papsrus

Lou Donaldson -- "Blues Walk" Lou Donaldson -- "Lou Takes Off" Jackie McLean -- "Right Now" Freddie Hubbard -- "Ready for Freddie"

Don't know who's going to win what, but I'm thinking the Brewers might be very dangerous in a short series. I'm liking them as a dark horse.

Excellent idea.

Excellent!

This set looks attractive to me, really, but ... priorities. Just can't do it now.

But the season series is determined on the field -- over 18 games, a considerably fairer sample than one game in gauging which team is superior. And if we're not going to give the team with the better head-to-head record the nod for the playoff spot, the least they should get is home field for the play-in game. That seems more equitable than a coin flip. Eighteen games should count for something. Now, I love a good play-in game as much as the next guy, but the point Mike and Mike were making was, is it fair to the players? ChiSox players have to feel lucky to even be playing this game, let alone playing it at home. Twins players, maybe not so much. All that said, and being careful what I wish for -- go Sox. And what if a season series ends in August, and the team on the short-end catches fire and makes a tremendous playoff drive in September. If they end up tied, games from earlier in the year should be the determining factor? I don't think so. Play 162 and see where you are. If you're tied, settle it on the field the next day. Edit to add that while this couldn't happen for division foes in the uneven schedule era, it could certainly happen if two teams were tied for the wild card. Yeah, good point. I would add, though, that if you want this system for determining the last team in, for consistency sake, it should be used to break all ties, including in the case of a division winner and wild card team that are tied atop the division (your 2005 scenario with the BoSox and Yankees.)

But the season series is determined on the field -- over 18 games, a considerably fairer sample than one game in gauging which team is superior. And if we're not going to give the team with the better head-to-head record the nod for the playoff spot, the least they should get is home field for the play-in game. That seems more equitable than a coin flip. Eighteen games should count for something. Now, I love a good play-in game as much as the next guy, but the point Mike and Mike were making was, is it fair to the players? ChiSox players have to feel lucky to even be playing this game, let alone playing it at home. Twins players, maybe not so much. All that said, and being careful what I wish for -- go Sox.

M&M pointed out this morning that the season series counts for nothing in baseball. The Twins won the season series with the ChiSox, 10-8, I believe, yet those 18 games count for nothing and the Twins are forced to play a one-game winner take all game ... at Chicago (because of a coin flip!)? Doesn't seem fair to the Twinkies. If you're tied atop the division with another team but you won the season series against that team, you win the division. makes sense. Why is it different for the wild card? They have a point.

Bumped 9/29 with new stuff.

Very interesting review. Thanks.

Curiously, the one and only time I've been to Rose Hall was to see Cecil Taylor in a double billing with Masada. They played two nights, and I believe the whole thing was recorded. I read somewhere that Taylor listened to the tapes afterward and was delighted, but that there is little chance of them ever being released, as Marsalis (or the Lincoln Center) own the tapes. Which makes me wonder: How much stuff does he have on tape and how much will ever see the light of day? (This is not necessarily a criticism. He himself must be overwhelmed). The whole thing about the influence of other musics on jazz is ultimately irrelevant to many listeners, I'd guess, but apparently quite important to some musicians -- Marsalis among them, and has to do with the unique "American" underpinnings of jazz. But given the broad influences on jazz today from musics outside the blues, what is the place of the blues in the music today? Historically, yes the blues is important. But is it important today? Is it even necessary today that a piece of music we call jazz be constructed upon the blues? And if so, what the heck was Masada doing at Rose Hall?

Nice. I was just playing this one today. I gave it my first listen today and really enjoyed it. With a lineup of Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Jackie McLean, McCoy Tyner, Bob Cranshaw and Art Blakey, how can you lose? I love the slinky title cut that kicks things off. Tom Cat is an apt title. Recent orders: A couple of discs by a man whose music I am woefully unfamiliar with (aside from Song for My Father). Horace Silver - Blowin' the Blues Away Horace Silver - Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers ... and another highly-regarded Carla Bley big band disc to satisfy my current indulgence: Carla Bley - Fleur Carnivor

Nice to see both Georgia and Florida take a loss -- shake things up a little. So what are the top three now? Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama? I guess my USF Bulls tore up a pretty respectable N.C. State defense tonight. Nice. Penn State looked pretty good from what I saw tonight also.

I was just mentioned him the other day -- in the supermarket. The exact phrase was, "Paul Newman is everywhere!" ... Wine, if I remember correctly. A Renaissance man. RIP

Nice. I was just playing this one today.

I was toggling around among the games last night -- most fun I've had watching baseball in a long time. Twins sweeping the ChiSox was great. What a series. I think the Twins would be a tougher opponent for the Rays in the playoffs, but I don't care. I'm hatin' on Ozzie, A.J. and those punk ChiSox. ... And the Mets game, of course. Coming back after falling behind the way they did in the 7th was really something. I missed the Brewers walkoff, but can't have everything.

Just finished the show but no TD/Haden-what happened? Maybe they canceled so they could go help figure out what to do about the financial meltdown.

I'm happy to say I am with you 100 percent on this one. The most annoying piece of machinery ever invented. A special place in hell awaits the bastard that came up with this freakin' contraption.

OK, I thought he'd gone missing again over the summer, but I guess I'm misremembering that because the last post here is from March ... ? But this Goldberg fella, he seems to go missing a lot. Mysterious chap. Double life as some sort of secret agent, maybe? Anyways, hope all's well. ... Last seen in these parts on Aug. 29 at 1:51 p.m. Eastern time.

Good to hear it. Chasing the ladies around the house always poses certain risks. But, yeah ... be careful I guess.

NOW called, they would like your home address! So it's simple. All we have to do is teach cows to cook and everybody's happy. ... I think ...

Here's hoping Coltrane recovered OK.

That's wasteful! You must hate mother earth!!!! Hey, blame those dang glue guys. ... 'sides , I'm turnin' over a new leaf with that Goo Gone crap. That stuff has got to be a lot better for ol' terra madre.

The crazy record store employee from High Fidelity. Yeah ... ah ... I'll, ah ... I'll have to rent that one sometime. Heard good things about it. There was a thread somewhere a while ago about well-known films (classic films, really) that you hadn't seen. I scored pretty high on that one. My super-duper-significant other laughed out loud when I confessed I'd never seen The Graduate. I'm outta here.

I didn't know until I read this thread. Not that I would. Jack who?