Blue Train

I was thinking about that trade the other day. How did it work out for the Dodgers? Did those high-salaried guys they got from the Red Sox help them finish first? Like I said back when it happened....it was a terrible trade. Boston should send a ring to Ned Colletti for making the trade. Those players still on Boston and their season would probably would have been around the same as last year. They gave the Dodgers a combined total of 7 wins above replacement for $58+ million....and they're not going to improve with age. I can see the Dodgers eventually trading them in next couple years and having to eat a good portion of their contracts to get anyone to take them.

Rollie: Long time no see! Discovered that distillery because you! My now go to gift for those into Brandy is from them.

Last thing he's worried about is money. He wants Championships and be known as GOAT. the bigger game, the ultimate game, is the money and marketing game. He makes more in marketing with Championships, or contending for them. Look @ Jordan....only in his last years did get paid a huge salary. For most of his career he wasn't even the highest paid on the Bulls. Just last year....LeBron made $59.8 million. $42 million of which was endorsements. He's not going to miss the money as long as he's winning or has a chance to win. On Miami after this year.....it's over for @ least 4-years as long as Wade and Bosh are on the team and with those salaries. I wouldn't doubt there is something once again something in his shoe contract that boosts how much he makes if he goes to certain teams....the feel good going back to Cleveland and they win....last time a team won in Cleveland was 1964....off the hook endorsements!

Last thing he's worried about is money. He wants Championships and be known as GOAT. He's going to need 3-4 more Championships to get into the discussion....he's about to turn 29 and in his prime.

Way past suing....it's @ the State's Supreme Court! With the previous cases about mascots....I can see him winning.

Why would he stay? Wade's body is breaking down and there is only so much he can carry him....and they can't start rebuilding until 2016 @ the earliest if Wade and Bosh don't terminate their contracts after this year and take major pay cuts. If they're not willing to take the cuts....is there really any team that would give either of them even half of what they would be making in 2014 and 2015? Right now, I wouldn't give either one more than a quarter of that salary after this year....especially Wade and his bad knee(s). This year is the last year in the window for the Heat. After that he can bolt having @ least giving Miami two Championships. That's more than many teams have ever won. P.S. Doesn't help that LeBron went back to what he did about Cleveland and not willing to say if he will return after this year.

For some reason there are many that think giving an extra $2.5 million to someone who not only wasn't a free agent, but really didn't need it, and doesn't deserve it @ this point to be a great move....all the while the team is trying to get under the $189 million level...while rebuilding....and they have no idea what the final ruling (which might not happen until January...which by that time anyone worth having would have been signed) will be for Mr. April....and there is Cano, etc.... Right now if Mr. April comes back and they resign Cano and the usual arbitration raises....they're looking @ around $40-$50 million to sign 10 other players and stay under the $189 million. Resetting the luxury tax from 50% (as in, $94.5 million @ the very least given to teams who are really not interested in winning, but making money.) back to 17.5% is the long term benefit. A few years of they're not penciled in as favorites is fine.....puts them in position for Trout, and/or Harper among others @ the same time. Also allows them to get the farm system back actually being a farm system.

1. True, but that hasn't stopped players to change teams in the past.....and I don't think the Bulls would blink if it came down to trading Noah and signing LeBron.....and there only about 3 teams he can leave Miami for. LeBron and Irving back in Cleveland would be fun to watch as well. 2. Don't even get the Lakers family and friends started on Don Stern's decision about Paul. P.S. Now that Don Stern is finally thankfully going away in Feb.....does the usual shenanigans continue with the refs?

Wadada Leo Smith & TUMO - Occupy the World Howard Riley - Live With Repertoire John Butcher, Thomas Lehn & John Tilbury - Extra Mostly Other People do The Killing - Red Hot

Lakers just gave Kobe a huge balloon payment. http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-fyi-20131101,0,4702577.story#axzz2jPIdOAqA

A friend on FB just brought to my attention that Deng comes off the books next year and they can amnesty Boozer. LeBron, Rose, and Noah is a pretty decent Big 3 to build around.

Best case scenario: Mr. April is suspended (in essence for life) 211 games. Frees up $86 million over the next 4-years. They make Jeter DH. Resign Cano to 5-6 years and move him to 3rd. He plays longer and it helps the team. They resign Brendan Ryan and put him @ short. He really can't hit, but is a much better defensive shortstop than Jeter. There is also Stephen Drew, or Jhonny Peralta. That leaves 2nd open. Omar Infante?....miracle trade with Cleveland, which won't happen....the guy in the minors really isn't ready.

Jeter had an option for $9.5 million, but the Yankees sign him to a 1-year $12 million deal. Not sure why the extra $2.5.

Mr. April and his lawyers couldn't even wait 24 hours after the World Series to end. After wanting the MLBPA member to off the arbitration...and going off on Selig and pretty much everyone. Whomever one of his delusional lawyers wrote this statement: "I am deeply troubled by my team's investigative findings with respect to MLB's conduct," Rodriguez said in a statement released through his spokesman. "How can the gross, ongoing misconduct of the MLB investigations division not be relevant to my suspension, when my suspension supposedly results directly from that division's work? "It is sad that Commissioner Selig once again is turning a blind eye, knowing that crimes are being committed under his regime. I have 100% faith in my legal team. To be sure, this fight is necessary to protect me, but it also serves the interests of the next 18-year-old coming into the league, to be sure he doesn't step into the house of horrors that I am being forced to walk through." The COO of MLB who made a mistake of making this statement. He's one of the three on the hearing Mr. April's appeal. "This latest, sad chapter in Mr. Rodriguez's tarnished career is yet another example of this player trying to avoid taking responsibility for his poor choices. Given the disappointing acts that Mr. Rodriguez has repeatedly made throughout his career, his expressed concern for young people rings very hollow. Mr. Rodriguez's use of PEDs was longer and more pervasive than any other player, and when this process is complete, the facts will prove that it is Mr. Rodriguez and his representatives who have engaged in ongoing, gross misconduct." Mr. April's amazingly full of shit lawyer. Really read this shit. "Alex did not use PEDs (editing this this in....I guess he means beside when he admitted he did?) and Rob Manfred knows it. The fact that Manfred has committed so zealously to prosecuting Alex for offenses he knows he did not commit is why he persistently attacks Alex's character with baseless, cowardly allegations. "With today's statements, Manfred clearly has hit a new level of desperation. He knows what his sworn testimony was on the subject of his and Commissioner Selig's approach to PEDs being dealt to children, and MLB's willingness to turn a blind eye to such criminal misconduct in support of its quest to get Alex. He knows he cannot run from his testimony forever. It will follow him the rest of his career -- however long that may be -- and he knows it is indefensible. Once it inevitably becomes public through other legal proceedings, he will have to answer for that. "Rob Manfred has gone so far over the line with his latest slanderous attack against Alex (which presumably was approved by Commissioner Selig) that we demand the other two arbitration panel members immediately remove Manfred from the panel hearing Alex's appeal. Indeed, we do not see how he can continue to hold any position of responsibility within Major League Baseball. But we will leave that to the conscience and judgment of the owners within the league." MLB's response to that.... "Mr. Tacopina's latest rant is so delusional it doesn't warrant a response," the statement said. "The fact that Mr. Tacopina has now asked for two of the three panel members (edited in by me: they also asked for the MLBPA representative on to be removed. You can't make that up!) to be recused tells you everything you need to know." Me: This is all headed to court, but outside of a precedent setting injunction....he will still be suspended for however amount of games until a judge rules on it. Over/under if the MLB countersues Mr. April? P.S. Once again....not even 24 hours. If only he had a someone willing to be paid to go to jail for years for not telling the truth like Barroid did.

Son's very first Halloween. He has no idea WTF? was going on @ his age....but he kicks and punches in rhythm to the music. He was a very very very Young Elvis. All the parents made it out alive.

To mix my sports metaphors, it's like asking Babe Ruth to bunt all the time! I hope things turn out OK for him and it's not another Barret Robbins Barrett Robbins was bipolar and went off his medication. This is someone his teammates bullied/pranked whatever they want to call it off the team....and according to reports it's been going on for a good while. Like I said....read between the lines.

Jonathan Martin is from Stanford. Not exactly small, or can't protect himself. Both his parents are Lawyers who graduated from Harvard. His Great-Grandfather was only one of 12 African-Americans in the class of 1924 and he wasn't allowed to live on campus dorm. All kinds of shit going on with each of the Florida teams, but this is something that has been going on for a good while with him. You don't have to read between lines what this is really about. NFL just found itself in another mess.

As I pointed out earlier....you can have the best helmets possible....which bye the way the NFL doesn't mandate players use the best one....just a Riddell. Soft gelatin bouncing inside of a small hard location....with very little place to move around in without bouncing off something hard.....biology meets physics. Physics wins each time. The NFL also doesn't even mandate that players use something as basic as a mouthpiece....and a real mouthpiece (and not one of those half-assed ones you see kids in pop warner use) would really help a great deal. Never mind real protective chin straps. P.S. As part of covering their 6....the NFL has cut exclusive ties to Riddell. It opened them up to lawsuits galore (even down to the High School and lower level) by authorizing only Riddell. As in, the NFL like the NCAA (with the video games and whatnot) realizes there are so many lawsuits that can end things. Which brings me back to how much the NFL won in the concussion case with former players. P.P.S. They only just got around to mandating thigh and knee pads for this year.

I just learned of this. From just how much of a disaster Schiano is..... They trade for Darrelle Revis....give him a 6-year $96 million deal (none of which is guaranteed...but this year he get's $16 million) and he doesn't let him play man to man @ all so far this season, but only zone defense. You can't make that up!

In under 24 hours or so Aldon Smith checked out of rehab....proceeds to turn himself in for 3 felony possessing illegal assault weapons (as a result of a party @ his home in 2012 were he was stabbed and two others shot)....and the Niners activate him from the non-football injury list. Classy! P.S. Leaves out the rest of his arsenal of weapons, magazines, and ammo.

Two classic Zappa Halloween shows that Pops was @. Moms was @ the second one. She really wasn't a Zappa fan, more of a Pops' fan. He ended up seeing something equally as horrific to him. This is The Zappa Halloween show. No video. Also his longest known performance. This one was broadcast in the early years of MTV....back when they still showed videos and stuff like this.

I don't get it either myself....especially those @ universities that really are not even in Boston, or MA for that matter. They had to use rubber bullets on top of pepper spray @ U of New Hampshire after they were throwing things @ the cops. Talk about stupid as hell. Destroying property over $250, or if it's a car is a felony and throwing things @ cops is a bit more than your usual basic disorderly conduct charge.

I think your portrayal of the after-game response is misleading. The only "fans" I know of that created disturbances were students at UMass and at a college in New Hampshire. Nothing happened outside of Fenway or in the surrounding areas. Not my portrayal. The media's....and reporting of it going on around Fenway Park and other Universities in the NE area. https://twitter.com/abtran/status/395784136385785856/photo/1

Be well.... http://youtu.be/17ktLA7pSgA http://youtu.be/9e0yzoSSfkI

Important dates. Everyone that is eligible to become a free agents becomes one today. Nov. 4th. Qualifying offers can be made to a team's free agents. Also option decisions can start. Nov. 5th. Free agents can sign with any team. Nov. 11 - Last day to accept or decline qualifying offer. Nov. 11-13 - GM/Owners meeting Nov. 18 - Yankees related date - Mr April's appeal hearing restarts. Dec. 2. - Final day to offer arbitration to players who are eligible. Dec 9. - 40 Man roster finalized for Rule 5 Draft Dec 9-12 - Winter meetings Dec 12 - Rule 5 Draft