The Best of What's Around: 2011-04-03

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Streak Watch!

Look out Washington/Baltimore Fans, big things seem to be in store. The Washington Wizards just capped off their first 3 game win streak since 2008 (...I'm not kidding), by beating the Pistons 107-105 on Wednesday night. From the looks of it, the late season trade of Kirk Hinirch to Atlanta for Maurice Evans and rookie Jordan Crawford has been paying off in spades. It looks like Crawford's "showtime" dunk over Lebron James when he was still a young'n at Xavier isn't the only legacy he will leave (I mean...what dunk? Please! Nike, I won't say another word, I swear!!). Since playing in the starting lineup in place of the injured Nick Young, Crawford has become a scoring machine, but hes filling up the stat sheet elsewhere too collecting rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He even recorded a triple double (21pts, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds) this season, joining John Wall to become the first rookie tandem to record trip-doubs in the same season in NBA history. He is a do it all shooting guard and a diamond-in-the-rough pick-up for a young, rebuilding Wizards team.

Also, as I blogged yesterday, the Orioles are 4-0 and off to their best start since 1997. The Fightin' Showalters have been doing it with a stern defense, outstanding pitching, and a re-emergence of some of the "O-riginals." Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts (two of the longest tenured Orioles) have been on a hitting tear and Roberts looks like hes back in his 2007 form. If he stays healthy, this lineup could really thrive this season. Meanwhile, the O's are getting the most media attention in over a decade, great time to be an O's fan, even if it's still early.

Finally, with two games to go in the regular season, the Washington Capitals have finally captured the #1 overall seed in the East after Tuesday's shootout win over Toronto. If they can hold this two point lead of the Flyers, the Caps will most likely face the New York Rangers of Buffalo Sabers in the first round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, Alex Ovechkin became the youngest player in NHL history to score 300 goals, quite impressive.

That's right Washington Fans...Keep your heads up! I know we usually suck at everything, but at least right now we can relish the moment and support our teams (Orioles OR Nationals, please don't discriminate), the future looks bright across the board...well, unless you're a Redskins fan.

Monday, April 4, 2011

#8

O's fans, this could finally be our year, by which I mean this could finally be a good year. The birds have come charging out of the gate with a 4-0 record (and still on pace for 162-0), sweeping division rival Tampa Bay in their opening series and taking down the Detroit Tigers in their home opener today. Off to their best start since 1997, the Orioles have not trailed, haven't given up more than one run in a game (for the first time in franchise history) and have outscored their opponents 17-4. The starting pitching has been fantastic, Jeremy Guthrie, Chris Tillman, rookie call up Zach Britton, 2nd year pitcher Jake Arietta and Brag Bergesen have transformed into a formadale rotation early in the season (and perhaps a look into the future). These young guns have stepped into serious roles as a result of some unexpected injuries. When the injured Brian Matusz (intercostal strain) and Justin Durscherer return, the O's should have a deep rotation that will be able to withstand injuries through the course of the season. Also, the bullpen looks deep. Kevin Gregg should become the team's everyday closer leaving Koji Uehara as the setup man and Jim Johnson and Jason Berken to round out the pen. It looks like there are finally enough hitters where we can allow for certain guys to go into slumps while still producing on offense. I know it's early still, but the is it crazy to think the Fightin' Showalters have an honest chance to be competitive all season?

Great Quotes

"It looked like a big tangerine, I liked that."- Orioles CF Adam Jones on the electric home crowd at Camden Yards on Cal Ripken Night
"I'd like to see how smart Theo Epstein is with the Tampa Bay [Rays] payroll, you got Carl Crawford 'cause you paid more than anyone else, and that's what makes you smarter? That's why I like whipping their butt. It's great, knowing those guys with the $205 million payroll are saying, 'How the hell are they beating us?' "-Orioles Manager Buck Showalter on the offseason moves of rival Boston Red Sox
"The first time we went to Yankee Stadium, I screamed at Derek Jeter from the dugout, our guys are thinking, 'Wow, he's screaming at Derek Jeter.' Well, he's always jumping back from balls just off the plate. I know how many calls that team gets -- and yes, he [ticks] me off." -Buck "Showtime" Showalter on Yankees SS Derek Jeter
"It took on a life of its own, It really took off on ESPN, it took over on YouTube. My wife said, 'You should trademark it.' Once I started to hear people were trying to make T-shirts, I said, 'I tell you what, if anybody is going to benefit off 'Can't Wait', it should be me.' " -Bart Scott discussing the tradmarking of the phrase "Can't Wait!"
"Melo is a superstar. I'm not a superstar. I'm a normal player that can help the team win. That's it." Danilio "The Siuation" Gallinari on his abilitiy to replace Melo
“I think it takes a strong-willed person, a strong-minded person, to deal with the stuff that I deal with and still go out there and go to work every day and perform on a nightly basis. I take my hat off to myself for dealing with all this stuff that’s going on and still be able to go out there and play at the high level that I can play at. I really don’t think an average person can walk in my shoes. I don’t think that.” -Carmelo Anthony on the recent 'Melo-Drama'
"She's like that bum on the street asking for money, but if you follow that bum home, you discover he's got five cars and a mansion. She gets 20 grand a month. She got $8,000 allowance. We both did. ... You're pretending your living a bad life, but the facts really are: you get 20 grand a month and you live in a three-bedroom townhouse in San Ramon, Calif." -Gilbert Arenas on ex-wife Laura Govan
“I feel like every time the ball is in the air, it should be ours, We attack the ball as if we’re the receivers. We’re the ones on offense back there.” -Janoris Jenkins
"It's part of the business. For whatever reason, I think the worst I've ever finished on defense is sixth ... We'll find a way to get it done. I can't do much, but I know one thing: We can call a defense. We'll take what we have." -Rex Ryan
"Hello. How 'bout that ride in? I guess that's why they call it Sin City. [awkward laughter] You guys might not know this, but I consider myself a bit of a loner. I tend to think of myself as a one-man wolf pack. But when my sister brought Doug home, I knew he was one of my own. And my wolf pack... it grew by one. So there... there were two of us in the wolf pack... I was alone first in the pack, and then Doug joined in later. And six months ago, when Doug introduced me to you guys, I thought, "Wait a second, could it be?" And now I know for sure, I just added two more guys to my wolf pack. Four of us wolves, running around the desert together, in Las Vegas, looking for strippers and cocaine. So tonight, I make a toast! " Alan, The Hangover
"I used to drink Hennessy ... at halftime, I [kept it] in my locker. I'd just walk to the liquor store and get it." - Ron Artest
"Have you ever gone 19-0? It's not ho-hum, I can assure you that. If it's ho-hum for someone, you've got to really reflect to say, 'Where am I headed in this life right now?' If 19-0 in the Southeastern Conference at the University of Florida is ho-hum, then you've got one exciting life, man, you've got a lot of good stuff going for you." - Urban Meyer
Dr. Farthing: "I know there's really nobody to blame for this but myself, well, I don't know, maybe the Buffalo Bills, the Boston Red Sox, or Mr. T or, or the Jets... " Mitch: "Wait a minute, Mr T.? Are you telling me that you bet on the fight in Rocky III, and that you bet against Rocky?" Dr. Farthing: "Hindsight is twenty-twenty, my friend." -Dirty Work
"I like playing over there, sometimes the ice is no good over there because [of] lots of concerts, lots of dog shows, something like that coming over there. It kind of smells no good over there sometimes." -Alexander Ovechkin on playing at Madison Square Garden
"But I'll tell you what - after seeing Los Angeles, and this here story I'm about to unfold, well, I guess I seen somethin' every bit as stupefyin' as you'd seen in any of them other places. And in English, too. So I can die with a smile on my face, without feelin' like the good Lord gypped me. Now this here story I'm about to unfold took place in the early '90s - just about the time of our conflict with Sad'm and the I-raqis. I only mention it because sometimes there's a man... I won't say a hero, 'cause, what's a hero? Sometimes, there's a man. And I'm talkin' about the Dude here - the Dude from Los Angeles. Sometimes, there's a man, well, he's the man for his time and place. He fits right in there. And that's the Dude. The Dude, from Los Angeles. And even if he's a lazy man - and the Dude was most certainly that. Quite possibly the laziest in all of Los Angeles County, which would place him high in the runnin' for laziest worldwide. Sometimes there's a man, sometimes, there's a man. Well, I lost my train of thought here. But... aw, hell. I've done introduced it enough." -The Stranger, Big Lebowski
Janice: I've got the perfect girl for you! Jeremy Grey: [sigh] Janice, I apologize to you if I don't seem real eager to jump into a forced awkward intimate situation that people like to call dating. I don't like the feeling. You're sitting there, you're wondering do I have food on my face, am I eating, am I talking too much, are they talking enough, am I interested I'm not really interested, should I play like I'm interested but I'm not that interested but I think she might be interested but do I want to be interested but now she's not interested? So all of the sudden I'm getting, I'm starting to get interested... And when am I supposed to kiss her? Do I have to wait for the door cause then it's awkward, it's like well goodnight. Do you do like that ass-out hug? Where you like, you hug each other like this and your ass sticks out cause you're trying not to get too close or do you just go right in and kiss them on the lips or don't kiss them at all? It's very difficult trying to read the situation. And all the while you're just really wondering are we gonna get hopped up enough to make some bad decisions? Perhaps play a little game called "just the tip". Just for a second, just to see how it feels. Or, ouch, ouch you're on my hair. Janice: Okay... Jeremy Grey: OK, can you, can you put that so he can't see it? Thank you. Hey, Janice... great talk. - Vince Vaughn, Wedding Crashers
"If I'm right, the 'U' stands for the University of Miami, well, we're the University of Florida. We're the 'U.' I don't refer to them as the 'U.' I refer to them as Miami. If the 'U' is for university and winning and championships, we're the 'U.' They are Miami, and that's what I call them." - Gator WR Louis Murphy on U of Miami
Hansel: So I'm rappelling down Mount Vesuvius when suddenly I slip, and I start to fall. Just falling, ahh ahh, I'll never forget the terror. When suddenly I realize "Holy shit, Hansel, haven't you been smoking Peyote for six straight days, and couldn't some of this maybe be in your head?" Derek Zoolander: And? Hansel: And it was. I was totally fine. I've never even been to Mount Vesuvius. - Hansel and Derek Zoolander
"One college game that's five fouls, right? ... 40-minute game at Duke, they got soft rims I'd probably score 84 or 85. I wouldn't pass the ball. I wouldn't even think about passing it. It would be like a NBA Live or an NBA 2K7 game, you just shoot with one person," -Gilbert Arenas on Coach K after getting booted from team USA
"Mike: So how long do I wait to call? Trent: A day. Mike: Tomorrow. Sue: Tomorrow, then a day. Trent: Yeah. Mike: So two days? Trent: Yeah, I guess you could call it that, two days. Sue: Definitely, two days is like industry standard. Trent: You know I used to wait two days to call anybody, but now it's like everyone in town waits two days. So I think three days is kind of money. What do you think? Sue: Yeah, but two's enough not to look anxious. Trent: Yeah, two's enough not to look anxious. But I think three days is kind of money. You know because you... Mike: Yeah, but you know what, mabey I'll wait 3 weeks. How's that? And tell her I was cleaning out my wallet and I just happened to run into her number." - Swingers