Hello and welcome to another evening of fun and frolic here at Avoiding the Drop! There is plenty to discuss tonight in sports. New England Revolution are playing S.L. Benfica, one of the top Portugese teams, in a “friendly” tonight. There is plenty of baseball action across the country, and Los Angeles looks to duplicate Boston’s winning ways against Phoenix in the NBA playoffs. There’s also election news, continuing oil spill news, or the butler in New York City who inherited millions from his boss.
As my paying job is that of a teacher and we are approaching the start of the 2010 World Cup, I thought I would join Tim Howard and give a plug for 1GOAL, a FIFA initiative to help ensure all children everywhere have access to education. If Tim Howard wasn’t eye-candy enough for you, here’s Shakira and some friends, singing and dancing to her official song for World Cup 2010 and also endorsing 1GOAL. Enjoy the video and the conversation.
Evening ladies. What’s your take on that Mourinho piece I did today. The real one, where he claimed the Champions League was bigger than the World Cup. He said something along the lines of it being bigger because the National teams couldn’t go out and you know, buy the best players.
I say, what about the Brazillian team from a few years ago, or the current Spanish team. What would that team be worth on the open market.
That and players slack off once they get paid, excepting contract years. Oh and the TV audience is 5 -10 times larger. I call B.S on Mourinho’s part. Douche.
/ranting is over.
I think you’re right.
I also think that Mourinho does an excellent job of taking pressure off his players. Now, the media will be attracted to his stupid comments like moths to fire and not be bothering his players so that they can concentrate on match prep. He did the same at Chelsea. I’m sure that Terry was just as big of, well Terry, but the media never bothered to look since they were always talking about the manager.
Just got my new computer: MSI Wind U123. I’m finding the keyboard is taking a bit to break in, but I’m typing better now than I was when I opened it up for the first time an hour ago.
Still don’t have internet at my place, so I’m going to continue my wilderness status for a while.
I have reached a place in my life where I could no longer live without Internet. Well I guess I could, but it would involve a beautiful woman and endless sex.
If it’s possible for me to check it, then it’s an itch that can’t scratch itself. If I have to go 10 minutes or so somewhere, then i’m not as bothered. I do, however, wish that I had it this summer. I want to work on my internet writing skillz and having a connection would help. Also, I’d be doing a better job at keeping in touch with my friends, which I miss.
one of my brother’s friends is giving him a signal enhancer this weekend. It should allow us to share the signal from my parent’s house. It will be an exciting time to be alive if it works.
BTW, I installed Ubuntu 10.04 on my old laptop as it was dying – I hardly got a chance to use it, but it has a feature quite similar to the spaces feature, which was my favourite one on the mac and honestly one of the biggest reasons I would have bought another mac (the other is that the computer just felt like it was made well). I’m going to try switching over to ubuntu as my main OS. I’m downloading the netbook edition as I write this.
good luck with that
If the netbook edition of Ubuntu doesn’t work for you, try another Linux distro call Zenwalk….not as flashy as the newer distros, but designed to be very functional on older computers. I am pretty sure its based on Debian so you have that full repository for stuff you might need that isn’t included in the basic install.
thanks!
ps. I understand that it was someone else who spilled the Terry beans, but I just used him since he’s been the biggest story in England this season.
Definitely one of them. And now it comes out that would over there that the men would rather win the world cup than bang Cheryl Cole…. Tsk tsk.
I was going to say that it’s only a game and they should get their priorities straight, but only 24 (or whatever) win the world cup every 4 years. Does that make it more rare?
PS, I never realized you are a soccer fan. Do you follow a club (you mentioned you like the special one on chelsea on your post didn’t you?)/country?
yeah, I’m a Chelsea fan and follow both Ireland and Italy as I’m a cross-breed of both.
What up, people? Have you guys seen this Buzz Bissinger meltdown on twitter? He is calling people douch juices and what not. I didn’t know who he was until today, but it is solid gold. http://twitter.com/buzzbissinger
2 years ago he went on Costas Live with Will Leitch of Deadspin and went nuts. Told Leitch how much bloggers piss the shit of him. Bissinger went nuts and just ranted. Completely misunderstood how stupid he would be and that people who write on the net can be pretty astute readers (in fairness, one of his points was that the problem with bloggers is that they’re often mean).
He also likes Barbaro, but he wrote Friday Night Lights, so he’s not all bad.
So he’s been melting down for two years? Wow, how does he keep it so fresh?
I’ve seen bits of it. I don’t know though, he’s always kind of been outspoken and he himself says that it’s not a meltdown, though that hardly means anything I guess
He wrote Friday Night Lights, one of the greatest sports books ever.
Hola boys! Finally done working for the day, and finished dinner. Time to take a load off…what’s doin’ around here?
tee hee. She said take a load…
huh huh huh. Load.
/yeah, i’m 13 too.
CPSL moment + semper’s long writing style:
I’ve been out of school for a couple of weeks now. This past weekend, I met up with one of my former classmates and had a really good time. She’s the kind of girl that I like (shortest summary): independent / driven (finished MSc while working), athletic (and consequently likes for going for walks / will play tennis or whatever), will watch sports (not really a big deal if she doesn’t, but it’s a bonus) and isn’t against having a few drinks. Oh yeah, and short hair. For some reason I find girls with short hair hot. It could be because I stereotype them as being fun and down to earth.
Unfortunately, I’ve committed to Chinaland (although I suppose I could back out even though i’ve signed a contract, but that’s not the way I like to roll) for next year and while she may be in Aussie teaching next year, that’s as close as we’re going to get.
It sucks because I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do in the next couple years and it involves travelling while teaching to some different places so that I can improve on my French and German / perhaps even spend some time teaching in India or Africa and grow more as a person. I figured that since I’m basically almost always single, it wouldn’t be like there would be anyone that would maybe prevent me from doing whatever in the next few years (in a way, I was looking at it as potentially pretty close to total freedom). Now, things are a little muddier – girls who actually like me don’t come along that often.
I’m still going to be going to China and we’re just going to enjoy the summer and hang out as much as my very limited time when I’m not working will allow (we’re almost 2 hours apart and I only get a few days a month off).
I can always do other travelling later (hey, as a teacher summers off with disposable income) and one thing I feel that I’ve maybe made a mistake in the past is being too focussed on school and grandiose plans after this year may reflect that.
Only time will tell.
tl;dr
kidding. but i’ve got nothing to add other than ‘good luck with that’
yeah, it’s pretty much just enjoy the summer.
Best of luck man. They tend to say that a relationship seems to spring up when you’re not looking for one. That’s what happened with the girl I’m currently on a break(up) with. Neither of us was looking, but bam. I’d suggest playing it cool and just letting it happen and not worry about future plans. Those who are smarter and better equipped than me would say that if it’s meant to be, the time apart won’t be a concern because if it’s meant to be it’s meant to be.
/Talking out of ass
//Have no idea about women.
The just letting it happen seems like a good call. That’s the way we’re going to try and take it anyway.
I guess the part that I’m rueing as much as anything is that I’ve made choices basically to pay for / continue with my schooling before.
In some ways, I think it’s a part of a larger thing more than anything else. I’m getting closer to 30 and I’ve never been in a relationship for more than a few months. As time goes on, I am kind of afraid that part won’t get any easier.
Dick Bremer, play-by-play man for the Twins, just said that it’s a good thing that it’s raining because the rain probably knocked down a ball that was hit to the warning track.
He’s like a less-retarded Joe Buck. With a worse voice.
Ummn, I’m guessing it was hit by the Twins?
Nope, Sawx. The rain is what kept the ball in Fenway, apparently. Since the RF caught it, should that be scored 10-9, with the rain being 10?
No, no, no. That’s a wrasslin’ maneuver. The batter is the defending champ. The RF is the upcoming star, and the rain is the guy who smashed the ref in the head with a chair. I think that’s how I read it
After review, the Umps have confirmed that Papi did indeed hit a 2 run homerun.
The last two days have felt like three. I shudder to think what the next two will feel like.
work or Blackhawks?
The Blackhawks have kept me up late 2 of the last 3 nights. But happy. But then I get cranky in the mornings at work, and have just been miserable.
But, I gave them fair warning, so fuck them if they get mad at me.
I haven’t watched the third of either Eastern final game so far. Too depressing and not worth being tired at work the next day.
Well, as exciting as this Blackhawks team is (and given how LOOOOONG its been) I kinda enjoy staying up for the games. Just regret it about 4:45am
There’s a movie called Icarus on tv right now. It’s Canadian. Dolph Lundgren directs and stars in it. It’s a crappy spy movie about some super ex-KGB assassian now involved with the Russian mob.
I’m just mentioning it because I’m sure Simmons would live blog it if he knew it existed. Not because I recommend watching it other than for its crappiness factor.
If I wasn’t already watching the Red Sox game, I’d be all over that. I like bad movies (I just won’t pay to see them).
@ Gally
-PS, I’ve caught bits of your recent messages with your recent girl and I’m sorry that it’s playing out the way it is.
How is the running at least, have you upgraded to shoes?
Damn you, Darnell Dockett! Couldn’t you have gone and done this before I already wrote this Sunday’s column?
Is there anything worth watching tonight, or am I going to have be responsible and clean up the kitchen and search for an apartment? (By which I mean, try to beat Modern Warfare 2 and strain myself trying to invent curses which MRD could summon with nary an effort.)
Modern Family? Or were you looking for extended time for viewing?
I keep forgetting about Modern Family – did watch an episode a few weeks ago and enjoyed it though.
I think I’m going to catch up on Justified on the ol’ TiVo. If I needed extended viewing, I’ve got some movies on TiVo, but I’m never in the mood for 2 hours of anything. ADHD, I know thee well.
you said catch up, so I imagine you like ‘Justified’?
I’m giving it a chance, put it that way. First episode was gold, middle episodes are middling in quality. Coincidentally, the show is better when it stays in Kentucky and Boyd Crowder is on stage.
Oh, revenge kill fail in first 5 minutes of this episode. Already a winner. (From April 27th episode)
Thanks. I liked Deadwood, so I’ll check it out.
FYI, Justified is based on an Elmore Leonard short story, and the Leonard influences are evident in the dialogue. If you like Leonard (I do), you’ll like Justified.
never heard of him. Should I read something by him first?
you should read Leonard just on general principle.
Elmore Leonard wrote Rum Punch, which turned into a little movie I like to call Jackie Brown. If it’s possible for anything from Tarantino to be underrated, Jackie Brown is that thing.
I’ve heard good things about Jackie Brown, but never seen it.
Elmore Leonard wrote stories that Get Shorty, Out of Sight, etc were based on.
That new cop show debuting on Fox with Colin Hanks, yeah I know, looks promising. The name fails me at the moment.
It’s from the creator of Burn Notice. I DVRed it.
I’ve switched from watching a crappy movie to finally getting to the final 3rd of seven samurai. Good times.
You made an excellent choice.
I keep meaning to watch the whole thing. I had it on the computer once, but had to delete for space concerns.
You should sit down and have a Kurosawa day/weekend sometime. I’d strongly recommend it.
Will do
OK folks, I’m done for the night. Keep it real.
Hombre, 3:10 to Yuma, Jackie Brown, Be Cool also Elmore Leonard novels done into movies.
@ Justified discussion:
“Because I didn’t order assholes with my whiskey.”
okay gang, I’m outta here tor the night. It’s been fun; see you tomorrow.