JSngry

Well, Josh feels, and rightly so, that he has repaid the team's loyalty with some outstanding baseball and dramatically increased revenue. And he's right. The team broke its previous single-season sellout record over the past weekend, and it's still June. This "loyalty" thing isn't a one-way street, although teams/organizations/business would like for it to be. But I guarantee you, If Michale Young keeps falling off the cliff like he has been, the Rangers will find someplace else for him, and nobody's been a more "loyal" Ranger than has Michael Young. The Face Of The Franchise, and during some pretty lean times. Business gonna be business. When ownership has leverage, they use it, and when player have it, they should use it.

Keep hoping to get hit by this one day...hasn't happened yet.

You think the Rangers would let him go? I'm sure they'll try to keep him, but there's sure to be a few teams that come in offers that will be batshit crazy in terms of years and/or dollars, in which case, I don't know how hard the Rangers try to meet or beat. The guy's magic when he's healthy, but he's also streaky, and he's prone to injuries, some major, some not. And he's not a kid, so a 7-10 year deal at big bucks a la Pujols is not a good bet. OTOH, he's one of the best, if not the best, talents in the game right now, and is definitely an impact player. A nice crazy-money five, or even six, year deal is something I don't think the Rangers would balk at, not at all. But you know that somebody's going to offer 7 or more years at even crazier money, and that might be the point when the Rangers tell him "thank you for everything" and start moving on. Josh gonna make the best deal for Josh, and that's how it should be, dammit. And dammit.... That's gonna suck, but life goes on, and as long as the system is developing players like Leonys Marin & Mike Olt (and as long as they keep developing themselves), you just gotta hope that good business sense and potential talent don't cross each other up.

Runner On Third (won't you please come home?) Homestar Runner Ronald Rooner http://www.farmersagent.com/rrooner

We'll see how the free agency thing goes before deciding how happy the ending is...

Money Johnson Honey (I still miss you, but I'm no longer being good. Sorry, I tried.) Scotty (he's finished growing, sorta, but the poor child still can't tell time and still lives in that damn tree. Don't think he ever got over being dropped on his head when his mom keeled over dead. Damn you, Honey.

What's all this talk about Turn It Over being on Verve LP? Polydor!!!

I always enjoyed this one:

The big problem I have with "will" is simple - what if one has all the will in the world but not all the means? Can somebody just will their body into having faster reflexes, etc? At some point you hit a wall, and unless we are all physical specimens of our own making, that wall is going to be further on up the road for some than it is for others. So, although I certainly believe in strength of will/character/etc/whatever (and am a big fan thereof), to frame human endeavor primarily in terms of "who wants it more" is just some kinda teenagey emo crap afaic, more suitable for stimulating Pavlovian anti-thought than it is serious consideration of everything that makes us who/what we are. I've known Skip's work since the early 1980s and once upon a time, he used to know where the line was. But that was a long time ago, and he's long since turned into a ignunt ass manbitch. So really, fuck skip Bayless, and Mark Cuban, we might yet be able to do business again. Not right away, but some day. Maybe.

Somebody needs to pose this news in the form of a question or else it will not be accepted.

Yep. http://www.deadline.com/2012/06/thunder-road-casey-affleck-plan-feature-about-baseball-superstar-josh-hamilton/

Will to overcome leg cramps will only work if the leg cramps are willing to yield. Do leg cramps have a will of their own that can be broken, or is it just a matter of them not being as strong as their possessor might first think? Maybe what we're describing as "will" is really just the willingness to raise the ceiling in the ongoing test of ability vs circumstance. In almost all such tests, there is a chance of success and a chance of failure. At some point, randomness of outcome becomes a factor, and "will" recedes to being nothing more - or less - that a willingness to engage in an "advanced" test. I don't see any way, though, that "will" itself can be seen as the actual cause of an outcome (unless we have the ability to send out Magic Mojo Hoodoo Waves from out gut that alter the laws of motion and some such). It's just what got you to the place to have a chance. I'd not downplay the will-factor when it comes to "getting there" in terms of motivation, but actual outcome once there? I don't think so...

Something else that should have been a CTI record arranged by Don Sebesky. So many things were!

Ironic is the new ironic.

That price is too good to refuse!

I like what Lee Konitz said. It makes sense to me in a logical/rational kind of way.

Ok, I've had issues with Mark Cuban for a while now, but this is superb. http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/06/video-mark-cuban-destroys-skip-bayless-on-first-take/

Can't we all just get along?

Dick Rising (of Capitol records) Johnny Mercer Mercedes Ellington

Dad would not have enjoyed this one...but that's cool, I never enjoyed Frankie Carle. Here's to common ground as well as individual space!

If you were a moderator, you could do it yourself! (hint hint hint)

Things haven't been the same since Elvis joined the army.