And that’s about it folks, not too much to add. Jon Jones does not like Luke Thomas so he will in fact not be answering his question. Minutes after confirming he in fact does “not give a fuck,” Jon Jones supplies us with a tangible example of the lack of fucks he gives.
In all seriousness though, with my resentment towards how entitled sports media can be this was pure gold and made my week.
Hearing now that David Price’s elbow barking again. Would Sox DL him before tonight’s start? Plot thickens.
— Dan Shaughnessy (@Dan_Shaughnessy) July 28, 2017
This will be an interesting story to watch develop throughout the day.
The Red Sox have had lots of bad contracts since John Henry and company bought the team. Carl Crawford and Pablo Sandoval were both huge letdowns in Boston. John Lackey was a vocal malcontent who did nothing to endear himself to fans, but at least he was able to ignore the noise and revive his career in 2013. In doing so, he earned the begrudging respect of fans. But David Price is different.
I don’t see any way this David Price situation can be salvaged. I don’t see any way David Price can man up the way John Lackey did. Price must not own a mirror, because in his world, everyone else is the problem. Mean tweets, mean things Evan Drellich wrote, mean things Dennis Eckersley said, those are the real things holding Price and this team back. Not his astounding lack of focus and effort. Skipping tonight’s start and leaving his team out to dry on 12 hours notice would be just another middle finger David Price could give to this team and its fans.
There have been lots of players who came to Boston and didn’t live up to the hype. But where there was disappointment with the play of Julio Lugo and JD Drew, it feels like fans are actively rooting against David Price at this point. I know I am. I am an unapologetic Red Sox fan, but I do not suffer fools gladly.
This Red Sox team is full of fake tough guys right now, and David Price is Exhibit A. David Price knows how tough this game is. It’s much tougher than him. That’s why he might not pitch with a boo-boo. He wouldn’t want to risk anything more serious.
But I hope David Price does take the ball tonight and gets whacked by the Royals. It’s high time for this guy to take his medicine. Eventually John Lackey dropped the act and got his head on straight. It took him a full season with a 6.41 ERA to figure it out, but he did. We’ll see what it takes to get David Price to that point.
So in whats become one of the most lengthy Red Sox dramas that I can remember in a long time, David Price and the boys are morphing into a group of unlikeable assholes right before our eyes. It started of course with Shaugnessy’s story detailing how Price was berating Hall of Famer and NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley on the team plane in front of everyone, supposedly because of Eck’s “Yuck” comment about a recent E-Rod rehab start. Not because Eck was criticizing Price, not because Price also recently flipped the fuck out on Evan Drellich (also in front of a crowd of reporters), but because he’s a good teammate. If you think thats a pretty convenient excuse for Price to rip into a member of the media merely to defend a teammate, then you’re right – its bullshit.
All speculation and 2nd hand from Shaugnessy, but if I’m Eck I am open palm SLAPPING Price in the face after this. #RedSox pic.twitter.com/YibvM6yBtC
— The 300s (@The300sBoston) July 24, 2017
Price is actually pitching well, but he seems to be falling apart mentally, lashing out at anyone and everyone for various reasons.
“Oh man, this is stressful. *deep breath*” #RedSox #Angels #DavidPrice #JohnFarrell #NESN pic.twitter.com/DflC2QLfvZ
— The 300s (@The300sBoston) July 23, 2017
While you’re still an asshole for the way you went about it, you can rip into Evan Drellich and no one will care. But when you start talking shit to a national treasure like Eck and do it on the plane surrounded by your teammates like a schoolyard bully? Then thats where the problem starts. If there’s one thing fans in Boston do not like its entitlement. Now obviously thats a sliding scale with all professional athletes because they’re all entitled to some degree, but when the $30M per year pitcher starts grandstanding and bitching about every little slight because he can’t handle his Twitter notifications, then its a BIG problem.
To make matters worse, rather than suspend, fine or ya know TALK to Price about the incident and ask him “uhh you good big guy?” Instead of doing any of those things, the Red Sox ignored the problem and literally changed the plane boarding procedure. Rather than address the issue, lets just bury our heads in the sand and separate the kids like its recess.
Rather than address the issue the #RedSox apparently changed the team flight boarding policy. Thats a real bad look. pic.twitter.com/8xt3bBU3zO
— The 300s (@The300sBoston) July 24, 2017
Now we hear that other Red Sox players and even Pedroia (Bradfo disagrees) were cheering Price on while he was berating Eck? Like a bunch of assholes. Thats a goddamn shame. Talk about poisoning the fucking well.
If this galvanizes the team and they f-bomb everyone around them all the way to a World Series title then thats one thing. That’ll be their thing. 2013 was Boston Strong, 2004 was the Idiots, 2017 can be the miserable assholes who rail against the world. But if they don’t? If they stumble down the stretch and get bounced in the first round or somehow miss the playoffs? I wouldn’t put it past John Henry to say FUCK THIS and send a drastically different looking team to Fort Myers in 2018.
Now after weeks of this incident lingering, sports radio eviscerating the players, and just general fan backlash, the Red Sox return home from a long west coast road trip and send none other than David Price to the mound Friday night. This guy better take the hill and strike out the side right out of the gate because if he doesn’t he very well may get his balls booed off. There’s a lot of pressure on Price tonight, about as much as there can be for a game in the dead of July, but holy shit, if this guy comes out and takes a beating tonight? Forget it, the Fenway faithful might literally break this guy’s psyche. And I for one am excited as all hell to see this unfold.
Want to vocalize your distaste for all this bullshit going on with the Red Sox? Maybe get in David Price’s brain from the stands to rattle his cage a little bit? Buy a Yuck shirt.
You’ve by now no doubt seen this little story regarding Stephen A. reporting that Lebron wants to beat up Kyrie. Now add to that Lebron angrily denying it and their ensuing cat-fight. I think Smith actually threatened Lebron today a la the same way he did Kevin Durant awhile back. whatever.
Now, I hate Lebron James with every fiber of my being and I admit that. I think he is an overrated, pretentious, narcissistic asshole. However, I will pay him a compliment. I think he probably does the best “hold me back” in recorded human history. He is a solid actor, as evidenced by all the flopping he does and shocked faces he makes. I can absolutely picture him, standing 6’8, seeing Kyrie Irving from across the nail salon and shouting for his bodyguards, standing 6’9, as a 6’8 man tends to need, to hold him back, or else.
Let’s call it like it is people. Lebron James has been coddled, insulated, and treated like a princess since he was in High School. He, as a product of a single mother, single income household, famously rolled up to St. Francis-St. Mary in a Hummer. At 32 years old, caring more about your #brand than anything else on earth, when your knuckles are part of your livelihood, you don’t decide to take up solving your problems in a physical manner, at least not personally. It would do too much damage to both his d-bag image and possibly his career if he hurt his hand.
Now I’ll say this is also a another one of a growing number huge losses for Stephen A. . He is more and more being called out for the lack of substance in what he says and since Brian Windhorst has the Lebron lapdog market cornered, Stephen A. is grasping at straws when it comes to breaking stories about Queen James.
Overall though this is still a bigger Lebron loss, as he looks like he’s playing Tommy Toughguy. You could tie Kyrie’s hands behind his back and I doubt LBJ would swing. WEST ORANGE, NJ STAND UP.
In what many described as the first ever crowdsourced album because of Kanye’s multiple tweaks to the album AFTER it had already been released, 2016’s The Life of Pablo is another hit in Yeezy’s catalogue. It was also the first album ever to go Platinum entirely from streams. As most of his recent albums have been, they definitely take a couple listens through to understand, but as he did with 808s and Heartbreak, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and Yeezus, Kanye is ahead of the game — wacky song titles and all.
Jimmy Fallon played Drinko with Michael Strahan last night, and I desperately need to find the mini Drinko board I had in college.
Camden Yards. The mecca of the retro ballpark. This was my 12th stop on the quest for all 30 stadiums and I have to say it did not disappoint.
When I visit new stadiums, there are several factors I try to take into account: the design, the food, the crowd, and the neighborhood. It would be nearly impossible to rank anything based on one of these alone so let’s break it down.
The Design:
Fairly unique. The warehouse in right field is obviously what most people would recognize immediately. The bowels of Camden are very reminiscent to the fields of yesteryear as there is no visible sightline of the field from the inside. The brick work also made me feel like I was at an actual baseball field. In other words, it was modern without being too polished (looking at you Yankee Stadium). I also noticed it felt very clean. Who would have thought something in Baltimore would give me that vibe! Seating was pretty good as well. I took a few laps of the stadium and it didn’t really seem like there was a bad seat in the house, so kudos to the design team.
The Food:
Two words: Old. Bay. They put this shit on everything, huh? Somehow in my near 30 years of existence Old Bay seasoning has alluded me until now. Let me tell you though, it is DELICIOUS. I totally get it. I would put it on my ice cream if it didn’t make me look like a psycho. It really may be the perfect spice. I doused an italian sausage in it as well as my french fries and I’m not sure if I can ever go back. It’s that good. Seasoning aside though, there wasn’t much at this ballpark that you couldn’t find anywhere else. I saw thick strips of bacon on a strip, but alas, my curiosity gravitated towards Old Bay related eats.
Bonus Points – Their own Dippin Dots flavor!
The crowd:
Tough to judge as the Orioles aren’t exactly good this year, but I was kind of expecting more out of a day game on the weekend. It was mostly a family crowd which I kind of understand on a Sunday, but still, I was hoping to see at least one drunk fan escorted out by security. Hands down the funniest thing I saw from the crowd was after the Orioles hit a home run one of the rogue Astros fans in attendance ripped the ball away from a kid trying to snag it in the seats and he threw it back onto the field. The onslaught of boos followed by the man’s gracious bow to his audience absolutely killed me. Kind of a dick move, but still hilarious.
The Neighborhood:
Camden is located right downtown near the inner harbor of Baltimore. I tend to prefer ballparks that are right in the action as opposed to say something like Dodger Stadium or Citi Field that are just so far removed from the downtown areas that even the best of tailgates don’t really help. There are a few bars around that seem like a good time, although I’m not exactly sure how rowdy they get when your team sits in 4th place in your division. Could be better, could be worse.
Overall, I’d probably put this stadium somewhere in my top 5. It was unique enough without being too over the top. I’m actually pretty surprised it took me this long to get there even though it’s only a four hour jaunt from the NY area where I grew up. Glad I got a chance to visit and can’t wait for stop 13 in Washington DC later this summer.
Score: 8/10
As I mentioned before this card is fuckin staaAAAAaaaAAcked so I’m going to write a little about it each day (nerdgasms everywhere) and then do the usual preview Friday. Today I’m going to cover the Main Card tilt between two, IMO, future Hall of Famers.
There was once a gym in Bettendorf, Iowa that produced some of the most prominent early-Zuffa era UFC names. Miletich Fighting Systems, established by the first-ever UFC Welterweight Champion, Pat Miletich, forged such fighters as long-time Welterweight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes, former Lightweight Champion Jens “Lil’ Evil” Pulver, and former Heavyweight Champion Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia. In May of 2002, the vaunted Midwestern gym presented to the Octagon 20 year old welterweight Robbie Lawler, who although now has established a solid overall MMA game, is still known for exactly what he was known for then: a fucking grenade of a left hand.
Lawler’s first stint with the UFC lasted 7 fights, with a 4-3 record – including a legendary back-and-forth loss to a then 20 year old Nick Diaz – to show for it. His last fight in the first go-round was contested up a weight class up at 185 pounds, where he stayed for the next act of his career. Lawler turned into a bit of a domestic nomad, plying his trade to whomever in the United States wanted to pay him his asking price and gathering such accolades as the ICON Sport, SuperBrawl, and EliteXC Middleweight Championships. He then found his way to Strikeforce, the only promotion to give the UFC a run for its money the past decade or so, and found mixed results in a pool of, if not top flight, just below it middleweights. Strikeforce, as the story goes, was purchased by Zuffa and its roster, at least the portion that was found to be up to snuff, was absorbed into the UFC. Having gone 11-6 in the span of about 8 years, Robbie Lawler was, in a way, coming home. And a funny thing happened. Now re-stablilized at American Top Team after being a bit of a gym jumper for a spell, “Ruthless” returned to his old stomping ground of 170lbs, won 3 in a row, lost a close decision to Johny Hendricks, won 2 more, and then won the UFC Welterweight Championship. The frag-fisted lefty from Bettendorf was now the 170lb king of the world. And no one was happier for him then two previously mentioned former champs:
Lawler would defend the belt twice before surrendering it to Tyron Woodley via 1st round KO almost a year ago to the date of UFC 214. Some say it was just his time, he was 34 then, 35 now, he had his reign. I would argue that maybe Woodley, a hyper-explosive athlete, was just Lawler’s kryptonite at that moment in time, given, yes, Lawler’s advanced age, but also his combined high level of activity (still averaging three fights per year since 2012 at that point) and ever mounting level of competition. He also left ATT between then and now, so his training camp very well could not of been 100% perfect. When it all shakes out, there is a saying that the simplest answer is usually the right one. Nearing 34 (then) with 38 fights in the bag, maybe Robbie Lawler just needed a break.
With a year to rehab and refresh now behind him, Lawler looks to return Saturday and make one last run, his left hand in tow.
***
Across the cage from Robbie Lawler will be none other than the UFC’s resident wild child, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. The longtime fan favorite was actually a decorated kickboxer before debuting in MMA in 2006. To that end, although Cerrone is now also an absolute handful on the ground, particularly off his back, his is still mostly known for some of the prettiest and deadly punch/kick combinations you’ll see in the sport.
As a diehard fan of the late, lighter-weights promotion, I would be doing myself a personal disservice if I didn’t mention Cerrone came to the UFC via the WEC and is a true legend of the WEC canvas, where he thrice tried uncsuccessfully to win the WEC Lightweight crown. More on that in a second. More recently, by happenstance due to a late replacement opponent, “Cowboy” has moved up to 170lbs. He has benefited greatly, it would seem, from no longer having to cut down to 155 and finished the first 4 welterweights he faced. But more on that in a second.
Aside from his success between bells, Cerrone is also known for being an absolute maniac both in terms of how he approaches his career and his exploits outside the cage. He fights at a ridiculous, unheard of clip, entering the octagon 4 times a year from 2013 through 2016. He will take any and all comers at seemingly any weight-class. Indeed it was Cerrone clamoring for the fight Nate Diaz eventually got against Conor McGregor at UFC 196. Outside the cage, Cerrone seeks as much adrenaline as he finds inside of it, participating in any extreme sport he can, regardless of whether or not he has a fight on the horizon.
Now I address the elephant in the room. “Cowboy” has now for awhile leveraged the use of a sports psychologist for his career. The reason for this is he starts slow and often gets in his own head, sometimes seeming unsure and tepid, a complete juxtaposition to the way he acts, thinks, talks, and succeeds the other 99% of the time. This is the main reason he fights so often – it doesn’t give him time to think. Grip it and rip it. He also, as alluded to, seems to falter at the highest pressure and biggest moments, losing all 4 major title fights he has been in as well as his most recent bout, a borderline #1 contender’s contest against Jorge Masvidal. When the lights shine the brightest, Cerrone’s flame burns the lowest. This can’t happen Saturday, as he enters the cage against another returning Welterweight in a fight with, whether the native Coloradoan likes it or not, major implications.
Both Cerrone and Lawler enter the cage Saturday coming off losses. However both of those losses came off the backs of win streaks against top-notch opponents and both men remain in the Top-10 of the welterweight rankings. With Stephen Thompson hurt and the aforementioned “Gambred” Masvidal coming off a loss to Woodley’s UFC 214 title challenger Demian Maia, it would not be a stretch to see the victor of this fight get a title shot, if not a #1 Contenders bout. Either way, two of the best “hitters”, as Nick Diaz so aptly refers to them, in the division and the sport enter the cage Saturday to see who really wants one last shot at the belt. Only one can leave with their hand, or maybe more accurately, their fist, raised.
I respect the shit out of anyone who can really dial up the sarcasm and Adrian Beltre had that here in spades. The former Red Sox third baseman got ejected for essentially not warming up in the on-deck circle. “Oh you want me to move over there? Let me just drag this plastic fucking rug over here if its such a big deal.”
SEE YA LATER.
Beltre is such an enigma I love it. He only played here for one year, but the guy was loved by fans, unlike half the assholes we trot out there now. Don’t touch his head, crushing dingers over the monster from one knee, and now he’s out there rearranging the field just to tweak the umpires. Love it. Never change, Adrian.
So real quick just to do a quick callback to one of our recommended binges. You may have noticed a new actor playing Sam’s brother, Dickon Tarley (teehee) on Sunday’s episode. Recasting has long been a headache for GOT fans. They don’t always make it obvious it’s a character you’ve seen before, especially considering, although you may not remeber, pre-“Game Of Thrones” there wasn’t a lot of shows you had to remember 6,000 characters. Anyway, the dude who played Cormac McClaggen in a Harry Potter movie or two is not playing the favored Tarley brother anymore, apparently because of a scheduling conflict with another show he was set to be on – that since has been cancelled. To reiterate, he quit GAME OF THRONES to be on an ABC show, albeit in a more prevalent part, that has already been cancelled, all across about a 6 month time-span. Fire your agent bromigo.
Which brings us to his replacement, which is a curious one as physqiue/size wise they at least appear pretty different. Anyway, the actor in question is Tom Hopper, who played a character by the name of Billy Bones….
ON BLACK MOTHERFUCKIN SAILS
“Black Sails Is A Binge-Worthy Epic Majestic Unicorn”
As a “Black Sails” diehard I obviously fanboy’d out when Hopper did his little turnaround (see: I squealed like a little school girl). Lady Ballgame was not impressed and quite frankly a bit disgusted. But whatever. Believe me when I say these two things.
1.) Tom Hopper will be a star within the next couple of years. He’s Charlie Hunnam with a bit better acting chops (and I love Hunnam)
2.) Too much Dickon Tarley is not enough Dickon Tarley from here on out.
The 300s 