Dan Gould

And here we are again. I'm kind of reminded of the end of Speed when Dennis Hopper's character says to the Great Wooden Actor (not sure if this is exactly right, but you get the drift): "Well, Jack, I think Harry would be disappointed, seeing as we're right back where we started." A few observations: Schilling's performance was, IMO, the greatest pitching performance in post season history. To do what he did, in that situation, under those medical circumstances, is absolutely amazing. This series has far surpassed last year's LCS for sustained excitement. Until Game 7 last year, you didn't see the extraordinary shifting of tides and changes of fortune, and I'm only talking micro here, not the macro level of losing three straight and then coming back to force Game 7. The only other post season series to match this has to be the 2001 World Series, and I'm not even sure it matches this series, because as amazing as the Yankee come backs in the Bronx were, those weren't elimination games the way the two extra inning games were. A-Rod, henceforth and for all eternity to be known as THE CHEATER, not only is a cheater, but he has absolutely no integrity either. Now, you may say that one follows the other, but I disagree. He formulated his plan in a split second as Arroyo moved over to make the tag, but as the umpires huddled, he knew what he had done. When they called him out and he stood there with that, What Did I Do? look, I lost whatever respect I had for him. He knew he was guilty, and a man walks off the field, goes into the dugout, and apologizes to his team. Speaking of THE CHEATER could anyone (of a certain age) not recall Reggie Jackson, another (UNINDICTED) CHEATER sticking his hip out to deflect the double play relay, not only tipping the balance in that game, but irrevocably changing that World Series? Thank God that today, the umpires get together and talk things over. ********* Reasons for optimism (Yankees): Its Game 7, its Yankee Stadium, and they're facing the Red Sox. 'Nuff said. Flash and Mariano got the day off. Presumably Mussina is available, like last year, and so is Vasquez and Duque (thoiugh with a bad shoulder, who knows if pitching Duque is a good idea.) Reasons for optimism (Red Sox): Big Mo Embree and Timlin got the day off. Foulke only had to go one inning and I'm sure he'll be available for the last three outs again.

That reminds me how much I am amazed at people who dredge up old threads because they had some thought they wanted to share and it seemed to be the right place to put it, instead of just starting a new thread ... My anal-retentive, everything-in-its-place Virgo mind salutes you!

The last hurricane knocked our DSL off for almost ten days, and it was hell. They give you a free dial-up backup, so its not like we were permanently offline, but once you've had broadband there's no way to go back to dial up. Our version of Windows tells you your connection speed is, and our 56K modem was running at like, 44K, and that got me to thinking how, only a few years ago, 56K connection was "state of the art"

it's because Mike hasn't typed them up yet. He just reserved the first posts in this thread for later editing. Quite rightly so! I will add one batch a day, as I do have to work some besides posting here . May I suggest then that you consider what I did, then? As your schedule permits, type up your comments, links, images in a piecemeal fashion, but do it using the Private Message function. Just save the PM as a "draft" until you've found the time to get it all written up. Then just copy and paste into your answers thread, an d viola, you have a complete set of answers posted at one time.

OK, then what's the verdict on quoting "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" in the middle of "Two Bass Hit"? I just discovered that my memory was faulty. Actually, what I heard was "Two Bass Hit" incorporated into "Take Me Out To The Ballgame". Does that change the verdict?

it's because Mike hasn't typed them up yet. He just reserved the first posts in this thread for later editing. D'OH!! In my defense, I have to tell you that it said, "page loaded, but with errors" which made me assume he had written them all up and the error, whatever it might be, was preventing me from seeing them.

I know Yankee fans have no worries (was the Empire ever concerned about Luke Skywalker before the Deathstar exploded? ) but some truly shocking "firsts" in these two games: First time Yankees have blown back-to-back save opportunities in the post season. First time they've lost back-to-back extra inning games in the post season (I think both of those are Joe Torre era stats). Whatever you want to say about them, don't say the Sox don't have heart, or courage or guts. Leiber can be hit, there's no question about that, and I think this team will be super loose for Game 6. The question is whether Schilling's new hightop cleat will function in a game situation. If it does, and he does what he is capable of ... this will be simply amazing. And with Brown to go in Game 7? I like the sound of that. Strong chance of rain today in New York, I bet both teams will be lobbying for a postponment, even if the rain lightens up by game time. I can just see both managers touring the outfield, one saying, gee, you know, this looks really treacherous. I don't think its safe to play in this slop ... and the other guy nodding his head vigorously.

How weird-I see Mike's first batch of answers, but the rest just say "7-12" and nothing below that. Same for Disc 2. First set of answers are visible, rest aren't. This is really annoying.

Could we actually find ourselves rooting for the Rocket, after hating him so much? I'd much rather see the Rocket back at Fenway, but if its Houston vs the Yanks, I got no problem rooting for the old man for old time's sake.

Reasons to keep hope alive: We need two wins to reach a meaningful game, and we have Pedro and Curt to pitch them. Pedro at home can get the job done. He was so amped up in New York, with that infernal chant going. That was why he threw so many pitches. Pedro, under control (hopefully) has to turn in a vintage performance. It could be his swan song at Fenway, and I think he'll do it. Mussina-scratch just below the surface of any Yankee fan, and most will say they aren't at all certain that Mussina is a true "Big Game" pitcher. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but playing at home, I know we can get him this afternoon. We're due for some breaks to go our way. You may end up lording it over us again, but there's no way these two teams are this different in talent. And last but not least, if we can somehow get there, its Kevin Brown in Game 7, and I believe there isn't a Yankee fan on Earth who wants to see Kevin Brown in Game 7. He was a disaster, and if he pitches in the World Series, it will be a disaster. And who follows? Vasquez? He's no improvement. And frankly, I wasn't impressed with Duque either-he had a fraction of his usual command. The Yanks may reach the Series-hell its practically impossible for them not to-but this team is eminently beatable, by either NL team.

Happy Birthday, Chris!

Jim, I agree that from a societal standpoint, it is an outrage. Too bad Chris didn't particularize what he found outrageous about Max's situation. A lot of pixels might have been spared.

I said: "I don't know why Max's kids did what they did--perhaps they did not see any other way--24/7 nursing care is rather expensive." To which Dan responded: "Now Chris tells us that "all of Max's children signed papers to have him committed to this home" and simply ignores the likelihood that Max's children are doing what they feel is best. I don't know what you are trying to do here, Dan, but it sure looks like you are trying--for some inexplicable reason--start an argument. ALL you had to do, Chris, was say this in your original post, instead of inserting it after the dispute begins: BTW, its a real neat trick to invert the chronology of the comments, as if from the start you held the family blameless, instead of covering your ass after people questioned your comments. Now, from Lois via Kevin, we learn that the family sold his apartment to secure an excellent home for him (a very typical familial response), one that Lois herself vouches for. So, is it really an "outrage"? Should he really be "brought home" when his family has apparently done the best thing they can do for him? I'll say it again: I think its highly likely that people unfamiliar with the family's decisions and reasons for what they did, and with no knowledge of what is being done, came to see Max and found him in a distressing state, in a depressing place, and decided "something should be done." Maybe, just maybe, something is being done.

Comin' in late but I dug Disc 2 a heckuva lot more than Disc 1. Just a few guesses: #1: Ain't this Bag's Groove? I keep thinking it is but then not ... so maybe it isn't. Like it a whole lot though. #3: Chaloff? #13: Tal. #16: Jacquet? Thanks Mike! This disc will be getting many more plays.

A little late to the party, I'm afraid-and not a lot to say on this one. #1: I thought MJQ at first, but then not, then I did again. So I'm going to say, not the MJQ. #2: Me no likey. Farting bass and unimpressive scat. #6: Lush Life, nicest performance of the disc, but no guess. #7: At first I figured it was Bobby McFerrin, then I realized it had to be a girl singer. Then I remembered that McFerrin has like a 6 octave range or something, so maybe it is him? "Paper Moon"-and not a favorite performance by any means. #10: Must be Jon Hendricks with vocals on the Morgan classic. Shouldn't have seen the light of day, IMO.

Chris wasn't just the messenger-he made value judgements ("a disgrace") without being able to say anything about the reasons behind the decisions made by Max's family. That's what I responded to and questioned. Now Chris tells us that "all of Max's children signed papers to have him committed to this home" and simply ignores the likelihood that Max's children are doing what they feel is best. Who are we to question those decisions? Until I hear that Max is being abused, or has hateful, hurtful kids who just want him out of their hair and taken care of to the barest extent necessary, I will not second guess their decisions. Again, if its a question of money, I think we'd all want to contribute to help make Max's remaining time more bearable.

I totally agree!

If its a "disgrace" then you must know that his family does not care how he lives out his days, and put him in the worst home imaginable. And since you cannot document that, you have no idea why or how he got where he is. I'd suggest it is far more likely that one or more of Max's friends came to see him and was terribly distressed at his situation, and decided something ought to be done. I would not be surprised at all if this is a common reaction of people who are not intimately familiar with the situation who come to see an old friend after such a decision is made. I've been to those kinds of homes. Its damn depressing. Its damn depressing to see someone you love in such a poor state, and in such a facility. You may leap to conclusions about how this came to be, but you don't know. He's going to be "brought home"? If his family can no longer give him adequate care, what good is that is going to do? Hey, if its a matter purely of $$, tell me where to contribute. But otherwise, jumping to conclusions is ludicrous. I'll be interested to see what Crouch reports, specifically about Max's family, the decision to leave him in the home, the economic and care factors behind that decision, etc.

I don't think there's any doubt that this woman recorded O'Reilly. How else do you include such lenghthy, verbatim quotes in your suit? I think Bill's in deep shit.

It's a terrible story but without a lot more intimate knowledge, we ought not to second guess the treatment decisions of his family. That is, unless you can prove: They don't love him and wish him to suffer He in fact does not need 24/7 care OR They can provide that care and just don't want to This isn't a disgrace. Its a terribly sad end to a glorious life.

Al Grey: All-Stars Live Out Dere (with Jimmy Forrest) Snap Your Fingers Having a Ball Sextet (Billy Mitchell) Boss Bone Night Song Night Train Revisited (with Jimmy Forrest) Ain't That Funk For You (with Arnett Cobb) The Last of the Big Plungers Shades of Grey Struttin' and Shoutin' Me 'n Jack Thinking Man's Trombone Live at the Floating Jazz Festival Truly Wonderful (Jimmy Forrest) New Al Grey Quintet Johnny Griffin: Jazz Jamboree Change of Pace The Jamfs are Coming Kerry Dancers Grab this White Gardenia To The Ladies Catharsis! JG (Argo) Tough Tenors (Griff-Lock Quintet) Way Out! French Cookin' (Paris Reunion Band) at the Jazzhus Montmartre Vol. 1 The Big Soul Band Sincerely Ours (with Rolf Ericson Blues for Harvey Call it wachawana Introducing Close Your Eyes Studio Jazz Party Take My Hand A Blowing Session NYC Underground Soul Groove The Congregation Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me Chicago, New York, Paris The Cat Night Lady Jazz Undulation (with Dexter Gordon) Bush Dance Jazz a Confronto and The Great Danes Paul Griffin: Pours on Some Soul Sauce

"Surely"? Remember, we're dealing with the Cubs here ... and seriously, except for Zambrano, their rotation strikes me as being on the fragile side. Well, maybe Wood is fragile, maybe not. But it takes more than one messed up year to decide that Prior is fragile. There's no reason why those two won't have monster years like 2003 and pitch them into the Series. I say "surely" because there is no other team with the pitching staff to put a team in close competition for the promised land like the Cubbies, and both of them are locked up for a while. Add to that Zambrano, who's a great pitcher for a nutcase (take it from me, a Red Sox fan, he's Oil Can Boyd redux) and they will compete for the playoffs for a long time to come. And someday it will happen. And anyway, if the Yankees sign Pedro and get Nomar to play second base, and have a 230 million dollar payroll, I will become a fulltime, exclusive Cub fan, so they better make the world series!

And I thought this was one of the sets I didn't have already. Is it a foregone conclusion that the Ben and Sweets date has no alternates or unissued tunes? That one is a stone classic, but it would be great to hear more from them.

Not if they fix the bullpen (and there are a bunch of real closer available this year), re-sign Nomar, and sign Beltran (or do something about the outfield). With that team's rotation, it should surely make the world series in the next few years.

I was in summer school after my freshman year at FSU, so it wasn't until sophmore year that I had to find a new job (didn't really want to go back to Woolworth's). That was when I got hired by the town's Parks and Rec department. Weekday mornings, I was assistant Tennis instructor, first for the wealthy wives and then their kids. Then in the evenings and weekends I was one of the Tennis Court monitors, taking reservations and checking people's court membership tags. A pretty good job, spent outdoors, playing tennis or working on the tan, no muss no fuss. Couple of things I didn't tell alot of people though: I got "involved" with one of the wealthy wife tennis students ... a real "Mrs. Robinson" kind of situation. Guess I looked good in tennis shorts back then! On a few occasions, non-town residents would try to use the courts. Most of the time I insisted they leave, but toward the end of the summer, on a couple of occasions, I got offered $20 to look the other way, and, well, I did.