Len Kasper...Robert Pollard fan

getting a lot of EC material from GBVH lately, so thanks for that!

Admittedly, I don't watch a lot of baseball (if any), so I don't even know who this guy is. I'm sure some of my Chicago pals do, though...

OMC: You're a big music guy and have always turned me on to some good
CDs. Who are you listening to these days?

LK: Secret Machines, Figgs, Redwalls, Wilco, Paybacks, Dirtbombs, Hold
Steady, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Dandy Warhols, Apples in Stereo,
Tommy Keene, Bob Pollard. One of the thrills of MY ENTIRE LIFE was not
only getting to hang out backstage with Bob Pollard and Tommy Keene
before a show in Chicago last fall, but to have Pollard (formerly of
Guided By Voices) tell me that my voice is audible at the end of the
first track (Accident Texas Who) of his latest record called "Normal
Happiness." Seems when he was recording a demo of that song, he had a
baseball game on in the background, so when he recorded it for the
record, he wanted to duplicate it and it just so happens his tour
manager, Rich Turiel, is from Chicago and is a HUGE Cubs fan, so they
stuck one of my calls at the end of the song. You have to crank it up
to the max to really hear it, but it's there. Now, how cool is that?
That's definitely one of those "How did I get here?" moments.

What he said...

Me and China Jack need to party.

Not this! Buncha... pussies.

All my years of publicity! All the fashion shows and radiothons for nothing...

Ever since we took the "Let's not get involved in their game" mantra, the Pens have played like exactly that...a bunch of PUSSIES. Remember Game 1, when we skated all over their tits, pummeled them into every board, attacked the net every chance we could?!?!?

Fact is, we're a better and more talented team. Mike Richards is allowed to run around head hunting, but no one wants to do anything about it. MAF gets clubbed in the crease consistently, but we're not attacking Biron because we "don't want to get caught up in their game."

PLAY THE FUCKING GAME ALREADY!

Match aggression with aggression. I'm sick of this crap! Finish these jokers off, and do it in front of their moron fans on Saturday. LET'S GO!!!!!!!!!!!!


Should've called you the dorks.

The O/U Pavement

from Magnet...the 5 most overrated and underrated Pavement tunes, including the streaming tunes:

The Over/Under Pavement

For the record, we love the overrated "Here." But yes, we agree..."Perfume-V", "Frontwards", and "Gold Soundz" are all pure magic from the "underrated side.

The Planets Are Blasted

The latest Boston Spaceships album, The Planets Are Blasted gets a 7.5 from Pitchfork. Read the full review HERE.

BUY HERE.

Release the Tour Dates!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill Clement on hockey sticks

It's quite amusing to hear all the "Crosby cries" pleas outta Philly when your organization and Cro-Magnon Man fan base does nothing but whine about officiating and blame every loss on the refs. The Pensblog did a great job of summing up this dichotomy yesterday (including a hilarious portrait of Pierre McGuire and Mike Richards).


Anyways...

Bill Clement, Flyer apologist, was heard on NHL Home Ice yesterday giving a different take (or excuse) on the OT slashing call to Claude Giroux in Game 2. According to Clement, hockey sticks aren't made the way they used to be (surely referring back to the Broad Street Bimbo days). No argument there. So if Chris Kunitz would've had a stronger stick, it could've absorbed the 2-handed chopping slash by Giroux, and no automatic penalty would've been called. Interesting.

*****************************************************

Interesting to hear some one's attitude once they leave Pumpkin Patch Land....

Ken Hitchcock, the former Flyer HC who started the whole "Sidney Dives" mantra which the Flyer faithful still cling to with an incredible lack of creativity, was asked about the officiating in the Detroit / Columbus series after Game 2. Hitch was basically being goaded into the blame game, as the reporter reminded him that Detroit was getting the majority of the PP's in the series.

Hitch had an interesting take, saying that Detroit had earned most of the power plays with their play, and that his Columbus team had taken a few penalties because of poor defensive position.

Seriously?!? A superior and more talented team actually "earned" a power play because of their play?? It wasn't a conspiracy?? Shocking.

Minus 1

was the probable Hart Trophy winner's line yesterday in the 1-Nil loss to the Rags. The only goal of the game came off an Ovechkin turnover. Ovy also had the best seat in the house to watch the 2-on-1 develop as he backcoasted down the ice and watched Ryan Callahan go top shelf for the game winner.

But after all...backchecking? Like, what's the point? It's not like you can celebrate after a great defensive play when you break up an odd man rush, right? Save your energy for one of your 15 shots.

Excuse me I stand corrected...upon a further glance at the Box Score, Alex only took 6 shots, much less than the 0-13 effort in Game 1. He also had 5 giveaways and Zero takeaways.

MVP my ass.

**************************************************

These are always a hoot. The Yinz Luv 'Da Guins doods are back. Game 1's recap is funnier than Game 2's, imho, but if you stick around til the end in Game 2's recap, there's a funny little treat in there, thanks to Dave Tirpak...

Game 1:



Game 2:



Fantastic job once again by the YinzLuvDaGuins crew. Go here for their entire YouTube page

Time to grab the golf clubs Ovechkin

And have fun celebrating your goals as you watch the rest of the playoffs, you fucking chode!

*****************************************************
As for the Flyer fans...

Cheer up, mates. Take solace in the fact that you can always blame the refs. As a matter of fact, I don't think the Flyers have ever lost a game where the refs weren't to blame.

And I was thinking about this some more, about the suspension to Daniel Carcillo. How was that a good thing for the Penguins??

Finally...upon further review, Mike Richards "cries" just as much as Crosby does. It just depends on what perspective you're looking from. When you're rooting against the guy...it's "crying." When he's on your team, it's considered part of your job when wearing the "C" to get in the refs ear.

Dirtbag disposal continues tonight

Why so angry? Why all the hate?

Those questions were easily answered at the end of Game 1, when goon squad leader John Stevens sent dickhead Daniel Carcillo over the boards to take a premeditated cheap shot at Max Talbot off the draw.

Why would Carcillo even be in the game? The Flyers were shorthanded, and Carcillo is not a penalty killer. Furthermore, his lack of skill does not enable him to take draws (he's taken THREE all year!). So the only reason he was in the game was to take a cowardly swipe at Talbot during the puck drop. It's the same typical Flyer crap that's been going on since forever. It's ingrained in the Flyer DNA, and the main reason they'll never win another Cup. Hence, Carcillo was the perfect player for GM Paul Holmgren to bring aboard from Phoenix at the trade deadline. He's a clown in the prototypical Flyer mold, much like...



Scott Hartnell's line from the Game 1 Box Score:

1st period - 5:04, 2 minutes for impersonating a hockey player
1st period - 17:27, 2 minutes for wearing a blouse
3rd period - 2:46, 2 minutes for taking a swing with his purse
3rd period - 19:46, 10 minute misconduct for simply being an ass

Take another penalty jagoff!!



Can't see this series being a long one. The Flyers are simply outmatched and out skilled. Even tough guy captain Mike Richards was seen whining after getting nailed to the boards by Chris Kunitz. Too bad Richards is a Flyer, because he could probably be a great player on a true "hockey" team. But until he leaves Philly, he'll have to settle for bowing before his master, Sir Sid.

Flyers fans can continue to stroke themselves while they watch the old Broad Street Bullies stuff, but they'll always be a punchline this time a year. Hilarious...



BTW...EC highly recommends the Pensblog this time of year, which has a new addy (no longer on Blogspot). These guys continue to churn out the Pens material and we're BIG BIG fans.

John Madden Retires

Good. You sucked.


Apologies to the fans of this mumbling turd, but Madden's act was old about 15 years ago. Add to the fact that he had zero sense of humor when it came to Frank Caliendo's impression of him, and I say good riddance.

I lied...I'm NOT sorry. His bus was stupid, too.

Hate

Aristotle viewed hate as a desire for the annihilation of an object that is incurable by time.

What he said.

I desire to annihilate every punk posing as a hockey player wearing the pumpkin colored sweater. As far as the time aspect...well...



sorry folks, been busy. Now that the NHL Playoffs are here, you can be assured that the old EC will heat up.

Smothered in Hugs

only because some people aren't on fb. and i'm too tired to be original right now...



dammit! Mitch Mitchell and Jimmy Pollard should've been listed in there as co-writers. It was late, what can I say. (UPDATED!! YAY!)

Hey... Hey... Hey...

While Gary may choose to pass on this time of year, I can't. With opening pitch only hours away, I present the 2009 EC Pirates preview and prediction...



Pitching...

With a rotation that is sporadically average at best, the only thing more unpredictable is the bullpen. With Capps being the only predictable body coming in late, the middle relievers leave too much to be desired. If Paul Maholm can have a productive (and healthy) season, he could easily lead the way for the rotation, with Ian Snell and Zach Duke almost guaranteed to have a better year than last.

Possibly, the best thing to look forward to this season is the pitching talent in the minors, Bryan Morris and Brad Lincoln both look capable of stealing a roster spot as the season progresses, which would have to push the pitching core to play though minor injuries and concentrate on the location issues that have plagued this club for the past seven seasons.

Position Players...

While you don't want to start your preview with the people currently not on the roster, I don't know how you can't mention the eventual addition of Andrew McCutchen to the outfield as a positive sign. While Nyjer Morgan may the most interesting player I like to watch roaming the grass, his lack of a productive lead-off bat could cost him a roster spot early into the season. Brandon Moss in right seems to be the 'x-factor' to me, as he has the patience at the plate to have a solid OBP. If Nate McLouth has another solid performance in center. However, couple a good year built off of last season, and he would seems to be the likely trade bait come July.

In the infield, you get two LaRoche's a Wilson and a Sanchez. The chance of this group staying together all year is about as good as Liverpool winning the EPL this year. Wilson will predictably give you a solid defensive effort, while stug-ga-ling at the plate. If any LaRoche past above .300 past April I'll be shocked, which means Steve Pearce, Neil Walker, or Pedro Alverez would have to make an extended appearance at PNC Park if management wants to give the appearance of being respectable.

Behind the plate, Ryan Doumit almost has to stay healthy, or it could get ugly very fast. How any major league club could not have a steady veteran as your backup catcher, given the questionable health issues of your starter, is beyond me. Why this franchise decided to convert Neil Walker into a third baseman is beyond me, and most anyone else.

Now for the 2009 record...

Pirates - 5th in the NL Central 71-91

Year 17, here we come.



You know, or they could win the central...

PRICKS!!!!!!!!!!

After all, this blog has a Pollard lyric, and we don't talk near enuff GBV. With all due respect to John, Paul, Mick, Keith...and God forbid that assbag Bono...THIS....is the greatest pop rock song EVER....



No need to discuss. No need to argue. The only acceptable response is...


"yeah, I know."

Brian Jonestown Massacre at the Rex

Love these dudes. But admittedly, I was pessimistic prior to going. Just being cautious not to get my hopes up, as I had heard some disappointment before. Last time I had the chance, they were opening up for GBV in 2004...Henry Fonda Theatre in LA. But we were partying pre-show up the street (thanks Kev!!), and the BJM was simply not on the mind at the time (rarely was any opening act when 2.5 hours of pure GBV bliss was ready to unfold).

Anyways...Monday was a ton of fun. Matt Hollywood back in the fold, along with tambourine smackin Joel. A slew of old favs were played, including "Satellite", "Servo", "Oh Lord", "Nevertheless", "That Girl Suicide", "Anenome", "Vacuum Boots." Here's one we got once we moved to the back..."Got My Eye On You"...



Here's another from up front. This person had to have been right in front of us. I don't know "loveofknowledge" form YouTube, but thanks for posting! "Oh Lord"...



Most of the band, minus Anton, made their way back to the bar afterwards. Dork that I am...I had to snag a picture with Matt Hollywood...



MORE PICS HERE

The Nate Corner

Wow. The captain goes away for a week, comes back to an empty slate, sans Go Go's post. One kick in the NOOTS! Coming up :)

(for the record, I used to rock the Go Go's...no shame there).

But this post is WAY overdue. Relative new blog of mention...good pal and friend of the program, Johny (Rawk)'s "The Nate Corner." I, admittedly, have been absent from the blog neighborhood recently, been a little busy...but this is one we need to check more often. Where else can you get self-made vids like this...



KICK ASS Johny!!!!

For the record, The Nate Corner is written by the bro of another of our favs, Rando Mango. Now all we need is Ned to get aboard, and write about all things Sleeman, Eureka Signs, and Federer :) Hey...there's your blog title.

A Week Without You, Though I'd Forget

Can't seem to get my mind off of you
Back here at home there's nothin' to do
Now that I'm away
I wish I'd stayed
Tomorrow's a day of mine that you won't be in

When you looked at me I should've run
But I thought it was just for fun
I see I was wrong
And I'm not so strong
I should've known all along that time would tell

A week without you
Thought I'd forget
Two weeks without you and I
Still haven't gotten over you yet

CHORUS
Vacation
All I ever wanted
Vacation
Had to get away
Vacation
Meant to be spent alone

A week without you
Thought I'd forget
Two weeks without you and I
Still haven't gotten over you yet

CHORUS