lucky enough to have have won a fair amount of games, team success far outweighs individual success. Squads long removed from contention may have flipped the page to the individuals — giving prospects their first glimpse of the show, trying players in new roles and at new positions, chasing accolades — but those still looking at the standings are focused primarily on the team.
Win, win, win. That’s the goal. That’s the focus. That’s what matters.
It was the best pitching performance of the year for the Giants. And a complete game 1 hitter win allowing 1 run isn't bad. But a no-hit shutout would have been so much better, save for that 2 out hit.
I watched the top of the 9th. Couldn't tell how far Matos was from the ball, but it looked like if he dove he had a shot. But I didn't watch a replay but he looked kind of close live.
I was at the Jordan Zimmermann no-hitter that was saved with two out in the ninth by a diving catch by the left fielder. I've seen a couple replays but still don't have a good feel if diving would have helped last night.
Clayton Kershaw battled early command woes and walked back-to-back hitters in the first inning, but recovered. He was backed by a busy Dodgers offense, including a milestone home run by Mookie Betts in a 9-1 blowout of the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.
Seven of the Dodgers' nine hitters reached base multiple times. One of the exceptions was Freddie Freeman, who left two-thirds of the way through, getting a breather as the team led by eight runs.
I had a late night cross-town pilgrimage to Joe's Pizza on East 14th to enjoy a perfect New York slice. The ambiance was [chefskiss.gif] - SUVs pulling up in the no parking zone right out front and then a gaggle of 50-molarity-New-Yorker characters piling into the store, the staff bribing the garbage guys with free pies and drinks to take their extra garbage, and several large rats running around with no fear of humans.
I had a tenant who insisted that he could hear mice scratching in the walls and insisted that they were in the joist spaces above his kitchen ceiling where they were excreting and creating a smelly environment.
Mrs Slug and I inspected the kitchen. No offensive smells or scratching sounds audible. At his insistence I bought a borescope from Home Depot. Looked in the joist space above the kitchen ceiling. Nothing but insulation and dust. No rodents, no rodent feces, no torn up papers or rags.
He insisted that I get an exterminator to get rid of the dead mice. He threatened to withhold rent and when he saw that I was responding in a timely fashion, he insisted that he could break his lease. "You can give 30 days notice anytime you like. You've been on a month-to-month tenancy since (almost 2 years previously)." His expression changed noticeably, as if it dawned on him this was all a needless charade.
Irony: Not three weeks before his first complaint, a rat died under the floorboards not 10 feet from his kitchen. The stench was horrible at first, but Mrs Slug successfully masked the odor with rags soaked in Pine Sol and opening doors and windows to create airflow to carry the nasty odor away. Even so, nothing. Not a peep.
Eventually he gave 30 days notice. We got a new tenant, a graduate student at Cal, who loved the space when he saw it.
The Adam Project (Netflix, 13/19, WB). Not original or necessarily memorable - but it's a solid, slickly produced by-the-numbers sci-fi flick that doesn't try to do too much and sticks to just being entertaining. It was a solid movie to watch on an airplane flight.
Francis Suarez halts his POTUS campaign. In related news, Francis Suarez was running for President. In related news, Francis Suarez is the GOP mayor of Miami.
Interesting timing, as he had only the day before released his financial statement showing a bunch of questionable income sources which he did not have to disclose in his mayoral campaign.
Chesebro asks for an expedited case in Fulton County GA case. DA Fani Willis obliges and askes judge for 4 month acceleration of her proposed court date of all 19 defendants
This gaggle of defendants can't get out of their own way. Good.
Maybe Willis planned it this way by indicting 19 defendants: if any one of the indicated conspirators demands a speedy trial, it pulls the other 18 along at the same time. Do you really want to preview your case to the other 18 when the group could be tried as a group? I'd think it would put the prosecution at a disadvantage to try each defendant separately.
Tip for watching Cal vs. NTS football. The game is on ESPNU which somehow I don't have and doubtless many other Cal fans don't either. However you can stream ESPNU on You Tube with a subscription. Don't want to pay for a subscription? I don't either. No problem. Try a one-week trial.
BERKELEY -- The California football team heads to the Lone Star State for its 2023 season-opener on Saturday against North Texas at 1 p.m. PT. The Golden Bears and Mean Green are set to meet for the second time in history.
BERKELEY- The California women's soccer team (0-2) is set to host a pair of matches this week at Edwards Stadium. The Golden Bears welcome San Francisco in their home opener on Thursday, Aug 29. before hosting Cal Poly on Sunday.
Former California men's golf standouts Max Homa and Collin Morikawa will play for the 2023 United States Ryder Cup Team, which was finalized by U.S. captain Zach Johnson on Tuesday. The pair will compete for the U.S. squad on Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.
Homa, a 2013 Cal graduate, will make his Ryder Cup debut after clinching a spot on the U.S. roster as one of six automatic qualifiers on Aug. 21. U.S. players earned points beginning in 2022 through the BMW Championship, played on Aug. 20, with the top-six eligible players on the points list securing spots on the team; Homa finished fifth with 9,638.764 points. Homa is ranked seventh in the world and won two events in 2022-23 along with going 4-0-0 at the 2022 Presidents Cup.
Saw a guy wearing a Cal sweatshirt in the concourse as I got off the plane at Newark Airport. I gave him a loud "Go Bears!". I got zero reaction. Not a flinch or even the standard reaction - which is a moment of confusion. My kid immediately noticed and said "dad, some people just buy sweatshirts and have no allegiance to a school or team"
On October 7th, Jack Plummer is expected to start in a game playing against Notre Dame, three different teams in three sequential years. Purdue -> Cal -> Louisville. Jack runs out of eligibility this season- so Cal wouldn't be able to against Jack Plummer in 2024.
In 2018, USC started JT Daniels on a team that included 18 players that would eventually be on an NFL roster at some point, including Iman Marshall who did this to help Cal win 15-14
This Saturday, Daniels will play for his fourth team. USC -> Georgia -> West Virginia -> Rice
Last year, Rice (lead by OC Marquis Tuiasosopo) had the 84th best offense in D1, 12 spots higher than Cal. Rice played in a bowl despite having a losing record, including losing its last regular season game against North Texas. Rice's 2022 leading tackler was Chris Conti.
Burpees
ESPN's long-form article about the evil invention of Dr. Royal H. Burpee
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38277992/how-burpee-turned-detroit-lions-contenders
WEATHER
Weather in Denton Texas. High 90s and relatively low humidity. Still too early to get an accurate forecast on Saturday's weather.
It's Texas so probably hotter than hell.
Dry heat though
its about 10 degrees cooler than it was a week ago. The July/August 7th Circle of Hell period looks to have crested and habitable conditions will hopefully resume in the next few weeks
Texas on Labor Day weekend is no one's idea of resort destination conditions.
Hurricane Idalia comes ashore as a Cat 3 storm
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/30/hurricane-idalia-florida-desantis-00113438
PRO
Davis Mills get replaced as the Texan's starter. Mills held the 2022 NFL co-lead for interceptions
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2023/08/texans-name-c-j-stroud-starting-quarterback
49ers turn to randos to do kicking as Moody is questionable and the backup's injury seems serious
https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/kickers-workout-tristan-vizcaino-taylor-russelino/1651155/
Guardians designate Thor for assignment. I hope he doesn't spiral into depression
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38273494/guardians-designate-syndergaard-assignment-start
Of course his one good game was against the Dodgers.
New England Patriots cut all their quarterbacks not named Mac Jones.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38285358/source-patriots-waive-qbs-bailey-zappe-malik-cunningham
Chase Garbers is available
ICYMI: woman accidentally shot another woman at a Chisox game by smuggling the gun into the stadium in the folds of her belly fat
https://twitter.com/peggykusinski/status/1696575221082321361
That falls under the heading of people do stupid shit.
Spanish Football federation triples down in defending President who kissed star player against her will by [checks notes] threatening to sue her...
https://www.politico.eu/article/spanish-football-federation-threatens-legal-action-against-player-kiss-controversy-rubiales/
His mother is still on a hunger strike.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/luis-rubiales-mother-hunger-strike-kiss-b2401697.html
Athletics take down the streaking Mariners 3-1 in Seattle
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2023/8/29/23851815/athletics-mariners-waldichuk-langeliers-may
One night after looking Sleepy in Seattle, the Oakland Athletics hoped to rebound in game two of the three-game set against the red-hot Seattle Mariners. The 75-56 M’s are one game ahead of the Astros in the AL West and had won nine of their last ten games. The Athletics sent lefty Ken Waldichuk to the mound tonight. Waldichuk is 2-7 with a 6.05 ERA in 29 games (eighteen starts) in the 2023 season. Luke Weaver took the mound for the Mariners, replacing George Kirby who was a late scratch with an illness. Weaver is 2-4 with a 6.05 ERA in 21 starts this year, but this is his first start since being traded to the Mariners at the deadline.
Seth Brown got things started early sending a Weaver 84-mph sweeper into the right field stands for his twelfth homer of the year. Brent Rooker lined a double into the gap in right-centerfield, but Tony Kemp grounded out 1-3 to end the inning. Waldichuk breezed through the bottom of the first with the Julio Rodriguez-less lineup. Rodriguez was also a last-minute scratch due to a sore foot.
Yay! Tough win, but a win.
Down the stretch the A's bullpen was awesome. Especially since 44k souls were there - biggest Seattle crowd since 2014
Alex Cobb one-hits the Reds, fuels the Giants’ fire
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2023/8/30/23851876/giants-reds-alex-cobb-austin-slater
It’s the time of the baseball season where, if you’re lucky enough to have have won a fair amount of games, team success far outweighs individual success. Squads long removed from contention may have flipped the page to the individuals — giving prospects their first glimpse of the show, trying players in new roles and at new positions, chasing accolades — but those still looking at the standings are focused primarily on the team.
Win, win, win. That’s the goal. That’s the focus. That’s what matters.
It was the best pitching performance of the year for the Giants. And a complete game 1 hitter win allowing 1 run isn't bad. But a no-hit shutout would have been so much better, save for that 2 out hit.
I watched the top of the 9th. Couldn't tell how far Matos was from the ball, but it looked like if he dove he had a shot. But I didn't watch a replay but he looked kind of close live.
I was at the Jordan Zimmermann no-hitter that was saved with two out in the ninth by a diving catch by the left fielder. I've seen a couple replays but still don't have a good feel if diving would have helped last night.
Clayton Kershaw and Mookie Betts reach milestones in Dodgers blowout win
https://www.truebluela.com/2023/8/29/23851796/clayton-kershaw-209-wins-dodgers-mookie-betts-home-run-diamondbacks
Clayton Kershaw battled early command woes and walked back-to-back hitters in the first inning, but recovered. He was backed by a busy Dodgers offense, including a milestone home run by Mookie Betts in a 9-1 blowout of the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.
Seven of the Dodgers' nine hitters reached base multiple times. One of the exceptions was Freddie Freeman, who left two-thirds of the way through, getting a breather as the team led by eight runs.
Delivery
LOL
https://twitter.com/jeremyjudkins_/status/1696528664542990818
RODENT
I had a late night cross-town pilgrimage to Joe's Pizza on East 14th to enjoy a perfect New York slice. The ambiance was [chefskiss.gif] - SUVs pulling up in the no parking zone right out front and then a gaggle of 50-molarity-New-Yorker characters piling into the store, the staff bribing the garbage guys with free pies and drinks to take their extra garbage, and several large rats running around with no fear of humans.
What about Ron DeSantis?
I want to sell my house because the Westside of Santa Barbara is built on rodents.
I had a tenant who insisted that he could hear mice scratching in the walls and insisted that they were in the joist spaces above his kitchen ceiling where they were excreting and creating a smelly environment.
Mrs Slug and I inspected the kitchen. No offensive smells or scratching sounds audible. At his insistence I bought a borescope from Home Depot. Looked in the joist space above the kitchen ceiling. Nothing but insulation and dust. No rodents, no rodent feces, no torn up papers or rags.
He insisted that I get an exterminator to get rid of the dead mice. He threatened to withhold rent and when he saw that I was responding in a timely fashion, he insisted that he could break his lease. "You can give 30 days notice anytime you like. You've been on a month-to-month tenancy since (almost 2 years previously)." His expression changed noticeably, as if it dawned on him this was all a needless charade.
Irony: Not three weeks before his first complaint, a rat died under the floorboards not 10 feet from his kitchen. The stench was horrible at first, but Mrs Slug successfully masked the odor with rags soaked in Pine Sol and opening doors and windows to create airflow to carry the nasty odor away. Even so, nothing. Not a peep.
Eventually he gave 30 days notice. We got a new tenant, a graduate student at Cal, who loved the space when he saw it.
Tenants do really vary quite a bit.
Norwegian
DBD AV CLUB
The Adam Project (Netflix, 13/19, WB). Not original or necessarily memorable - but it's a solid, slickly produced by-the-numbers sci-fi flick that doesn't try to do too much and sticks to just being entertaining. It was a solid movie to watch on an airplane flight.
I was a bad boy last night - totally fell asleep when I was watching a unit with my wife - I mean 98% of the show...
...well, the episode last night.
Indiana Jones V out on streaming and on-demand.
It was rolling along nicely, chock full of nostalgia, until it got absolutely focking STUPID.
OUR CRUMBLNG DEMOCRACY
Francis Suarez halts his POTUS campaign. In related news, Francis Suarez was running for President. In related news, Francis Suarez is the GOP mayor of Miami.
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/29/francis-suarez-suspends-presidential-campaign-00113361
Interesting timing, as he had only the day before released his financial statement showing a bunch of questionable income sources which he did not have to disclose in his mayoral campaign.
Chesebro asks for an expedited case in Fulton County GA case. DA Fani Willis obliges and askes judge for 4 month acceleration of her proposed court date of all 19 defendants
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4177485-fulton-county-da-asks-judge-to-expedite-cases-of-all-19-defendants-in-georgia/
This gaggle of defendants can't get out of their own way. Good.
Maybe Willis planned it this way by indicting 19 defendants: if any one of the indicated conspirators demands a speedy trial, it pulls the other 18 along at the same time. Do you really want to preview your case to the other 18 when the group could be tried as a group? I'd think it would put the prosecution at a disadvantage to try each defendant separately.
McConnell has another moment.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/30/mcconnell-freeze-speaking/
It's really time for him and Feinstein to call it a day
CAL
[wolf-whistle]
https://twitter.com/CalFootball/status/1696650893200875714
Forbes: UC Berkeley is #5 overall, #1 public
https://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/
Same as we'll be in football.
Tip for watching Cal vs. NTS football. The game is on ESPNU which somehow I don't have and doubtless many other Cal fans don't either. However you can stream ESPNU on You Tube with a subscription. Don't want to pay for a subscription? I don't either. No problem. Try a one-week trial.
Thanks! Good idea.
Go to the WFC watch party.
Wait, there's a party for a watch? What kind of timepiece is this that it warrants being feted?
A most impressive movement...
[FB] Cal Opens 2023 Season At North Texas
https://calbears.com/news/2023/8/29/football-cal-opens-2023-season-at-north-texas.aspx
BERKELEY -- The California football team heads to the Lone Star State for its 2023 season-opener on Saturday against North Texas at 1 p.m. PT. The Golden Bears and Mean Green are set to meet for the second time in history.
[WSOC] Cal Hosts San Francisco, Cal Poly
https://calbears.com/news/2023/8/29/womens-soccer-cal-hosts-san-francisco-cal-poly.aspx
BERKELEY- The California women's soccer team (0-2) is set to host a pair of matches this week at Edwards Stadium. The Golden Bears welcome San Francisco in their home opener on Thursday, Aug 29. before hosting Cal Poly on Sunday.
[MGOLF] Homa, Morikawa To Compete In Ryder Cup
https://calbears.com/news/2023/8/29/mens-golf-homa-morikawa-to-compete-in-ryder-cup.aspx
Former California men's golf standouts Max Homa and Collin Morikawa will play for the 2023 United States Ryder Cup Team, which was finalized by U.S. captain Zach Johnson on Tuesday. The pair will compete for the U.S. squad on Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.
Homa, a 2013 Cal graduate, will make his Ryder Cup debut after clinching a spot on the U.S. roster as one of six automatic qualifiers on Aug. 21. U.S. players earned points beginning in 2022 through the BMW Championship, played on Aug. 20, with the top-six eligible players on the points list securing spots on the team; Homa finished fifth with 9,638.764 points. Homa is ranked seventh in the world and won two events in 2022-23 along with going 4-0-0 at the 2022 Presidents Cup.
Go Bears!!!
Saw a guy wearing a Cal sweatshirt in the concourse as I got off the plane at Newark Airport. I gave him a loud "Go Bears!". I got zero reaction. Not a flinch or even the standard reaction - which is a moment of confusion. My kid immediately noticed and said "dad, some people just buy sweatshirts and have no allegiance to a school or team"
This is why I don’t Go Bears people
It's worth the risk
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
The front page of today's Daily Tar Heel
https://twitter.com/caitlyn_yaede/status/1696678904683970574
Section 303 at the Coliseum
https://twitter.com/CFBcampustour/status/1695616056558317915
OBS VU indeed.
On October 7th, Jack Plummer is expected to start in a game playing against Notre Dame, three different teams in three sequential years. Purdue -> Cal -> Louisville. Jack runs out of eligibility this season- so Cal wouldn't be able to against Jack Plummer in 2024.
He was a bit statuesque out there
In 2018, USC started JT Daniels on a team that included 18 players that would eventually be on an NFL roster at some point, including Iman Marshall who did this to help Cal win 15-14
https://twitter.com/KevinOnCFB/status/1061508244852629504
This Saturday, Daniels will play for his fourth team. USC -> Georgia -> West Virginia -> Rice
Last year, Rice (lead by OC Marquis Tuiasosopo) had the 84th best offense in D1, 12 spots higher than Cal. Rice played in a bowl despite having a losing record, including losing its last regular season game against North Texas. Rice's 2022 leading tackler was Chris Conti.
Week 1 starts tomorrow. IMHO, the best games appear to be:
Florida @ #14 Utah (-4.5)
Nebraska @ Minnesota (-7)
Nebraska plays volleyball in front of 90,000 fans tonight
SUPER MOON TONIGHT!!! The best time to view is at moonrise: https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/
BLUE MOON!!!!
WITH A REFRESHING SLICE OF ORANGE!!!
You saw me standing alone… 🎶
Is the Calford to ACC move dead?
We're sort of hearing crickets.
Preoccupied with Idalia?
Good point
Vote delayed due to UNC shooting.
We’ll see…