Running Commentary On Election

Just started this. It's 8:15 right now, im watching CNN. I decided on CNN because Fox News is well, Fox News, and MSNBC is also sickeningly partisan. Im waiting till the daily show goes on at 10.
anyway, they just had reports from correspondents at each home rally for McCain and Obama. I think what their homes bases are like is a perfect sum up of the differences between the candidates. At Obama's rally, they had to get a new microphone for the correspondent because they couldn't hear her over the raucous crowds in Grant Park. McCain's supporters, however, are situated in a nice hotel in Phonenix. The Phonenix Boys Choir just performed. Need I say more?

CNN is holding out on calling Pennsylvania for Obama, but others have already. Numerous people have said McCain has no chance without Pennsylvania. So that's good. In other battleground states, Obama seems to have the edge in all of them.

I cant imagine what its like to be running for president and watch a wall of TV's telling you you're losing. I think its something like this


But as we all know, John McCain is used to torture... (yes, i know. I'm a terrible human being)
Now, imagine how Hilary Clinton's doing....(throws chair at tv screen.."IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME!!!)

CNN just called Pennsylvania for Obama. McCain is pretty much screwed now.

...and Elizabeth Dole goes down

CNN just had a guy on saying that race was not a factor in this election, as people polled said it wasn't, as compared to other factors like age. Thing is, that if you ask a guy point blank, basically if he's a racist, even if it was a factor for him, he'll probably say no. a) as Malcom Gladwell showed in his excellent book Blink, our reactions to race often operate on a subconscious level, and b) why would you admit this? It's considered taboo to say you're a racist, even if you are. This is where the Bradeley Effect comes from. In short, CNN just said something silly.

What i am enjoying is watching the ultra-conservative idiots from my school and elsewhere post mournful, almost emo-like, status updates on the election. Some highlights.

"------- is on the verge of crying at the stupidity of the self righteous liberals."
(replace "self righteous liberals" with "my girlfriend" and voila! emo!)

"------- is please people, vote McCain. Vote for a future by not voting Obama."
(vote for a past that never existed by voting for McCain)

"------- has to fast if Obama wins the election."
(has to? seems a little harsh)

"------ lets all pray that obama loses."
(lets all pray you get gonorrhea)
"------ s wow america. a fucking socialist nouchebag now runs your lives. fuck that im moving to australia"
(enjoy australia, sucker)
"------ posted a video...The End by The Doors"
(...of bush's presidency, thank god)

Also on facebook, possibly the stupidest group I've ever seen: If Barack Obama wins, I'm Moving To Canada. Apparently to flee socialized healthcare.

The First Rule Of Moneyball Is....

According to a Variety piece, Moneyball, one of my favorite all time books, is being made into a movie, with Brad Pitt to star. That means that the actor who played one of my fictional role models will now play one of my real life role models. My worship is all confused now. But anyway, Pitt appears to be a good choice to play Beane, but I can't help but intersperse scenes from Moneyball with Fight Club in my head. Like Beane throwing a chair into a wall and yelling "YOU ARE NOT A BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE SNOWFLAKE, JEREMY BONDERMAN!", or Scott Hatteberg saying "I am jack's picking machine", or Lenny Dykstra beating the crap outta Beane and saying "I wanted to destroy something beautiful"....ok, time to stop the bad Fight Club jokes...now before I make snide remarks on Troy, I shall go....
But god, I wonder how it must feel to actually be played by Brad Pitt...just like walking around, introducing yourself to random women "Hey baby, Brad Pitt played me"

Random Band I'm Obsessed With At The Moment: A Reoccuring Segment

This weeks random band I'm obsessed with at the moment (drum roll)....
The 22-20's


This British band, which sadly broke up in 2006, has got a great bluesy, folky, somewhat punky sound to them. One reviewer has described them as sounding like "Jimi Hendrix covering the White Stripes". The white stripes are one of my favorite bands, and Hendrix is Hendrix. They only managed to release one album before they broke up, but i recommend tracking it down.
Illegally Download: "Shoot Your Gun", "Devil In Me"
Sounds like: White Stripes, Gun Club, Arctic Monkeys,

Is this the worst world series in history?

I would think so, as I'm watching this extremely rainy game 4. They pretty much just called a delay as a type this, and its about time, as its basically unplayable out there. The series so far has been dissapointing. We thought we were getting a series of two evenly matched teams, with the Rays young players and the Phillies combo of Howard and Utley. Instead, Evan Longoria has been abysmal, Carlos Pena has been almost as bad, and all the games have been yawners, with the notable exception of game 3, which was a yawner till the 9th. I dont think I need to say, the Umpiring has been nothing short of terrible. Now, I'm not one to bash umpires. I actually worked as one during the summer, and it was one of the more terrible experiences of my life. I can only imagine what its like when you're umping 30 year old billionares instead of snot nosed 10 year old kids. But seriously, some of those calls have been terrible. Rays should have had a balk, Moyer got Crawford, and, yes, Longoria tagged Rollins right on the butt, right in front of the third base umpire. And the balls and strikes have been no great shakes either.
If there is a bright spot to the series, its BJ Upton. Upton showed off his immense speed in game 3, hitting an infield single, stealing second, stealing third, and scoring on an error. He's played a stellar centerfield (funny, for a guy who was blasted for his terrible SS defense in the minors), and has hit 7 HR's in the postseason. He just made an extremely heads up play, making sure his left hand tagged the plate as he slip-n'-slided past it to score the tying run. He's got loads of talent, with the power emerging, the speed and defense there, and the rare patience (97 regular season walks) for a young player. If I have to compare him to another player from baseball history, Willie Mays is a blasphemous, but possible choice. But right now, figure Rickey Henderson, with great CF defense.

The 27 Club-Peak Connection

When playing fantasy baseball, as I do, there are many things to consider when picking players. Their stats, certainly, but their team, their injury history and many other things go into the equation. One of the more important considerations is a players age. Take two identical pitchers. Say both play for winning teams. Both are about the same size and have put up similar stats. Both have been more or less healthy. Seems about even, right? But say Player A is 27 years old, and Player B is 34. Then it becomes easier to take player A. He is younger and has more promise, while player B may not have much left. But what age would be the best to take a player. On average, what do baseball players reach their prime. The answer used to be assumed to be around 30 or so. However, recent sabermetric studies by guys like Bill James and Baseball Prospectus have determined that players tend to have their best years at the age of 27. Every year, another guy busts out and has a career year at his magical age 27 peak. We saw it this year with Justin Morneau, Carlos Zambrano, Joe Saunders, K-Rod, Rich Harden, and Josh Hamilton. All of those guys had great years, and they were all 27.
Besides for being a good strategy for fantasy baseball, the age 27 has another, more sinister distinction. Many rock stars have died at the age of 27, joining the so-called "27 Club". Members of this club include Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones (founder of The Rolling Stones), Kurt Cobain, Robert Johnson, and a bunch of others. Weirdly, all these rockstars died in the age that baseball studies dictate that someone is in thier prime. I think this makes the 27 Club a little bit more important. In some respects, every single one of the members of the 27 Club were at the very top of thier game. And then they died suddenly. It's like a pitcher who just won the Cy Young retiring suddenly.
So, I have named this blog "27 Club Peak", because I like talking about sports, pop culture, and how they occasionally have weird collisions. The fact that baseball players peak at 27, and rock stars die at 27, is one of those weird coincidences I like to look at. Enjoy my blog.