GAME 16 - Radar's Glove

Poll
Well the results are in from the most recent poll and I have to say that I am again very surprised with how it turned out.  I'm not surprised in who won necessarily, but I'm pretty shocked by the distribution of votes!  The question posed was, "IF YOU HAD TO PICK TODAY, WHO WOULD BE YOUR ODDS ON FAVOURITE TO WIN THE REGULAR SEASON?"

Hurtin' Units         69%
Brew Jays              7%
Lucky Stiffs            0%
Banshees              15%
The Wild                7%

I've been asked a few times if you can vote more than once, the answer is yes, theoretically.  If you went to The BLOG site from a multitude of different PCs you could vote from all of them.  I don't see any evidence of that, just the normal readership.

So, when this went up, the teams listed above were in that exact order in the standings.   What is interesting, if not completely bizarre, is that the Brew Jays are only expected by one person to catch the Units and same for the 5th place Wild; while no one thinks the Lucky Stiffs can do it and 2 people think the Banshees have a legitimate shot!  Considering the standings going into the week, Mikey and JT might want to start getting the playoff pitching rotation ready!

The Intro

To totally abuse a Monty Python line, "and now for something completely different..."   In recent weeks we have had a couple of serious editions on HTKP and a follow up on the all-star game (in which I shockingly didn't play, (I'm over it, really, I'm just saying)). We've had some interesting revelations with Chuck Cragg, Paul Piellusch and Ingo Bartens.  We've also delved into the home towns of your favourite Grisslies.  So while we try to uncover hidden baseball cards of the Grisslies from the 1960's and 70's, this seemed like a good time to unveil statements that each of our Grisslie players have made over the years through lapel buttons! 

I know, its kinda random.   

Work with me on this one, the odd one might be funny:

Simon

After a summer of touring as a Roadie with The Parachute Club and learning all the dance steps to "Rise Up", he got accepted to Lake Head university and had to bail on the 'down East' leg of the tour.  Simon is still haunted by the sound of Lorraine Segatto's voice when he tunes in CHAY on the drive to cottage country, "This tightrope's gotta learn how to bend, We're makin' new plans, Gonna start it again..."

 

Rob

This one is pretty much exactly how it sounds.  Rob was under the mistaken impression that child proofing had to do with barricading one's self in his room.  Chris was 11 months old before Sue got him out.

Dave

Unknown to many, Dave Argue was the Leader of the Young Progressive Conservative Party in Forget Saskatchewan.  The button was purchased by a young Mr. Argue wearing a blue sports coat, white shirt and blue tie as a joke (sorry, the button purchase was a joke, not the clothes).  However when a picture of the transaction showed up in the Forget Gazette, the Conservatives lost to the liberals in a landslide as the whole town came out to vote.  The final tally was 7 votes to 1. 

Greg

Mental health is not something we joke around about here, so don't go getting offended.   This button was worn by Greg in error.  You see, Greg's best friend in high school was Norvil Barrett and he had the COOLEST pair of pointed-toe, suede, Peter-Pan getaway boots that you ever saw!  The chicks dug them and Norvil always used to wear them to the high school dances and was flocked by teen aged girls.  Greg, never one to miss an opportunity; saved his money from straightening the pins at the bowling alley and bought himself a second hand pair of similar boots.  He also bought the button thinking it said "Sometimes I pretend to be Norvil".  He blames the eye. (the bowling pins were a little off center too) 

Danny

The editors tried to hold this back thinking it was a little off-side, but there is a story here and while its not 100% PETA friendly, its not as bad as the button sounds.  Seriously!  It turns out Danny lived across the street from a bully that used to terrorize him growing up.  One day after dealing with years of abuse, stolen lunch money and noogies, Danny decided to fight back.  He stole the boy's dog Lucky (later acknowledging to a Judge that this was the wrong thing to do) and then wore the pin you see above to school.  The bully was beside himself.  Danny confronted him in front of a group of the toughest kids in the cafeteria and offered him his dog back if promised to never bother him again and never come in his yard.  The bully quickly and gratefully agreed.  So the bully, true to his word stayed in his own yard while Danny went across the street and opened his garage door releasing Lucky.  You should have seen the face of the bully light up when he saw Lucky spring out of the garage!  Lucky, seeing the bully, let out a YELP and sprinted for him!  Sadly, Lucky was run over by a car and killed running across the street.   

Brett

Brett lived across the street from a kid that he used to terrorize.  One day Brett came home and found his dog Lucky missing and the kid across the street wearing a button saying that he'd killed his dog.  Being confronted by this kid in front of his friends in the cafeteria, Brett agreed to never bother him again and never come in his yard if the kid gave him his dog Lucky back.  True to his word, Brett stayed in his own yard while the kid opened the garage door and let Lucky out.  You should have seen Brett's face light up when he saw Lucky spring out of the garage!  Lucky, seeing Brett, let out a YELP and sprinted for him!  Sadly, Lucky was run over by a car and killed running across the street.  With Lucky dead, the deal was off, so Brett beat the hell out of the kid across the street.  

Cal

Now don't go thinking this an age thing, because that would just be mean!  Cal is well known in the Seance community as a communicator with the "beyond".  Cal has channeled Houdini, Mae West, Winston Churchill and Babe Ruth.  Fascinating stuff!!!  I asked Cal once why people who 'claim' to channel spirits always say they talk to someone famous?  How come no one ever talks to 'Bob the plumber' or 'Guido the barber' or Sally from down the street that passed on a few years ago?  Cal and I don't talk much anymore.

Tim

I think the operative word would have been "knew" as opposed to "knows". While Timmy looks like a rookie on the field, he clearly has a past.  Some say he took the 'grace' out of Graceland.  Others say his "Glove is Tender". 

Piero

Purchased online last week.  You can only get these in boxes of 5000 so its quite an investment.  This might not be the best time to bring up that I was only joking about the whole Piero for MVP thing. 

Ingofische

Duh, go figure

Doug

For those of you offended by this pin, a) I apologize, b) I'm thankful that I didn't use the one of the pope dressed like the Emporer from Star Wars c) I'm also thankful that I talked myself out of 'I walk on water' one because that FOR SURE would have been in poor taste.  Anyway, not much story here, the Jays traded Tony Fernandez and Fred McGriff to the Padres for Joe Carter and Roberto Alomor and a year later Fernandez was traded to Pittsburgh...hence, "Pittsburgh Sucks".  Interestingly, 4 million of these buttons sold worldwide, 3.8 million in Pittsburgh.   

Radar

So, for those of you following all the back strories at home, this goes back to Radar's Austrailian whichcraft roots.  Like Piero he decided order buttons online.  In Radar's case he was buying for a big family reunion that hundreds of family members would be teleporting in for and he had to buy a whole whack of them.  To Kevin's shagrin, they turned out not to be the kind of button that you pin on but the kind that you push (like the "easy button").  You'd have thought that he could have just conjured them up anyway.  

The Speech
All I have to say about this speech is WHAT TOOK SO LONG!!!  I mean, "Radar's Glove"?  Was there ever a more perfect fit?  Apologies to nearly famous Dutch band Golden Earring.  The only link I could find includes lyrics which probably isn't too bad in this case as its a tougher tune.  Have fun!!!

Radar's Glove

He's been playin' all night, playing good "d", back on one heel.

There's a voice in his head that drives how he feels.

It's his captain callin', says I need you here

And we’re into the fourth and he’s shifting gear

Cam Clark is hot and he's hitting it deep in the clutch.

But Boston tracks the shot comin' in from above

We don't need no replay at all

We've got a thing that's called Radar's Glove

There's the ball in the air and it found….Radar's Glove

The radio's playing some forgotten song

John Fogerty's "Center field"

The position's got him hypnotized

And he’s running into another sunset

And yet he goes out, when I’m sure he’s had enough

There’s another liner, comin' in from above

We don't need no replay at all

We've got a thing that's called Radar's Glove

There's the ball in the air and it found….Radar's Glove

He’s got tons of speed, he’s almost there

Gotta keep cool now, track the ball with care

Last few steps now, here he goes

And the line drive then falls down super slow

And the radio played that forgotten song

Don Henley's "Boy's of Summer"

The position's got him hypnotized

And he’s running into another sunset

Andy Gee was traded but he’s back with the club,

Kevin tracks the shot comin' in from above

We don't need no replay at all

We've got a thing that's called Radar's Glove

We got a line in the sky

We got a thing that's called Radar’s Glove

We got a thing that's called......Radar’s Glove

The Game

In succession we’ve played the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place team. We’ve lost in succession by 5, 3 and 1 run. God help the 4th place team!

Last night’s game was great, despite rumours to the contrary. The final score was 9-8, but I honestly don’t know how the Stiffs scored 9 because our defence seemed really crisp!

Our hitting was all bunched at the top of the order which is a little unusual for us, we’re typically more spread out but we rarely get a string of hits in an inning. Last night we got a string of hits by 5 or 6 guys every 3rd inning.

It was a different way to get there, but the same result, sadly.

Sorry for the short game report, but Chris Ross needed some help moving some pieces of amber coloured glass last night and Mike Olliffe and I gladly offered to help. It was more lifting than I counted on and I have to admit that I’m a tiny bit tired this morning.

Oh, note to Paul Gyori: Don’t think for a minute that I forgot ANYTHING...your day is coming my friend, your day is coming.

Out for now, but there may be an update by week’s end; please, tip your waiters and try the ham.

DD