THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS ARE THE 2012 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!!! AHHHHHH.

If you need some motivation to get up after a long night of celebrating, I’m sure Hunter Pence could give you a “pump up” speech.  I hear they are pretty good. » Continue reading “Monday Mid-Day Motivation: THE GIANTS WIN THE WORLD SERIES”

Brian Wilson plays the piano on his teammate’s head during game 2 of the NLCS.

Nick Swisher is acting creepy in the dugout.

Tim Lincecum’s pickoff attempt. Worst job ever.

Some weeks I absolutely adore the Twitters.  People are saying witty things, I find out interesting stuff, and I am ahead of the breaking news-curve.  Then other times, I just wish we could take the Internet away from people.  Well, this week started out promising and then quickly took a turn for the worse…

The Good:

Easily the best Tweet of the Week, and it’s not even close…

» Continue reading “Twitter Thursday: The Good, The Bad And The REALLY Ugly”

Because I don’t feel like making decisions today, I’m going to make you guys vote on the biggest FAIL this week…

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1.  ESPN mixing up Cedric Griffin and Robert Griffin III.

(Image via @ev_sporer)

2.  The German diver with the awesome last name of Feck doing a back-flop during the diving qualifiers and scoring a 0.0? » Continue reading “Friday FAIL: Where To Begin?”

Written by: Teresa España

Last evening I saw Sacha Baron Cohen’s current movie, “The Dictator.” The film satirizes racism, bigotry, and hypocrisy.

Satire is tricky to convey. The term’s defined as “trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly.”  If the material is not well-written or -delivered, it can offend.

The “dictator,” played by Baron Cohen, is characterized as a bumbling, idiotic Middle Eastern tyrant whose minions have been ordered to build a nuclear weapon. Stereotypes traffic the entire movie, pigeonholing, denigrating, and misrepresenting cultural groups. The antics in the movie are so outrageous that it can be read as satire for exposing and mocking prejudice.

This movie helped me understand the discomfort I feel around “Cultural Heritage Nights” at baseball stadiums. These functions are similar in nature to Cinco de Mayo (5th of May) fiestas in restaurants and bars. Both events use stereotypical symbols to represent, fix, and impose identities that don’t exist.

At Cinco de Mayo parties, bars and restaurants offer “authentic” experiences by serving plenty of Mexican beer and food (taquitos, guacamole), and filling the room with Mexican music (mariachis). The owners decorate their establishments with colorful placards that include images of sarapes (ponchos), sombreros (large hats), acoustic guitars, and “lazy” Mexicans sleeping against cacti.

I am a 51-year old, third-generation American of Mexican descent and have never worn a sarape or sombrero, nor found myself napping against a cactus in the desert.

» Continue reading “Cultural Stereotypes, Heritage Nights, And Baseball”

The good news: Braun in a baseball uniform means less Braun in douchey Affliction shirts

There was a whole lot of FAIL going on surrounding the announcement of MVP Ryan Braun’s overturned suspension on Thursday afternoon.

First, everyone starts reporting that Braun’s suspension had been overturned.  Then, to add the chaos, the Associated Press reports:

(AP) — National League MVP Ryan Braun’s 50-game suspension upheld by arbitrator.

So.Much.Confusion.  Then a few minutes later, the Associated Press changes their mind:

(AP) — CORRECTS: NL MVP Ryan Braun’s 50-game suspension has been overturned. (Corrects APNewsAlert saying suspension was upheld)

Oopsies.

The fun didn’t stop there, kids!  Then Major League Baseball  released this statement regarding the overturned suspension: » Continue reading “Friday FAIL: Ryan Braun, The AP, And A Cup Of Urine”

With baseball in the offseason, many players are still working out where they will spend the 2012 season.  After a deal with the Nationals late last week, pitcher Edwin Jackson is no longer one of them.

And looking at this body, why would he be? The Nats will be Jackson’s seventh MLB team in a 9 year career.  He has a career ERA of 4.46 and a 1.82 strikeout to walks ratio.

Jackson will be a great addition to the Nationals’ now formidable starting rotation, one that could get them to the top of the division.  Congrats on the contract, and welcome to D.C.!

The World Series starts tonight, with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers facing off for the final baseball glory of 2011. However, it wouldn’t be fitting if there wasn’t at least a little bit of drama to add to the spectacle, this year brought on by none other than the U.S. Senate. Because, you know, they really have no other important issues to tackle besides baseball.

The senators, led by Dick Durbin (D. Ill.) have come into a partnership with various health agencies around the country to try and stop the chewing during this year’s world series. The ‘Bacco Coalition (as I have just now named them) is calling for the players union to agree not to chew tobacco in the dugout, and certainly not on camera. This is obviously to keep from influencing children to chew as well as for the players health. The spokesperson for the players union, Michael Weiner, stayed mum about this year but as said a “sincere effort” will be put towards the ban next June. I somehow sense a tad bit of sarcasm in this statement.

This isn’t the first time that government officials have decided to meddle in baseball’s spitting problem, as they tried to ban tobacco at last year’s World Series. Chewing has gone back as far as baseball itself, with pitchers being banned from using spitballs in 1920. Even the minor leagues now have been known to fine players who are caught dipping at their lockers. Either way, some players are not okay with the proposal as it is infringing on their freedoms.

We’ll see how much icky brown tar comes flying out in front of cameras in the next few days. What I want to know is why the senators are chasing particularly after this. Because, of course, football doesn’t have popular players partake in dog fights or cheat on their spouses. Or hockey doesn’t have players having close-handed slap fights because testosterone went through the roof. And basketball certainly doesn’t have the showboating after a single basket is made. Yes, baseball and tobacco are going to lead to the future’s problems. Do the country a favor:  stay in Washington and out of the dugout.

Besides, if you’re a real fan who is actually paying attention to the Series and not what is in player’s mouths, you’ll focus more on the game. It’s gonna be an interesting Series, to say the least.

Go ________s! (I’m a Cubs fan, you can figure it out in no time at all:))