I heard about them, but havent' seen them. You got a link to a pic?

This is the best one I could find on short notice. It's only from the back, but it'll have to do.

http://images.nfl.com/u/photos/pl_573192.jpg

Interesting. It's definitely a departure from the traditional. The black stripes get larger at the top. That's definitely unusual; are his shoulders too big for his uniform? :) I like it. Kind of like how soccer referee's uniforms have started to look more "designer."

More NFL ref pics:

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/...rees_38577.jpg



http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/football/...T1_Refs_AP.jpg

With the larger white stripes and the smaller emphasis on the black, I'm not sure that there will be enough contrast provided with the team wearing white jerseys. Afterall, the team jersey does have a colored number on the front and back of it. I hope that they don't find more umpires getting crushed as a consequence of the new shirt.

Perhaps they're looking to open up some more umpire positions, without having to pay severance to those leaving :D

I wonder if part of the whole NFL referee shirt differences is to make them stand out on TV? I notice that in most college basketball games, it looks (to me, on a non-HD TV) like the officials are in the gray shirt until you get a close-up. I should imagine that you don't have the same problem with the wider stripes in the NFL. I'm thinking that had to have been taken into account. Then, this new shirt, it'll be interesting to see how it looks on TV.

Getting back to baseball......

Bwahahahaha.........
http://www.feebleminds-gifs.com/b4.gif

How 'bout them BoSox?

Yea, what about those BOSOX, Go Yankees..

Man, taking it on the chin from TB and KC? That's ugly.

Not to mention two straight blown saves for Papelbon. :(

How 'bout them Twins ? :)

Aww, you just have an affection for other northern teams, don't 'ya?

Well, if the Tigers only lose one series per month from here on out, they should end up pretty good. I believe I saw their last series loss was to Oakland back in early July. (Just don't lose too many series in Oct.!)

Sad Story
 

Only in kids's sports.....

http://www.boston.com/sports/other_s...to_nh_victory/

Mike Lowell of the Red Sox took a fastball off the back of his helmet last night. It was one week shy of the 39th anniversary of the beaning of Tony Conigliaro. Lowell was wearing Conigliaro's jersey number. Lowell is also a recipient of the Tony Conigliaro Award (in 1999, after Lowell's comeback from testicular cancer).

Freaky.

In his last start, Curt Schilling became only the 3rd pitcher ever to allow 10 extra-base hits in a game (1 HR, 9 doubles). One of the others was Luis Tiant (although he pitched for Cleveland at the time).

What Chuck did not mention - maybe he was visited by goons enforcing the will of the power structure? - is both Schilling's & Tiant's first name have exactly 4 letters, and the second letter of both is a U. Interestingly enough, our current president's last name has exactly 4 letters...and the second letter is U. The letters S & T play a prominment role as well. Look at the last letter of each first name...Curt and Luis and the first letter of each last name Schilling and Tiant. S, T and U.

Freaky coincidence?...or wide ranging conspiracy of the corrupt power elite??

You decide.

Hold on, there's something going on outside...what the...hey! what are you people doing! You just can't come in here and arrest me like th.......euweuweuwuuu.....@!#^$*!*...&%@#$@$@.....
............27723478ewuwd................
.............234785678sdnwkl....{carrier lost}

Yo....M&M...

Heeheeheehee......

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...-sportsnew-hed

I just realized the second letter of your first name is a U.

I just realized that the second letter of your last name is a U. :eek:

I think it is E.

If you're talking about Dan's last name, I think you got some bad info, mick.

You mean that "Ref" really isn't Dan's last name?:confused:

Some people are ... so funny.
Some people got ... nobody.



Back to Baseball ....

The Tigers are finished with the White Sox ( ...a lot of brooms in Chicago) and are now gonna see the Red Sox as the week from Hell continues....

Longer than a week, Mick. You got Texas(who ain't bad) after Bah-ston, followed by the White Sox again.

That 5 1/2 game lead could disappear in a hurry if they stay cold.:eek:

I'm sorry. The number you are trying to reach has been disconnected. If you feel you have reached this message in error, please hang up and try your call again.

It seems there ain't no free lunch in the AL this summer.
mick

Cardinals just got swept by a team 29 games under .500 -- Sad!! :mad: :mad:

What's sad about that?:confused:

Tony LaRussa is a dick. Asamof, if there was a Dick Hall of Fame, he'd be a charter member. He won <b>one</b> World Series with an A's team that was supposed to be a dynasty and win multi championships, and the one that he did win needed a whole buncha injuries and an eathquake to San Fran. Other than that, <i>nada</i>....zip. Before McGwire hit the Senate, he was all "Oh, Marky would never take roids". I'm still waiting for him to comment on Marky now....the phony dick.

The Cards ain't winning anything until LaRussa retires. He'll screw 'em up somehow.

Being a lawyer will do that to you! :D

Of <b>course</b> LaRussa would also be a lawyer.

Whitey Herzog wrote a very entertaining baseball book a coupla years ago. Being a Cards' fan, you should maybe get someone to read it to you. Gotta warn ya though......it ain't the regular kind of Cardinal fanboy book.....there's no coloring involved. :D

Good story, Mick.....

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseb...rnaround_x.htm

Nice.

So, no free lunch, but there are a few free desserts in Motown. :)

Well...they snacked on Bah-stan last night, didn't they?:D

Schilling and Bonderman tonight.
Ortiz should be excited to play.
You should have seen Manny embarass himself last night.
...Oh, my, that was a big out!
mick

You mean the throw-out at the plate in the 8th? Yup, Manny broke back to second and froze on the hit, but the third base coach never shoulda waved him home. I don't know whatinthehell he was thinking about. You're right though...that was a heckuva big out....but lay that one on the third base base coach imo, not Manny.

Of course, when his hitting streak ended on the weekend, it ended because Manny loafed his way to 1B on a ground ball that he woulda beaten out if he hadda put out any effort at all on the play.

Yeah, that wasn't a case of Manny being Manny. That was the third base coach doing his Wendell Kim impression.

Manny did loaf, except for the last 45'.
If you get a chance, watch a replay of that Dog glancing over his left shoulder and kicking his pace up two clicks, when he saw a play was being made on his lazy self. He clearly hurt his team.
mick

Of course he loafed. Manny always loafs.....which is exactly why the third base coach shoulda never sent him.

Speaking of loafing, A-Rod did the same damn thing in last night's game. Yanks are first and second, no one out, with him on second. Perfect double play ball hit to the left side, the ball goes to 2B for the first out.....but instead of relaying to 1B as normally happens, the second baseman goes back to third to easily nab A-Rod who was trotting instead of running. Made A-Rod look bad as hell. Instead of a man on third with 2 outs, and being able to score on a single, the Yanks got a man on first with 2 outs. A-Rod sez "Gee, I never woulda thunk they woulda gone to third instead of first". Well, if he hadda been running, they probably wouldn't have. No wonder the NY fans get on him.

I'm not an A-rod hater, but I did enjoy that one. I appreciate hustle and mental focus and like it when the pros are punished for failing in those areas.

Looks like the Sox aren't the only ones who have a little trouble running from 3rd to home. . .

During tonight's game we learned that A-rod has the second lowest BA with man on 3rd in the entire American League this year.

As that was being said, he popped out to the first baseman half way between home & first in foul territory, with runners on 2nd & 3rd.

Didn't see it.
Didn't need it.
Who was it ? ...A Tiger ?
mick

Don't matter...the BoSox went down again. You're gonna need a new second baseman though, Mick. Too bad.

Omar Infante is a player.
And Pudge..., well, at least he's a gamer. [Looked like he had a new glove ... that belonged to someone else. :) ]

Yeah, I forget who it was. Tigers on 1st and 3rd, nobody out. Ground ball hit to Lowell at third. R3 stutter steps, gets a slow start, then decides to head home. (Maybe thinking Lowell was going to 2nd for the double play?)

Anyway, Lowell boxes it around for second, gathers the ball and still has time to throw out the runner at the plate. I don't think the runner was loafing; I think it was indecision.

Rodriguez (there was only one "Pudge" -- my man Fisk) makes his first professional appearance at second base last night. I don't think he even got a chance to make a play.

Pudge(Detroit/Texas) ain't pudge anymore. He's lost about 30# since steroid testing came in. That's just a coincidence though.:D

He did have one play last night at 2B though iirc....a pop fly.

And there was only one Eddie Armbrister too...:D

-of course, you'd be too young for that.

Yup, you're right. I forgot that one. It was a good play too. He had to go into the outfield, back behind first base. Nice play.

Free registration required

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/18/sp...Wv/jpwEq0vBIag

Very interesting. :)

12-4
http://www.deephousepage.com/smilies/bricks.gif

Well, if anybody can blow a five run lead in a hurry, Sidney F***ing Ponson can.

...according to Rotisserie lore, he must be a descendant of Dennis 'Bleeping' Lamp...

...whose career is highlighted by being the answer to a WS trivia question. And will be forever tied to one of my dormmates smashing his beer glass against the wall not too long afterwards. [After he emptied it of course]

14-11
http://www.deephousepage.com/smilies/bricks.gif

And your beloved Tigers played their game in a tidy 2:34- or just under half the time. White Sox lost too, so you're still 6 1/2 up. Minny could pass the White Sox this weekend for the wild card lead.

Lot of time to go.......

Good news for Red Sox fans!!
 

It's gonna rain in Boston tomorrow.

And it did. It rained Bronx Bombers on Boston again.:D Gotta pull for the sweep tonight.

Chuck must be out of town.:)

First 5-game sweep at Fenway since 1943. :(

I don't know if they're done, but their pitching sure got exposed.

I'm glad that you're taking it so well, Chuck. Dan and I were kinda concerned that you'd do something drastic, like maybe try to commit suicide by jumping off something high up...like a kitchen chair.

Remember...it's not whether you have won or lost, but how you have played the game. And Bah-ston played the game really sh!tty the last 4 days.:D

Hey, look at the bright side.

This makes '78 & '86 look kinda painless by comparision.

Billy Bucks, please come home. All is forgiven.

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Co...9a.hmedium.jpg

Interesting to note that the Yankees won this game while resting Damon, Posada, Giambi, and having Jeter as the DH.

@Chuck: At the bottom of the story on Fox Sports on the web, it mentioned something from the "Elias Sports Bureau"....any relation?

Edit: for spelling

Sadly, no.

Hey, Chuck, btw, thanks for taking the heat off me and my beloved Cubbies.

(Geesh, I can't remember the last time the Cubs were swept in a 5-game series...)

http://www.puffs.com/en_US/images/pr...eg156_pack.gif

This might be a little bit more appropriate, and helpful, for the Cubbies' fans....

http://www.immortal.com.sg/retail_bp.../kotex2_02.jpg

Watch it.

You really want to deal with the person that's wearin' one of those?!

But not for you anymore, I guess, DJ. Shipped him off to the Phils? What'd you get for him? I didn't see.

You can take comfort in a walk-off win over the Yanks last night. 'Course I can't take comfort in that, b/c the Sox lost again.

And Manny didn't play....because Manny was being Manny...:D

http://www.boston.com/sports/basebal...hurt_feelings/

We got two freaking single-A pitchers...and had to pay Philly some cash to boot. The kid they called up from Triple-A to replace him was the starter last night against the Yanks...we go on an 11 game in-division road trip and lose all 11 of them, then turn around and beat one of the hottest teams in the league starting a rookie pitcher - go figure!

It was kinda fun watching Moyer pitch back at Wrigley last night, for the first time in <B>20 years</B> since he was a Cub rookie. Let's see...Wood and Prior both throw 95 mph and they're always injured, and Moyer throws 65 mph and has a 20 year career? Coincidence? Hmm...

Nope. Moyer's a pitcher. The other two are throwers.

new second baseman.
 

It's kinda fun watching Neifi Perez at second base. He's really solidifies the middle. Glad he was available. I hear he's great for a clubhouse. :)

Yea, I saw that. When did the Cubs let him go?

...A coupla days ago.
He has started both games and is scheduled to start tonight, again against the Champs.

It figures - I go on vacation and they neglect to approve the trade through me. I'm sorry to see him go because he was a very good backup. Did the Cubs get prospects in return?

Chris Robinson - Catcher.
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/a...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

OMG!! This just in!! NEWSFLASH!! Julian Tavarez did NOT blow the game for the Red Sox last night!!

Royals become only the second team in MLB history to score 10 runs in the first inning and lose! They led 10-1 after 1 inning and lost 15-13 in extras.

As the guys on SportsCenter said, if the Royals miss the playoffs by one game, they'll kick themselves for losing this one.

Hey, I thought the Cubbies are the only non-wild card contention team we can discuss in this thread.

(Like that JR? Got 2 with 1 shot.)

Hey! <font = font>

I'll have you know that Moyer has been clocked at 83 mph on his fastball several times this season...he is a class act and will be missed in Seattle. His first game he does "normal" Moyer job - scatters hits and gives up three runs in 7 innings... the difference is that he won because he now plays for a team that can actually score some runs for him!

So what? I driven 83 mph several times this season. (Thank goodness I haven't been clocked at 83...)

Anyway, yet another example of the Cubs pitching curse - Ryan O'Malley, a rookie pitcher from Springfield, IL, started his second major league game Tuesday night against Moyer. He had already won his first game against Houston last week, thowing 8 shutout innings. He was apparently cruising along Tuesday when (surprise!), he came up with an elbow injury after thowing a ball back to the umpire in the 5th, and had to leave while 200 friends and family were in the stands for his Wrigley Field debut. He had never been on the DL before in his career.

Damn goat.

Anybody see Grady Little get thrown out of the Dodgers game last night? He went out to talk to his pitcher. Then the home plate umpire said something to Grady from the home plate area. Grady didn't hear it and yelled to the umpire to repeat it. Either the umpire wouldn't repeat it, or Grady didn't hear it the second time. So he leaves the mound and walks to home plate to talk to the plate ump. When he's done, he goes back to the mound to finish talking to his pitcher. He finishes and goes back to the dugout.

At that point, the opposing manager comes out and argues that the pitcher has to be removed b/c Grady made two trips to the mound. The umpires have a pow-wow and agree. They require the Dodgers to change pitchers.

Grady argues and, of course, is tossed. Pretty sneaky of the other manager, but good for him for knowing the rule. The ump could've prevented the situation by walking out to the mound to talk to Grady, but oh well. And on talk radio tonight, the ump is getting bashed for just that reason.

I heard this line tonight. "Players win games. Coaches and managers lose them. Referees and umpires ruin them."

Cute. Kinda funny, too. Too bad so many people believe it.

Wow.

When I was still involved in LL my son's team was in a championship game. As is usual, we had 1 great pitcher who we used like a rented mule and he was doing a great job. Early in the game I went out to settle him down. Then later a kid got hurt, so there was a break in the action. The pitcher's dad decided he should call his son over from the mound to have a little talk...no one thought anything of it until the ump said "play ball" and the opposing coach came out & reminded him that the dad's little chat was visit #2.

We were up by 1, ended up losing by 4. But no one got tossed.

Interesting.
A Manager/Coach may come out twice in one inning and replace the pitcher on the 3rd trip that inning.
A Manager/Coach may come out 3 times in a game and must replace the pitcher on the 4th trip.

Heard a postgame interview with the Dodger 2nd baseman who said that the whole thing started when the shortstop made a comment about the last pitch being a strike and that the umpire made a bad call (called it a ball)...supposedly umpire hears that and responds with a "F@#* you" to the shortstop at which point Grady wants it repeated and then the whole show gets going...no idea if that's what really was said, but if it was, the ump deserves whatever lambasting he gets...

Sounds like if the shortstop had kept his mouth shut the whole mess never would have taken place. If you want to blame someone for getting the pitcher removed, blame the SS.

That's funny; the LA papers say that Jeff Kent, the LA 2B, was the one yapping. That don't surprise me at all; he's got a rep as being one of the biggest jerks in <i>beisbol</i>. An account that I read yesterday said the the ump went to Kent and read him the riot act about whining, and Little then went to the ump trying to keep Kent in the game. The SS was never mentioned in the game reports that I read. The Dodger's pitcher, Penny, also has acquired quite a rep for being an all-star whiner also.

http://latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodr...adlines-sports

Don't forget that youy're getting the home-town version of what happened too.

Yo, Mick.......

Didya ever see a hitter get thrown out at first by the <b>left fielder</b> before?

Never heard of that one....:D

I saw that replay. I'm not sure I can entirely blame Casey, since he thought the ball was caught by the 3rd baseman. Kudos to the Sox left fielder for hustling and getting the ball in to 1st. I don't think I even remember seeing that in LL either. Now, I've seen a right fielder throw out a runner at 1st, but not a left fielder. Or even a Prince Fielder.

I hope that's only something that gets shown on the year-end championship highlights, and not the start of the slide...

Good point, there was another trip in there somewhere, I was probably too drunk to remember.

It's still a good story & I'm not going to let you ruin it with your details. The kid's dad wanted to hang himself, I suggested he wait until the game was over.

:p

Speaking of trips and being drunk, you gonna show up at the Wagon Wheel this weekend?? :D

Oops, you're right - got the SS and 2nd base backwards in my post...guess I've been watching too many Mariners games! (altho we did beat the Yankees again last night)

Yeah, I'm Tiny's backup singer.

(when's the last day? Tuesday or Wed? I might come down when it gets to playoff time, just to see you take sh1t from the cranky coaches :)

Didn't blame anyone...simply stated that if the umpire did say that to a player, he deserves to get lambasted.

JR,
Geez, was Casey embarrassed !
...And well deserved.
Looked like Casy being Manny ....

If it hadn't been for the fans cheering the drop, Casey might still be standing with his back to the play.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...608250344/1004
From what I understand about Casey's character though, he'll probably be sincerely apologizing for weeks. ;)
mick

A 5 1/2 game lead can disappear in a big hurry, Mick. That true for the Yankees too. There's a whole lot of <i>beisbol</i> left. Not too many pennants are won in August.

Around September 15th. is when everyone should start watching the standings seriously.

And don't think that the Yankees aren't embarrassed as hell about that.......

Looked like a Bad News Bears movie......

Just enjoying the moment, JR. http://www.deephousepage.com/smilies/rasta.gif

Thanks for the September 15th tip.
I wouldn't have known that.

And I simply pointed out that the umpire was likely replying in kind. The player certainly said something to him first. Given the way those guys talk to each other all the time, is it a big leap to surmise that a few expletives came out of the player's mouth?

It seemed that you were singling out the umpire for lambasting and forgetting to include the player.