This Grill is on Fire! ← FREE KRAUT!

This Grill is on Fire! 292

Saturday is the grand opening of a new store in Berkeley devoted entirely to hot sauce. I will most definitely visit this place; I love hot sauce in all its formulations. I usually have 4-5 bottles open at any one time, just to have the right sauce to pair with the right meal.

Also, remember that folks are more than welcome to join the Upgrade family in the usual tailgate spot on Opening Day. Use this as a base of operations from which to branch out and attend the massive Let’s Go Oakland opening day tailgate with bands and wrestling if you like (that’s where wacchampions and the famous Ralph will be holding court). I’ll start setting up my gear near the end of parking Row 14 (here) around 2:30 or so. I’m seeing this as a casual show up and hang out affair, BYO everything, no need to RSVP or coordinate dishes etc. I’ll keep a grill or two burning at all times.

I don’t much care for the Alicia Keys song. I prefer ISA. Coco and Reddick and others seem to agree:

292 thoughts on “This Grill is on Fire!

  1. DFA Mar 28,2013 11:37 am

    Ill bring my chicken for the grill

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
  2. Future Ed Mar 28,2013 11:43 am
    I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • nevermoor Mar 28,2013 12:23 pm || Up

      Holy misinterpretation, batman.

      Validation actions are not anywhere near as unusual as that guy thinks they are.

      "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
      • Future Ed Mar 28,2013 12:43 pm || Up

        wait. you are saying a reporter over stated something?

        I have $5. No I don\'t.
      • Glorious Mundy Mar 28,2013 12:47 pm || Up

        Lawyers say this “validation” process, while not well known, isn’t necessarily uncommon among public agencies that want to create a legal shield against future lawsuits to calm investors interested in their bonds.

        That tortured phrasing tells all you need to know about how this reporter and/or editor was trying to shape the facts to fit an angle.

  3. Glorious Mundy Mar 28,2013 12:10 pm

    Brad Peacock made the Astros rotation and will make his AL debut against the A’s.

    • Dial C for Concupiscence Mar 28,2013 12:22 pm || Up

      That is some rotation the Astros have going. Norris, Harrell, Humber, Peacock, Bedard

    • nevermoor Mar 28,2013 12:24 pm || Up

      This is good for my keeper league.

      "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
  4. DFA Mar 28,2013 12:12 pm

    I did not get dc job

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    • Glorious Mundy Mar 28,2013 12:16 pm || Up

      Crap. Sorry man.

    • Dial C for Concupiscence Mar 28,2013 12:20 pm || Up

      Aw man, sorry to hear that. On the plus side, you get to hang out with us more?

    • Future Ed Mar 28,2013 12:20 pm || Up

      bummer. yay more dfa around here

      I have $5. No I don\'t.
      • DFA Mar 28,2013 12:25 pm || Up

        Im applying for some other stuff too. but it is disappointing.

        In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    • nevermoor Mar 28,2013 12:21 pm || Up

      Sux. There’s always a next time though.

      "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    • elcroata Mar 28,2013 12:30 pm || Up

      sorry to hear that. there is another one around the corner, for sure.

      Because survival is insufficient
    • oblique Mar 28,2013 12:46 pm || Up

      Sorry to hear it.

    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 28,2013 12:47 pm || Up

      Sorry man. I still say that a DC job is in your future.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
      • DFA Mar 28,2013 1:10 pm || Up

        They did offer to send my resume to and put in a good word at the other body that does what they do

        In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    • 5Aces Mar 28,2013 1:06 pm || Up

      They are idiots and you shouldnt want to work for them. The inverse of the old “I’d never belong to a club that would have me as a member”…

      Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
    • batgirl Mar 28,2013 1:09 pm || Up

      Sorry DFA :(

    • ozzman99 Mar 28,2013 4:17 pm || Up

      That sucks. Sorry.

    • beebo Mar 28,2013 5:52 pm || Up

      Their loss. Something better will pop up in due time.

  5. andeux Mar 28,2013 12:14 pm

    Best notify your next of kin, This grill shall explode?

    TINSTAAFK
    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 28,2013 12:50 pm || Up

      It’s a perfect (Hannah) Storm!

      Yet another reason I insist on charcoal for my grilling.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  6. doctorK Mar 28,2013 1:05 pm

    Another one bites the dust. In fact, I don’t see how they could’ve done anything differently – this guy appears to be suffering from guano-induced neurosis.

  7. nobody in particular Mar 28,2013 1:22 pm

    Does anyone have two extra seats stashed away for opening night? I wanna take the new bf, who demands to be turned into a rabid hardcore like the rest of us, bleeding green and gold and gaffling Giants fans on the BART for their sushi money.

    Never suck on a Blow Pop with the microphone open.
  8. Future Ed Mar 28,2013 1:22 pm

    Regarding #1, there was a hot sauce shop near my house in seattle that I didn’t go to enough before it closed. Take advantage

    I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 28,2013 1:29 pm || Up

      Yes, I have my doubts about the sustainability of the business model. Will definitely visit sometime in the first month.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
      • Future Ed Mar 28,2013 1:37 pm || Up

        The one in Seattle was doomed by its timing, late 90s opening on a trendy block in a trendy neighborhood. You gotta sell lots of $2 bottles to make rent.

        I have $5. No I don\'t.
      • andeux Mar 28,2013 1:37 pm || Up

        Yeah, most normal people, even those of us who like hot sauce, just don’t go through it that quickly.
        Also, that’s not really a great location for foot traffic.

        TINSTAAFK
      • Soaker Mar 28,2013 1:46 pm || Up

        Maybe they can merge with the sour beer place to form one viable business.

        What I discovered Blew. My. Mind. -- Pat Boone
        • Dial C for Concupiscence Mar 28,2013 2:18 pm || Up

          I would certainly frequent that establishment.

      • Future Ed Mar 28,2013 3:19 pm || Up

        and for a “local couple” he has a strange way of supporting the local team

        I have $5. No I don\'t.
        • Soaker Mar 28,2013 3:31 pm || Up

          Also, the lady co-owner is quite attractive. I think we should send DFA on a mission to buy hot sauce and pry her away from her dorky boyfriend.

          What I discovered Blew. My. Mind. -- Pat Boone
      • ozzman99 Mar 28,2013 4:19 pm || Up

        There is such a place in Myrtle Beach. I think it survives by selling $10 bottles of Cholula to Midwestern rednecks who think La Victoria is exotic.

  9. dmoas Mar 28,2013 1:55 pm

    I wonder if the A’s buy TJ surgeries in bulk? Fernando Rodriguez the latest.

    • ozzman99 Mar 28,2013 4:20 pm || Up

      What if Lew secretly owns the medical facilities where the surgeries are performed and it’s actually all an insurance scam?

      • dmoas Mar 28,2013 6:14 pm || Up

        I’m kind of assuming he does and it is.

  10. Future Ed Mar 28,2013 2:33 pm

    http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/28/red-sox-place-stephen-drew-on-concussion-dl-option-daniel-bard-to-double-a/

    Not that he would have been concussed if he were in camp with the A’s, but who are we kidding, he would have been hurt in some way

    I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • Glorious Mundy Mar 28,2013 2:36 pm || Up

      Daniel Bard to AA? What the hell happened there?

      • colin Mar 28,2013 3:16 pm || Up

        Red Sox tried to make him a starter last season and he had a K/9 of 5.76 to go with a BB/9 of 6.52(!!!) for a mercifully brief 59 IP. With a minimum of 50 innings, the only pitcher with a worse FIP in 2012 was Jonathan Sanchez (LOLRoyals).

        • colin Mar 28,2013 3:17 pm || Up

          And while it’s just 8 innings in Spring Training, I don’t think the Red Sox are very impressed by 4 BB and 2 HBP. 10 Ks though.

          • elcroata Mar 29,2013 12:48 am || Up

            He was my secret weapon from the draft this year (RP with SP eligibility). I guess he will remain a secret

            Because survival is insufficient
            • colin Mar 29,2013 4:59 am || Up

              He could get good again, if he ever finds the strike zone.

            • nevermoor Mar 29,2013 9:56 am || Up

              Yeah, he’s up there among my worst picks in my long-term keeper. I picked him high as a young, talented potential SP with closer as a fallback.

              Now he’s a dead spot on my roster with too many innings to demote to the minors.

              "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
              • colin Mar 29,2013 11:45 am || Up

                Even though the Red Sox get to demote him?

                • nevermoor Mar 29,2013 11:54 am || Up

                  Yeah. My league only allows rookie-eligible in the minors

                  "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
                • elcroata Mar 29,2013 2:19 pm || Up

                  Same with mine. Correct choice in my opinion

                  Because survival is insufficient
  11. Future Ed Mar 28,2013 2:46 pm
    I have $5. No I don\'t.
  12. AV Mar 28,2013 3:47 pm

    melinda’s.

    and that home-made stuff from sophia cafe.

    *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
  13. Future Ed Mar 28,2013 4:15 pm
    I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • dmoas Mar 28,2013 6:15 pm || Up

      Sounds more like bad news for the Mets and so-so news for Santana.

      • Future Ed Mar 28,2013 8:31 pm || Up

        dallas had the same surgery

        I have $5. No I don\'t.
        • dmoas Mar 28,2013 8:39 pm || Up

          I know. He also has his own shoulder too.

  14. lenscrafters Mar 28,2013 4:48 pm

    • Bed Mar 28,2013 5:44 pm || Up

      The Giants way has worked pretty well for them. I’ve read the Yankees clubhouse is similar. I think it’s probably best for a clubhouse to reflect the personalities of the players in it.

      But seriously, folks....
  15. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 28,2013 10:15 pm

    Apparently hoops Cinderella extraordinaire Florida Gulf Coast University is a start-up university built on a free market ideology where all first-year econ students must read Atlas Shrugged.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • elcroata Mar 29,2013 12:53 am || Up

      Now I have another reason not to root for them

      Because survival is insufficient
      • Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 9:35 am || Up

        As long as they continue to promote a free market in sick alley-oop dunks, I’m OK rooting for them.

        • elcroata Mar 29,2013 10:50 am || Up

          Sure. However it is a huge business with lots of revenue generated. I’d like them to throw quite a few dunks and then lose

          Because survival is insufficient
    • andeux Mar 29,2013 9:31 am || Up

      Carrie Kerekes, assistant professor of economics, recently wrote in the Cato Journal that clearly defined and enforced property rights create incentives that lead to lower levels of pollution and an overall improvement in environmental quality. Kerekes concludes that secure property rights are preferable to regulatory policies in order to promote environmental quality.

      I don’t even know where to start.

      TINSTAAFK
      • PDXAthleticsfan Mar 29,2013 10:07 am || Up

        My job is done. Literally, by that logic, my job is over. Because all of the entities subject to the policies I/my colleagues enact would do the right thing if left on their own.

        A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
        • ptbnl Mar 29,2013 10:23 am || Up

          It’s clearly what has happened whenever and wherever that policy has been enacted.

          If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
      • PDXAthleticsfan Mar 29,2013 10:24 am || Up

        Found the article here. Skimming through it, the description of article above doesn’t entirely capture what she’s saying and I don’t entirely disagree with her on some points – clearly defined property rights can lead to improvements on a more global scale – in other words, as there is a clearer demarcation of forest ownership, you will have less deforestation because you won’t have (government/industry/military/ag) coming through and raping the forest. So, if you’re starting at (measure of environmental quality = very low), you can make larger marginal improvements by clarifying property rights if they don’t exist.

        However, that’s not gonna get you all the way there, in most cases. Which is why we need regulations.

        She also notes correctly that it doesn’t work for air, since you can’t adequately define property rights for air.

        A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
        • Future Ed Mar 29,2013 12:14 pm || Up

          who buys land for land’s sake though?

          I have $5. No I don\'t.
          • PDXAthleticsfan Mar 29,2013 12:42 pm || Up

            I think it’s more along the lines of post-soviet land transfer. When land was nobody’s, it was a prisoners’ dilemma in which no one had a motivation to protect the land. In some circumstances (Ukraine comes to mind of the places I’ve been/studied), land transfers in mixed land/forested areas came with both more secure property rights and a better sense of stewardship. Of course, all of this requires some semblance of rule of law that would enforce property rights (and appropriate regulations).

            A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
  16. Englishmajor Mar 28,2013 10:32 pm
    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 28,2013 11:11 pm || Up

      That was good. Also:

      “…NPR, hardly a bastion for sports debate…”

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
      • colin Mar 29,2013 5:22 am || Up

        …Dinner at 7 p.m. a week from now? I don’t know if I’ll be hungry then!

    • colin Mar 29,2013 5:02 am || Up

      The photo is pretty perfect. Hobbes loves the camera!

    • doctorK Mar 29,2013 8:20 am || Up

      He’s got his own small weight room, a large bedroom, and one of his prized possessions, an expensive toilet Amanda ordered from Japan.

      No doubt it has a heated seat, and a facility for “anal washing”.

      • ptbnl Mar 29,2013 8:41 am || Up

        Cos who wants a Westie with a dirty bum?

        If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
      • JediLeroy Mar 29,2013 9:44 am || Up

        I so want a robotoilet. These base-model porcelain cans leave much to be desired.

        az di bobe volt gehat beytsim volt zi geven mayn zeyde
    • Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 9:32 am || Up

      McCarthy’s humor is part of a particularly neoteric skill set…

      I learned a new word today. From Buzzfeed of all places. Not sure it is particularly apt here though.

    • whiteshoes40 Mar 30,2013 9:06 pm || Up

      Loved it. I want to watch Brandon’s TV show.

  17. elcroata Mar 29,2013 5:10 am

    LOL

    Anybody recognize who Manny Ramirez on this picture is?

    Because survival is insufficient
    • JediLeroy Mar 29,2013 7:30 am || Up

      All black people look the same.

      az di bobe volt gehat beytsim volt zi geven mayn zeyde
  18. 5Aces Mar 29,2013 9:52 am

    So the new leadership my group has moved into met for the first time yesterday. all day stratgy session to determine the structure and go forward plans for our organization. So far we have one concrete piece of feedback from those meetings. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE APPROPRIAATELY BRANDED WALLPAPER ON OUR COMPUTERS!!!

    Good news-it isnt just a generic logo-they have a few different things to choose from, including some good shots of baseball stadiums and sports logos. Being the official bank of lots of stuff has it’s advantages.

    Bad news-I can now choose from things like the Cowboy’s star, Yankee Stadium, Chavez Ravine, or AT&T park. I may just askif I can have blank screen with the logo..smh.

    Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
    • elcroata Mar 29,2013 10:51 am || Up

      WTF?

      Because survival is insufficient
    • ozzman99 Mar 29,2013 3:29 pm || Up

      Would photoshopping a nuke going off in Cowboys Stadium be considered appropriate?

      • 5Aces Mar 29,2013 4:07 pm || Up

        As lame as it sounds I actually sent an email to our “branding” people to ask them if they need help getting the other logos and/or stadium shots completed. And am seriously considering just making my own pirated version with the Coli.

        But yeah-the thought of adding a missle flying into AT&T has crossed my mind.

        Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
        • doctorK Mar 29,2013 4:09 pm || Up

          The warhead needs to be of a low-enough yield to spare the Coliseum. Or for that matter, the rest of the East Bay.

          • 5Aces Mar 29,2013 4:11 pm || Up

            Maybe just a Cruiser sitting in McCovey cove lobbing shells into RF…

            Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
            • doctorK Mar 29,2013 4:33 pm || Up

              True story – A WWII Japanese sub was all set to bombard SF on Christmas Eve 1941, but they were ordered away a few hours before the attack was scheduled.

              • Future Ed Mar 29,2013 5:00 pm || Up

                interesting. For what purpose I wonder?

                I have $5. No I don\'t.
                • AV Mar 30,2013 11:12 am || Up

                  because captain wild bill kelso. i saw it in a documentary.

                  or, actually,

                  17 December 1941:
                  The I-15 surfaces around midnight near the Farallones to recharge her batteries. Her crew is given a chance to see the lights of San Francisco.

                  22 December 1941:
                  Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, CINC, Combined Fleet, postpones the Christmas Eve attack until 27 December.

                  27 December 1941:
                  Most of the I-boats off the coast have depleted their fuel reserves. The Naval General Staff decides that the shelling of densely populated areas, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, will result in civilian losses and retaliation by the Americans. Vice Admiral Shimizu cancels the shelling.

                  http://www.combinedfleet.com/I-15.htm

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • Future Ed Mar 30,2013 11:18 am || Up

                  if it wasn’t in this documentary, I don’t trust the info

                  https://youtube.com/watch?v=JdUCu-A7tgg” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen>

                  I have $5. No I don\'t.
                • AV Mar 30,2013 11:27 am || Up

                  it’s the same link!

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • Future Ed Mar 30,2013 11:30 am || Up

                  I have a bad habit of stepping on people’s lines.

                  I confess I didn’t fully read and open links in your comment before charging ahead to my gag.

                  Mea culpa mea culpa mea maxima culpa

                  I have $5. No I don\'t.
                • AV Mar 30,2013 11:35 am || Up

                  i was just surprised we came up with the same one. just proves my personal aphorism: the world’s not small; its paths are narrow.

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • doctorK Apr 1,2013 9:52 am || Up

                  That’s a great link (the combinedfleet one, that is). A couple of things that are interesting. I-15 spent most of its wartime life chasing US Navy task forces, instead of interdicting merchant shipping (like the Germans did). The Japanese Navy consistently mis-used their sub force in this manner.

                  200 miles W of Espiritu Santo. At 0350, Cdr Ishikawa sights a major enemy task heading S from Santa Cruz. The I-15 may have also been sighted by the Americans. At 0414, while taking evasive action to avoid the submarine contact, the SOUTH DAKOTA and the MAHAN (DD-364) collide. Damage to both ships is severe.

                  The I-21 and the I-24 also sight the American forces. They fire a salvo of torpedoes but miss the new battleship USS WASHINGTON (BB-56). The I-15 proceeds to an area SW of San Cristobal.

                  That being said, had they been successful at their mission above, the history of the Guadalcanal campaign would’ve been significantly different.

            • doctorK Mar 29,2013 4:35 pm || Up

              They could use the atomic cannon!

  19. Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 10:01 am

    Ryan Sweeney did not make the Red Sox:

    Sweeney was told when he signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox in January that a spot on the roster was his to lose. He lost it by hitting .217 in 46 at-bats with one extra-base hit.

  20. Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 10:07 am

    The other Football

  21. Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 10:13 am
  22. doctorK Mar 29,2013 10:32 am

    Nothing like putting the interests of your constituents your chance for reelection ahead of justice.

  23. doctorK Mar 29,2013 10:35 am
  24. Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 10:55 am
    • elcroata Mar 29,2013 10:57 am || Up

      Fixed that link for you

      Because survival is insufficient
    • DFA Mar 29,2013 11:01 am || Up

      I really like that show.

      In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
      • Future Ed Mar 29,2013 12:23 pm || Up

        I have like it, but ATC and Top of the morning to you or whatever its called have really soured me on the NPR products.

        PRI and local stuff is alright though.

        I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • PDXAthleticsfan Mar 29,2013 11:03 am || Up

      I heard that this morning. It’s always weird when NPR reports stories about NPR. Fortunately, Science Friday remains.

      A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    • Englishmajor Mar 29,2013 10:50 pm || Up

      It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, since call-in shows are relatively cheap. But I have a theory. I blame cell phones. It’s getting harder to do good-quality phone interviews. Shitty cell phone audio is fine when you’re talking to your friends….you know what they’re supposed to sound like and you know much of what they’re going to say, so you can fill in the blanks. But without that context it becomes much harder to listen to. In the pre-cell-phone days, if we got a bad phone line, we asked the guest to take the mouthpiece end of their phone and knock it firmly on a hard surface, like a desk or table, a few times. This usually worked, and even if it didn’t it impressed the hell out of the guest. Can you imagine having someone tell you to take your iPhone and whack it on your desk?

      • ptbnl Mar 29,2013 11:01 pm || Up

        It’s bizarre that the one thing cell phones don’t do well is the phone part.

        If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
        • beebo Mar 30,2013 8:33 am || Up

          Call-in shows should follow TV news’ example and just read out people’s innate tweets instead. /sarcasm

        • AV Mar 30,2013 10:53 am || Up

          right? we can start a list of things that seemed something technology would improve but have normalized at SO not up to our previous standard at all. the cell sound. compact fluorescent light. compression flurries in digital TV. mismatched aspect ratios…

          *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
          • Future Ed Mar 30,2013 11:20 am || Up

            I think poor cell phone sound has driven me to text more than any other reason

            I have $5. No I don\'t.
            • colin Mar 30,2013 11:22 am || Up

              No kidding. I really can’t understand people half the time on a cell phone…and that’s my only phone.

        • brian.only Mar 30,2013 1:43 pm || Up

          The Nexus 1 actually had a really good phone, I miss that.

  25. doctorK Mar 29,2013 11:26 am

    So, this time next week I’ll be in EC’s time zone.

    • ptbnl Mar 29,2013 11:51 am || Up

      Me too (from Monday).

      If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
      • elcroata Mar 30,2013 2:54 pm || Up

        Where is each one of you going to be?

        Because survival is insufficient
        • ptbnl Mar 30,2013 6:56 pm || Up

          Noordwijk aan Zee, Amsterdam and Paris.

          If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
          • elcroata Mar 31,2013 12:39 am || Up

            What is there in the first one?! Or is it vacation?

            Because survival is insufficient
            • ptbnl Apr 1,2013 11:11 am || Up

              The European Space Research and Technology Centre.

              What is this “vacation” of which you speak?

              If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
        • doctorK Apr 1,2013 9:53 am || Up

          Paris, Avignon, Barcelona, and Madrid.

          • elcroata Apr 1,2013 9:55 am || Up

            cool

            Because survival is insufficient
            • doctorK Apr 1,2013 10:25 am || Up

              I’ve been to other parts of Europe, but this will be my first visit to these two countries.

              • elcroata Apr 1,2013 1:24 pm || Up

                Perhaps even soon to be three

                Because survival is insufficient
                • ptbnl Apr 1,2013 1:26 pm || Up

                  Four when the Pope moves the vatican back to Avignon.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • doctorK Apr 1,2013 2:09 pm || Up

                  How likely is Catalonia to separate from Spain?

                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 4:29 am || Up

                  It’s difficult to gauge, but the public support (in Catalonia) is there. In many ways they act as if they already did, such as offering a lot of public service in Catalan only

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • ozzman99 Apr 2,2013 12:46 pm || Up

                  I don’t know crap about Spain, but my sister lived in Barcelona and 1 important lesson she learned there is to never, ever make Franco jokes in Catalonia.

          • Future Ed Apr 1,2013 10:21 am || Up

            nice

            I have $5. No I don\'t.
          • ptbnl Apr 1,2013 11:11 am || Up

            That’s a great trip.

            If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
            • doctorK Apr 1,2013 1:13 pm || Up

              I sure hope so. Mrs doctorK kinda roped me into this trip. It was set up by the French and Spanish teachers at Willow Glen Middle School, so we’ll have to endure having some 8th-graders with us. Thankfully, the ratio is favorable – 8 kids, 7 adults.

          • MikeV Apr 1,2013 12:51 pm || Up

            Group of Death

            And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser.

            Thanks, and go As.

            • ptbnl Apr 1,2013 12:53 pm || Up

              Did you see the two saves Cech made today?

              If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
              • MikeV Apr 1,2013 12:59 pm || Up

                I didn’t. No cable, no illegal internet streams. I barely feel like a functional member of society.

                And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser.

                Thanks, and go As.

                • ptbnl Apr 1,2013 1:07 pm || Up

                  Both here

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • MikeV Apr 1,2013 1:11 pm || Up

                  Nice.

                  Also Demba Ba is so good…

                  And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser.

                  Thanks, and go As.

                • ptbnl Apr 1,2013 1:13 pm || Up

                  Yeah – that was an astonishing finish.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • MikeV Apr 1,2013 1:14 pm || Up

                  but he does shit like that all the frickin time.

                  Crazy.

                  And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser.

                  Thanks, and go As.

              • AV Apr 2,2013 9:17 am || Up

                huh? the replay was yesterday? totally missed it. who the hell plays football on a monday anyway?

                *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 10:52 am || Up

                  Sky TV

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 10:54 am || Up

                  name seven countries that since beginning of 2007 never ranked lower than 15 on FIFA Rankings

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 10:58 am || Up

                  Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Spain, Italy, Croatia and either England or the Faroe Islands.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:00 am || Up

                  Six of the first seven are correct, Italy isn’t

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • MikeV Apr 2,2013 11:00 am || Up

                  Holland? They make it to the World Cup semis like every damn time?

                  And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser.

                  Thanks, and go As.

                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:01 am || Up

                  yup

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • MikeV Apr 2,2013 11:05 am || Up

                  woooo!

                  And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser.

                  Thanks, and go As.

                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 11:06 am || Up

                  I thought their dismal Euro 2012 performance might have knocked them down a bit.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • AV Apr 2,2013 11:00 am || Up

                  totally off the top of my head…

                  argentina
                  brasil
                  germany
                  italy
                  netherlands

                  i’m pretty sure about those. these are my wildcard guesses:

                  england
                  spain

                  i say spain not really remembering how they played more than 6 years ago. and i’d say france but they had such a dip 4 years ago.

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:03 am || Up

                  Spain spent most of that time in #1 and were never lower than #9

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • AV Apr 2,2013 11:05 am || Up

                  so italy’s wrong?

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:08 am || Up

                  yes, albeit by a hair – they ranked at #16 for a while

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • AV Apr 2,2013 11:07 am || Up

                  and brasil is 18 right now??

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:09 am || Up

                  IKR

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:06 am || Up

                  I have to say I was surprised how high Croatia constantly ranks

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 11:07 am || Up

                  I’m surprised how consistently high England rank, given how rank their play is.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • colin Apr 2,2013 11:10 am || Up

                  Label your axes!

                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 11:11 am || Up

                  Good and Evil.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:12 am || Up

                  LOL

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:12 am || Up

                  I know, this was just a quick extract after I got the data in my DB. I thought of adding the axis and numbers in PS later

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:10 am || Up

                  This is the list of the countries that ranked #1 and the number of weeks they spent there

                  AAA 140
                  BBB 44
                  CCC 13
                  DDD 10
                  EEE 6
                  FFF 5
                  GGG 1

                  Can you guess them?

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • MikeV Apr 2,2013 11:14 am || Up

                  Brazil
                  Spain
                  Germany
                  Argentina
                  Italy
                  Portugal
                  Lichtenstein

                  And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser.

                  Thanks, and go As.

                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:21 am || Up

                  #1, #2, #4 and #5 are right. Germany is on there, too. The other two are not.

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • AV Apr 2,2013 11:18 am || Up

                  this is also since 2008, right?

                  well, you gave me spain, so:

                  A spain
                  B italy
                  C argentina (i remember being #1 at some moment)
                  D brasil
                  E netherlands
                  F brasil
                  G uruguay (for copa america 2011)

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 11:19 am || Up

                  brasil are so good they get in twice!

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • AV Apr 2,2013 11:22 am || Up

                  ha! that’s because i had germany in there and then i started switching things around.

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:24 am || Up

                  he should have spelled it once with an ‘s’ and once with a ‘z’

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • AV Apr 2,2013 11:27 am || Up

                  roland barthes, is that you?

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:20 am || Up

                  Sorry, no this is since inception of the rankings in 2003 and it is of course, number of months, not weeks

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • AV Apr 2,2013 11:26 am || Up

                  in that case, yes, brasil IS that good.

                  A those penta FKers
                  B spain
                  C italy
                  D germany
                  E argentina
                  F netherlands
                  G uruguay

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:33 am || Up

                  To combine with what mikev guessed right:

                  BRA 140
                  ESP 44
                  ??? 13
                  ARG 10
                  ITA 6
                  GER 5
                  NED 1

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 11:34 am || Up

                  If it’s back to 1993 now, France for the missing 13

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:36 am || Up

                  brasil italy are so good they get in twice!

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 11:43 am || Up

                  I have no idea what you are talking about.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:36 am || Up

                  also it is since the inception, august 1993

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • MikeV Apr 2,2013 11:37 am || Up

                  I was going to swap out Lichtenstein for Vatican City.

                  And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser.

                  Thanks, and go As.

                • AV Apr 2,2013 11:43 am || Up
                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • AV Apr 2,2013 11:40 am || Up

                  he’s got them below ARG. i’m gonna guess france. (mostly i’m second guessing that EC meant 1993 rather than 2003.)

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • elcroata Apr 2,2013 11:50 am || Up

                  FK, of course it’s 1993, sorry. and yes, it’s France

                  Because survival is insufficient
                • AV Apr 11,2013 1:18 pm || Up

                  —april 2, the only croatian i know who manipulates numbers like they’re just so much clay to mold truth out of (ok, fine, the only croatian i know, period.) suddenly shows interest in fifa rankings.

                  —april 11, fifa suddenly upgrades croatia 5 positions to 4th, and knocking on its historical best rank of 3rd, and threatens argentina next no less.

                  coincidence? perhaps… perhaps the most interesting coincidence in the world, i say.

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 11:30 am || Up

                  Old man Beckham is playing for PSG tonight.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • AV Apr 2,2013 11:35 am || Up

                  PSG was my knee-jerk pick when i found out they had gathered ibra, pocho, and pastore. plus beckham? i’m slightly scared for barca.

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • Glorious Mundy Apr 2,2013 11:46 am || Up

                  Where is PSG playing Beckham? I can imagine him as sort of a deep-lying playmaker, but Barca’s attackers will run right over him.

                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 11:54 am || Up

                  Parc des Princes.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • Glorious Mundy Apr 2,2013 1:27 pm || Up

                  Scary indeed, at this point.

                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 1:29 pm || Up

                  That whole sequence was absurd though.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • AV Apr 2,2013 1:33 pm || Up

                  non-call offside traded for a dive call, and things are back to normal.

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • Glorious Mundy Apr 2,2013 1:33 pm || Up

                  Ah, soccer.

                • AV Apr 2,2013 1:37 pm || Up

                  minute 94.

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • Glorious Mundy Apr 2,2013 1:38 pm || Up

                  Sir Alex Ferguson coaching PSG now?

                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 1:36 pm || Up

                  You were saying?

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • AV Apr 2,2013 1:40 pm || Up

                  i said, “NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” and i’m surprised you didn’t hear me from europe.

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • ptbnl Apr 2,2013 1:45 pm || Up

                  Oh – I thought someone was gutting an elephant seal on my balcony.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • AV Apr 2,2013 1:51 pm || Up

                  pretty much.

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • AV Apr 2,2013 1:29 pm || Up

                  don’t break my masche! (oh god, my masche is broken.)

                  and ibra was so offsides.

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • AV Apr 2,2013 1:31 pm || Up

                  and where’s MESSI? did he sub out? i went to pee and he was gone.

                  wherever he is, why can’t they send sanchez there instead?

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • Glorious Mundy Apr 2,2013 1:32 pm || Up

                  Pulled a hammy.

                • AV Apr 2,2013 1:34 pm || Up

                  that’s not so bad.

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
                • MikeV Apr 2,2013 1:39 pm || Up

                  tell that to anybody on the A’s.

                  And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser.

                  Thanks, and go As.

                • AV Apr 2,2013 1:41 pm || Up

                  it’s not shin splints!

                  *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
            • doctorK Apr 1,2013 1:14 pm || Up

              Until I saw the comments below this one, I thought this was metal band.

            • elcroata Apr 2,2013 10:53 am || Up

              heh

              Because survival is insufficient
  26. Dial C for Concupiscence Mar 29,2013 12:31 pm

    Posey on Giants for long time, lots of money

    • dmoas Mar 29,2013 12:51 pm || Up

      A lot of money for a catcher.

    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 29,2013 12:53 pm || Up

      “Posey gets nine years.” Sounds like a prison sentence.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
      • andeux Mar 29,2013 1:08 pm || Up

        Like a prisoner, he has to wear orange.

        TINSTAAFK
        • doctorK Mar 29,2013 2:10 pm || Up

          win

          If they really want to make the penalty severe, a panda hat is a must.

          • brian.only Mar 29,2013 5:38 pm || Up

            While watching the game last night it was pretty fun seeing shots of full-grown adults bored and shivering garbed in their ugly panda furries. Half were diddling their cell phones…

    • nevermoor Mar 29,2013 1:05 pm || Up

      Lets do that with Yoennis.

      "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
  27. batgirl Mar 29,2013 12:52 pm
    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 29,2013 12:58 pm || Up

      Hey llama, when you’re ready to move to a real city I’ve found the perfect place for you.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  28. Dial C for Concupiscence Mar 29,2013 2:10 pm

    Payroll and salaries for every MLB team this year.

    Fun(?) exercise: if you could raid any one team to take any of their players to add to the A’s roster for just the price of those players’ contracts, which team do you pick, and who do you take? Assume that you have to work within the A’s budget limitations, as we more or less understand them.

    • Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 2:17 pm || Up

      Oh man. I literally groaned seeing that Johan Santana salary figure. Hope that no-hitter was worth it.

      • Soaker Mar 29,2013 3:37 pm || Up

        I think Bobby Bonilla is making about $1.2 million this year, unless he and the Mets came to some settlement on that. Cot’s mentions Jason Bay but I don’t see anything about Bonilla.

        What I discovered Blew. My. Mind. -- Pat Boone
    • dmoas Mar 29,2013 2:20 pm || Up

      The Rangers. Not sure who I’d take per se, but anything you take that you can afford will make them worse.

      • PDXAthleticsfan Mar 29,2013 2:26 pm || Up

        Andrus is still relatively cheap and if we could offload Nakajima for a low-level prospect, it would save on salary.

        A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    • nevermoor Mar 29,2013 2:32 pm || Up

      Angels because Trout alone trumps anything else.

      "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
      • Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 2:38 pm || Up

        Harper/Strasburg wouldn’t tempt you?

        • Dial C for Concupiscence Mar 29,2013 3:38 pm || Up

          Yeah, I was leaning Nats. I could see an argument for Rays too.

          • Dial C for Concupiscence Mar 29,2013 3:46 pm || Up

            In addition to Harper/Strasburg, the Nats also have Gio, Zimmermann, and Desmond at quite reasonable contracts, so there are other appealing players too.

        • nevermoor Mar 29,2013 3:46 pm || Up

          Maybe, but not as much. Strasburg is an already-injured pitcher and Harper is universes away from Trout’s upside.

          "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
          • brian.only Mar 29,2013 5:45 pm || Up

            Hrm, universes? Not sure about that, Harper is pretty darned special too, most scouts project him for more power in the long run.

            • ptbnl Mar 29,2013 5:46 pm || Up

              They could be really really small universes.

              If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
              • brian.only Mar 29,2013 5:48 pm || Up

                I knew our cosmologist would chime in!

                • Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 5:52 pm || Up

                  Now we just need our cosmetologist to chime in on which player has the better makeup.

                • brian.only Mar 29,2013 5:56 pm || Up

                  HARHAR!

                • ptbnl Mar 29,2013 5:56 pm || Up

                  One of our cosmologists.

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • brian.only Mar 29,2013 5:58 pm || Up

                  Colin right?

                • ptbnl Mar 29,2013 5:59 pm || Up

                  yup

                  If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
                • brian.only Mar 29,2013 6:02 pm || Up

                  [ insert bad pun about ‘astronomical’ odds of two cosmologists on a third generation sports blog ]

                • Future Ed Mar 30,2013 9:12 am || Up

                  cosmopolis?

                  I have $5. No I don\'t.
            • nevermoor Mar 29,2013 7:13 pm || Up

              In fantasy, the SBs make a major difference.

              In reality, the defense does the same.

              Either way, I’d much rather have Trout. Especially since Harper is getting paid already.

              "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
          • ozzman99 Mar 29,2013 5:54 pm || Up

            Dude, if there’s one thing I’ve learned around here, it’s don’t criticize Bryce Harper. There are some folks who get really butthurt if you dare suggest that he’s anything less than the greatest baseball player, and possibly greatest human, to have ever existed.

            • brian.only Mar 29,2013 5:57 pm || Up

              No, that’s how I feel about Giancarlo Stanton.

              • dmoas Mar 29,2013 6:43 pm || Up

                Well that’s because he is.

              • nevermoor Mar 29,2013 7:11 pm || Up

                Agreed. I took him #2 overall in my keeper draft last year. Don’t regret it a bit (since Trout is a pure hindsight issue)

                "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
      • PDXAthleticsfan Mar 29,2013 2:40 pm || Up

        And dump Young?

        A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
      • oblique Mar 29,2013 2:55 pm || Up

        Hi! Is this the right place to grumble about Grant Green?

  29. Englishmajor Mar 29,2013 2:57 pm

    • PDXAthleticsfan Mar 29,2013 3:03 pm || Up

      Wow, his feed is worse than Anderson’s in its drudgery. At least Anderson has a dry humor. Mulder is just boring.

      A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
      • Soaker Mar 29,2013 3:44 pm || Up

        ESPN has come down pretty hard on some of its employees for their social media blunders. In that position I’d be boring and G-rated too.

        What I discovered Blew. My. Mind. -- Pat Boone
        • PDXAthleticsfan Mar 29,2013 3:47 pm || Up

          I suspect he doesn’t need encouragement to be boring.

          A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
          • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 29,2013 4:32 pm || Up

            Yeah, that’s my read too. I’ve never seen Mulder be anything but bland in any setting. Even while pitching, actually.

            "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
      • colin Mar 30,2013 6:54 am || Up

        Anderson’s twitter has gotten a lot better over the years!

        • PDXAthleticsfan Mar 30,2013 7:00 am || Up

          He trained under the ultimate Twit Master; we will see how he does now that he’s forced to tweet on his own.

          A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
  30. doctorK Mar 29,2013 3:29 pm
  31. Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 3:30 pm

    • aardvark Mar 29,2013 3:33 pm || Up

      The pennant is ours!

    • nevermoor Mar 29,2013 3:47 pm || Up

      And Barton replaces Paquette.

      "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
      • Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 3:48 pm || Up

        Favorite shitty ex-Athletic?

        • nevermoor Mar 29,2013 3:49 pm || Up

          I wouldn’t say shitty, but non-star.

          "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
          • Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 3:50 pm || Up

            To use a baseball card term, they are “commons.”

            • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 29,2013 4:32 pm || Up

              That is the perfect description.

              "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  32. Englishmajor Mar 29,2013 3:31 pm

    A day in the life.

    • doctorK Mar 29,2013 3:36 pm || Up

      • lenscrafters Mar 29,2013 3:37 pm || Up

        So who’s the last guy in the pen? Okajima, Figueroa?

        • Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 3:41 pm || Up

          I would guess Scribner or Ekstrom.

          • lenscrafters Mar 29,2013 3:50 pm || Up

            This doesn’t make much sense to me. Even if you think one of those guys is ever so slightly better than Blackley as the last option in the pen, it’s outweighed by the fact that Blackley could start in a pinch and Blackley is the only one who can’t be kept in the organization.

            I don’t see the point of Otero. He can’t start and he’s basically another Ekstrom, Gordon, Justin Thomas type which of course the A’s already have a bunch of.

    • Glorious Mundy Mar 29,2013 3:47 pm || Up

      I hope he clears waivers and we see him in Oakland again before too long. Seems like someone will grab him though.

      • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 29,2013 4:46 pm || Up

        Yeah, I like Blackley in the swing man role, though he’s likely already plateaued.

        "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • batgirl Mar 29,2013 4:43 pm || Up

      That makes me want to cry. Then again, I’m sitting at a desk, and he was/is? cashing an MLB paycheck so…

    • doctorK Mar 29,2013 4:47 pm || Up

      If Neshek doesn’t make the team, the A’s standing as the most-metal team in MLB is in jeopardy.

  33. aardvark Mar 29,2013 3:34 pm

    I love the idea of an Eric Sogard blog. This feels way to gimmicky.

    • PDXAthleticsfan Mar 29,2013 3:41 pm || Up

      The concept is pretty awesome, but it reads way too PR. It also will be pretty unfortunate if he doesn’t stick around on the roster for long.

      A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
  34. ozzman99 Mar 29,2013 3:41 pm
  35. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 29,2013 4:37 pm

    Oakland proclaims A’s Spirit Week, at which Mayor Quan, Bob Melvin, and Stomper posed precariously on the catwalk of the Tribune Tower.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  36. JamesV Mar 29,2013 8:47 pm
  37. colin Mar 30,2013 7:16 am

    Boston cops are hilarious

    whats the 411 for the show saturday?

    • AV Mar 30,2013 11:02 am || Up

      now i have boston’s finest by the F.U.’s stuck in my head and i can’t find a video of it.

      *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
  38. doctorK Apr 2,2013 11:38 am

    The Bay Area will have a competitive congressional race next year, and for once, it’s in my district!

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