George's Final Spring Training

My first trip of more than a day in almost 6 years ...






Seattle Mariners 6
Cincinnatti Reds 5
Peoria Sports Complex
3-26-10






Okay, first of all it was really, really, really cold and wet the evening before at the SSFC opener at Qwest and the next day I am sitting in the sun lathering up in sunscreen and in shorts. I understand snowbirds on a completely different level now. We did not get tickets to this game in advance, instead going to the box office since our plane may have been late. It was a good choice as there were still seats and we pulled into the parking lot at 12:45, so there was not a lot of room for error.

Then, we saw one of the coolest moments I have ever witnessed in sports, let alone baseball. Junior comes to the plate with the bases juices, one out, and down three runs in the bottom of the 9th. People have left. The guy next to me laughs when I suggest it might happen. Ball one. Ball two. Ball three. A swing and miss at what could have been ball four. Let's face it, he's a double play if he is on first. Swing and a miss at what would have been ball four again. Full count. Then, the noise you hear when bat hits ball in a special way. Really? Ball flies to right center. Sign reads 410. Ball flies over fence. Holy $#!+ ... walk off Grand Slam!




Seattle Mariners 1
Los Angeles Dodgers 3
Camelback Ranch
3-27-10







Got to meet Tom Lasorda, and man he was not happy with our line. Got a kick out of his grouchiness though. Also, the same ball was signed by Sweet Lou Johnson and current Dodger 1B James Loney. Very cool.

The M's potential offensive woes were evident, in that the only run they got was a rocket from Matt Tuiasosopo to lead off the top of the 9th. Fun game and all, and the M's had some base runners in later innings, but stranding those guys happened all weekend. They really do need another bat.

Oh, and this game set a single game Cactus League attendance mark that would not last 24 hours ...




Seattle Mariners 0
Chicago Cubs 1
Peoria Sports Complex
3-28-10







The previous day saw an attendance record and so did Sunday as the Cubs and M's broke it 24 hours later. Back to back days with record attendance at really cool little ball parks is awesome.

Ryan Rowland-Smith pitched a gem, only giving up a single run on a sacrifice fly. However, with the M's getting the bases loaded and no outs and then striking out three straight times that sinking feeling about their offense from earlier in the weekend felt like a real problem.










Also, we managed to get to a fun little country bar on the second night, after an epic fail of trying to find it on the first night. We had planned to go to a hockey game, but it turned out to be a mixed blessing as my bro got really sick from the heat and that would have happened in the arena.

Phoenix is an easy town to get around in, and we had a great time.

I ran into Union players and coaches at the airport Friday AM ... I was wearing a SSFC jersey and they would not even look at me. I did tell Seba he was welcome here any time and he very politely nodded and said, "Thanks." Nowak shook my hand and we chatted for a few moments, I told him that his team would get there at some point and he was gracious about it but I got the impression he knew I was just being nice because they were awful.

Plus we ran into other friends at the airport on their way to Hawaii ... nice!

The pic of the Cardinals' stadium has smoke above it because the fireworks at the start of Wrestlemania had just gone off and the event was starting as we were heading to the airport after the Cubs game.



And now there is only ONE major league team for me to see play in person ... the Houston Astros.

So THAT is what "All Inclusive" means ...

Seattle Sounders FC 2
Phildelphia Union 0
March 25, 2010

First of all, since reason actually prevailed a few days ago and a new CBA was reached without a strike ... game on!

Getting tickets to this game was more complicated than it really should have been, which is probably a good thing for the SSFC itself. With the elimination of the partial season ticket package I was hosed by the organization and need to go the single game route. For the record, I could have bought a season ticket and sold the tickets or something per the ticket rep suggestion, but if I had the money to front for that in the first place I would just buy season tickets. When single game tickets went on sale the ones in my budget range went "poof" and so a couple days before this tickets were managed to be procured through the SSFC ticket exchange. Nice when things don't directly impact your budget, since I got these without using money for bills.

The tickets turned out to be something called "All Inclusive", which I heard about last year and wanted to try. Fate put me in the position to try these.



And so the SSFC sent a message to Philly that they are the expansion team now. The Union mistook playing dirty for playing physical; they are not the same thing.

The Sounders got an early goal - a key for them I believe - and both first half goals were nice combo plays. Clearly, the core group concept for this season has good potential as this is now a team with a lot of games together and it showed in some of the passing and knowledge of where other players were going to be.




In re the "All Inclusive" ... I woke up with a Kobayashi hangover. That is all I have to say.

With this match there are only three MLS teams I have yet to see in person and I hope to complete the current 16 teams this season. I know I will never see the two contracted Florida teams, but so be it. It will be cool to complete the MLS by seeing Toronto, Columbus, and Chicago before I complete MLB here real soon as I have almost completed that as well.

The burning questions for me this year for the SSFC were pretty simple. First, would the Freddies (they each spell it differently so I am just using this version) be able to play well together or would they continue to be more effective when the other was off the pitch due to suspension, injury, or Sigi pulling on of them? Two, will keeping to the core team without major signings bring continuity or allow teams to exploit their known weaknesses? Trey, will we have to continue to see that huge Pete Carroll multi-story monstrosity every time we go to Qwest Field this season? Four, will our 40 year old keeper hold up? Yes, Keller has been durable, but at this stage in his career it is a valid question given how many close games the club tends to play with their finishing issues.



I ran into Union players and coaches at the airport Friday AM ... I was wearing a SSFC jersey and they would not even look at me. I did tell Seba he was welcome here any time and he very politely nodded and said, "Thanks." Nowak shook my hand and we chatted for a few moments, I told him that his team would get there at some point and he was gracious about it but I got the impression he knew I was just being nice because they were awful.

My advice to the Sons of Ben is to drink a lot of beer before, during, and after games because you will then have beer goggles and your team will maybe look better.

Will we ever see this again?

I hope so.

Cigarette Butts at Gas Pumps

This is not what you want to find next to your gas pump ...

Geeks In Our Natural Habitat

Emerald City Comicon
March 14, 2010

I was the third person there today. The girl in a pink wig at the ticket counter wanted me to walk the maze so she could point and laugh, but I simply went under the yellow "caution" tape instead because I am clearly such a rebel.

I got a picture of Leonard Nimoy's Left temple and ear. I got yelled at by Comicon Pawns for this. So, I kept trying anyways and got a picture of Leonard Nimoy's right temple and nose. I kept getting thwarted by people moving in the way.

I ended up with a box of autographed comics I worked over six hours of lines without a break to get signed ... and Flubber on VHS signed by Wil Wheaton ... all fueled by Powerade and a Milky Way bar ...

The pics in this post are mostly of comics artists and writers ... plus me with my bro, me with Wil Wheaton, some celebrity guests, Chad Vader's more successful older brother, and The Atomic Bombshells ...

I caught Ed Brubaker right before he took a break to watch Joe Q on stage, "Because I want to keep writing Captain America," he said. Then I caught Bendis later and he gave me a free comic because I was "sweet" for liking his Alias series. The Allred's are really nice. Brian Azzarello and I discussed the ending of 100 Bullets, confirming that I actually got the ending. Darick Robertson discussed inking styles and Spider Jerusalem. Guys I have been long time fans of like Kurt Busiek, Michael Golden, and Len Wein were very gracious about discussing their old books. Mark Waid signed the biggest stack of stuff I had for any one person without blinking. Tim Sale and I discussed Spring Training. Paige was nice enough to let me stash my box at her Corner Comics booth for part of the day. Wil Wheaton was very cool and gave me tips on publishing my writing. Catching lines at the right time is tough and I missed out on Geoff Johns by mere moments, but they had a really pretty girl holding the "I am the last person in line" sign and that felt like a dirty trick. Other artists and writers were also very cool. It is best to get stuff signed on Sunday and to be organized.

Having spent nothing on autographs or photos I still managed to get 142 items signed, although I got a total of 150 signatures since several items were signed by more than one creator - including a Vertigo Winter Special from 1999 signed by 5 of the creators. This also breaks down to one VHS cover, one flier, 3 ashcans, and the rest single issues or trades.

That looked familiar

And not in a good way.

Seattle Sounders FC 0
Portland Timbers 1
Community Shield Match
3-11-10 Qwest Field

A crowd of over 18K showed up on a school night in March, which is a bigger crowd than at least a couple MLS teams will get this year, and the Sounders FC go for a 2nd consecutive game without scoring on D2 opposition.

Yes, it is preseason.

But, c'mon ... possession doesn't matter at all without some finishing.

This Timbers team was terrible, their defenders kept kicking the ball up in the air as often as with any sense of direction. It was exciting to see the SSFC go for it and pound away, but this was simply an awful result.

Only two weeks til the opener and much like last year I think that if the boys get an early goal they will win going away, but if they don't they get tight when teams bunker down and stop playing soccer the way Portland did last night.

Photos recently taken in one big post instead of a bunch of little ones

Recently went to see The Fremont Troll.

Makes me think of Modena ...

A couple days a year if it is clear the sunrise hits my outside hallway and lights up the peep hole.

My current supply of unfrosted strawberry pop tarts.

This is what happens when the 13 year old decides to reheat the pizza on his own in the microwave.

Catnip toy. Pretty much sums this up.

I toss stale bread out to the critters and this piece landed like a horseshoe ringer.

Stupid cat.

BC Place, this roof is soon to be altered with a retractable one and a road trip to see my Sounders play the Whitecaps next season here seems sort of inevitable.

No, it's not the track at Daytona, it is the onramp to the Mukilteo Speedway Southbound near my apt.

Sunrise on the way to school one morning this week.

Book list 2010 ... month two

I entered February with a small stack of old paperbacks I got for a buck each at Half Price books and a couple of library books checked out - and a few on their way. I enjoy these old crime novels from the mid 40s through the early 60s even though they are short and sort of cheesy. My library selections sort of have tilted towards narrative nonfiction here in February, but there are a number of fiction works that trickled in, and took over for a while. Last year I tried for a book a month and made it, but was really thinking about the number 100 (or 104 actually, but those last four are like the .2 at the end of the marathon when you hit the 26 mile marker and aren't quite done) and fell short at 83. Again, these are in the order finished, which is different than the order started because I usually have more than one book going at a time.

Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux by John G. Neihardt
I started this once several years ago and only read a brief chunk. I am glad I decided to revisit. This book has enjoyed a huge following over the decades and when I finally got the time to sit down and read it this time it is clear why. So many native languages and histories have been lost, we are fortunate to have this. I have looked out over the Little Big Horn and wondered what it was like ...

Lyrics by Sting
I have to agree with Sting in that the removal of music takes lyrics away from their context. But, as I know all of these songs, I heard the music as I read. This was like reading the liner notes to a giant box set of Sting's solo material and all of The Police records in one package.

White King and Red Queen: How the Cold War Was Fought on the Chessboard by Daniel Johnson
An interesting take on the Cold War through the world of high level chess. With nearly a third of the book looking at Bobby Fischer and 1972. This is by no means an objective historical study of the subject looking at both sides as a disinterested observer, it is a very unapologetic politically conservative look and needs to be read with that in mind.

Kasparov and Deep Blue: The Historic Chess Match Between Man and Machine by Bruce Pandolfini
In 1996 Kasparov won 4-2 leading to the re-match in 1997 where he lost to the computer 3.5-2.5 in the final match. Technically, that makes it a split - and in soccer would be 6.5-5.5 on aggregate to Kasparov. However, the final game was a rout by the computer that is all that is generally remembered and distorts the reality that Kasparov won more games overall. This book is a move by move analysis of the six games in the second match.

And Another Thing ...: Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Part Six of Three by Eoin Colfer
I saw this on the shelf at a bookstore recently and literally stopped in my tracks stunned that there really was such a book. I love this material and had huge and mixed emotions about it, sort of like the Alice In Chains reunion. Yes, both of these have the endorsement of relevant family members ... but it is hard to take it all too seriously. I decided to split hairs and get Colfer's book from the library. I have yet to do the same with the other project.

The Greks Bring Gifts by Murray Leinster
This 1964 novel hits you over the head with its message. There is a note on the inside cover that reads "this is a contrived book" from a previous owner. Basically, it takes the "teach a man to fish" parable about dependency, sets it in a science fiction setting, and then pounds the issue. That being said ... The note inside doesn't do it justice. This is a terrible book on many, many levels ... and is perhaps the worst book I have ever read, or at least completed. It is all absolutes and excessive adjectives and if I wasn't reading for a number this year and stubborn (plus, it is short) I would have never got through it. It was overpriced at a dollar.

Angel Face by Fan Nichols
In 1955 this must have been a shocking tale. Today, it seems like an early draft or inspiration for Fatal Attraction. It reads quick and is fairly entertaining, but could also be a turned into a decent episode of Law & Order today ...

Suzy, Led Zeppelin, and Me by Martin Millar
This book made me wish it was 1981 again and I was preparing to go to my first Rolling Stones concert. It also made me think of the girls I crushed on and got no where with when I was 14, so it sort of evened out at that point. I have seen Plant and Page in concert, but Plant was solo and Page was in The Firm ... but, I too got to the front and could almost reach up and touch the guitar, and then the wall broke and there was trouble and Page and Paul Rogers had to talk the crowd back under control.

A Feast of Friends by Rosser Evans
A novel I got during one of my old paperback buying sprees. Set during the Great Depression, this 1961 Gatsby-ish tale is the reflections of a friend the first days after a tragic and mysterious or suspicious death. However it is not nearly as derivative as I thought it might be, which made for a much more entertaining read.

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
I loved this book and have already been recommending it to people. The Amazon has been the source of all sorts of stories, myths, and adventures and this book is a great look at all of that. Percy Fawcett is actually the inspiration for The Lost World. The disappearance of the Fawcett Expedition in 1925 is one of the great mysteries of the 20th century.

Voice of the Fire by Alan Moore
The first prose novel by the writer of Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and The Killing Joke. There are few writers that make me need to slow down and absorb their prose without pissing me off, Moore is now on that very short list after this novel. Still, this is a tricky read and only something to read if you are ready to be challenged.

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
I have a lot of comments about this that will appear soon. The Ten Thousand Hour Rule seems valid though.

Fakers: Hoaxers, Con Artists, Counterfeiters, and Other Great Pretenders by Paul Maliszewski
I have always found that when I take stuff that is lifelike but fictionalized that I need to place words like "short story", "a fictionalized account of possible real events", or even "fiction" just below the title. Not everyone feels that way or works under that simple rule. That is what this book is about.

War Reporting for Cowards by Chris Ayres
Sending a young man who had never really been camping and had primarily been a hollywood or financial reporter to Iraq to be embedded in with Marines invading Iraq was only ever really going to lead to a funny book or a tragic ending. Fortunately, we got the funny book.


February total = 14 / YTD = 27 (goal 100)