Offshore Tycoon is a casual time management simulator in which you have to take control of harvesting equipment such as fishing trawlers, oil tankers and more. Travel the globe to five exciting themed levels, each of which consist of ten levels with their own varieties of fish, stylized look and feel. Theres even a Gallery Mode which allows you to learn more about the different breeds of fish encountered in-game, with each variety of fish being unlocked as you reach new locales.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Good
- Music:Heartbreak Hotel
So, maybe it's impossible to get away from the campaign by turning to the World Series, but I'm going to try. First I have to look up and find out what network it's on. Let's see ...it's on Fox. Fox? As in "Fox News?" Does that mean the commentators are going to call the National Leaguers who allow everyone an equal chance at bat "socialists?" Are they going to call some home runs out if they are "too far to the left?" And will the Democrats cry out every time someone "steals" a base, that it reminds them of the 2000 election? Oh, man. I can't get this stuff out of my head. When will this election be over.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Good
- Music:Mai Kuraki
When Robbie R. Stanfield made a meal or fixed a snack, opening a jar of pickles or peanut butter was a daunting and frustrating task. I'd take the jar and hit it on the floor, but sometimes it broke, says Stanfield, who was born with no left hand and has carpal tunnel syndrome in her right. Or, I'd use one of those rubber things and try to twist the cap by holding the jar in the pit of my left arm. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.
It's hard to believe that in the 21st century, a period of such great technological advances as a spacecraft launched to Mars and robots that can vacuum rugs, nobody has come up with an easier way to open a jar.
Well, someone has. And, UBalong with Robbie Stanfieldplayed significant roles in the development of the device marketed as the Black Decker Lids Off Automatic Jar Opener.
UB played a role through its Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology Transfer (also known as T2RERC), which is in the business of designing and developing products that work for everyone, regardless of age or ability.
Stanfield's role was to participate in local focus groups that examined several different stages of prototypes and to suggest ways to make the jar opener as close to an product as possible. Stanfield put the device to the test. I was asked to show them how I could use the opener by opening several different sizes of jars, she says. What she found was that the automatic opener helped me tremendouslyso much so that one now resides in her Buffalo kitchen.
The Black Decker product is one of the most successful examples of the work performed by the 10-member staff of T2RERC, which to date has placed more than 40 products in the hands of consumers.
Housed in Kimball Tower on the South Campus and part of the Center for Assistive Technology in the School of Public Health and Health Professions, T2RERC began its work in 1993. It is one of 23 such facilities across the country and one of three at UB. However, with grants from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, it is the premier RERC working on technology transfer nationally.
Technology transfer encompasses a wide range of activities that facilitate research and development of technology for people with disabilities and elders. It also is involved with the commercialization of the productsgetting them into the hands of consumers who need them.
Like Stanfield, Ronald Kaczanowski took part in several focus groups conducted by Western New York Independent Living, a family of nonprofit agencies providing services to enhance quality of life for individuals with disabilities. One in particular focused on refrigerators, and, as a wheelchair user because of a spinal cord injury, he was especially interested to find out how easyor difficultthe appliance was to use.
We looked at top-mounted, side-by-side and low-mounted [freezers], Kaczanowski says. For me, the bottom-mounted freezer was too low, but other wheelchair users had difficulty reaching the top-mounted freezer and even the side-by-side design. The group also checked the refrigerator door to see how easy it was to open, and whether they could reach the food shelves, change the inside light bulb and adjust the internal thermostat.
Through the focus group, Kaczanowski learned a great deal about how the appliance could be adapted for easier use. He admits that the refrigerator in his Cheektowaga home could be a lot better when it comes to access. We've had it a long time, and I've gotten used to it; I've had to adapt to it, he says. The staff at T2RERC would rather the product be adapted to the person's needs, and U.S. companies are starting to take notice of that approach.
Stephen Bauer, T2RERC's project director and principal investigator, uses the cell phone as an example. When [some] people retire, they aren't going to be able to use their cell phones. Their eyes aren't good enough, their hands aren't good enough, says Bauer. But, must they stop using the phones, he asks, or will the industry incorporate the needs of the aging population into the next generation of phones?
Some companies plan for incremental refinement of their products to retain customers, Bauer says. A wholesale redesign of a product will happen less often.
Transgenerational design, which considers elders as people who have multiple disabilities, has been adopted by major corporations like Intel, Microsoft and Kodak, Bauer says. They are looking at product development the same way as designing products for people with visual, hearing and physical impairments, so that anyone at any age can use them.
Such an approach can be profitable, stimulating a whole industry. A company wouldn't develop new products unless there was a market for them, Bauer explains. T2RERC has identified those markets through its research and the work of the consumer focus groups, which consist of people of all ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and abilities, he points out.
Kaczanowski's experience with those groups was he says, but, more importantly, it gave me a sense that my input had value to it.
You don't have to convince Douglas J. Usiak of the importance of consumer input on the development of assistive devices and other products. As executive director of the local Independent Living Center and facilitator of a couple of hundred focus groups in his role as co-principal investigator at T2RERC, Usiak says that people [with disabilities] know what they want and how they want it. They are willing to work together to get everyone to use it.
In fact, Usiak says that he noticed participants without disabilitiesarguing for inclusion. There is no detail too small to ponder during focus group sessions. Explains Usiak: We look at effectiveness [of the product], safety, learnability, portability, durability and reliability.
Consumers also are asked to consider costwhich brings us back to the Black Decker automatic jar opener, which was introduced in 2003 (pictured). Initially, it was priced at $49.99, according to James Leahy, co-principal investigator and director of development at T2RERC, which finished its third round of five-year grant cycles on Sept. 30.
But it didn't sell well at that price. So the cost of the product when it entered the market was reduced to the recommended $39.99. [It was] marketed as a gift device, and it sold so well they had to pull the ads because they ran out, Leahy says. It wasn't just people with disabilities snatching them off the shelves. It was also the adult children of aging parents who bought them, he says.
Bauer considers the Black Decker project and the first major success of T2RERC's Fortune 500 program, which assists top companies in developing products and improving the functional design of existing ones, according to Leahy.
Indeed, T2RERC provides market research on the needs of people with disabilities and elders, analysis of existing products and competitors' products, and suggestions for design improvements and innovations. UB graduate students from the School of Public Health and Health Professions and MBA students from the School of Management do much of the research.
Over the years, in fact, T2RERC has enriched the academic experience of many UB students. In particular, students pursuing graduate degrees in electrical, mechanical and industrial engineering, and law have gained valuable real-world experience
helping to design, create, test, license and market assistive devices. Some of the products were built in the Fabrication Services Shop, associated with the Center for Assistive Technology and the School of Public Health and Health Professions.
With the Fortune 500 program, companies might send employees to Buffalo to directly observe focus groups; others may watch in real time via a special hook-up between Buffalo and corporate headquarters. Either way, the companies get valuable consumer input.
George E. Rohe took part in a focus group on a new type of thermostat designed to meet the needs of people with visual impairments, among others. It can be operated by pushing a large button or by speaking to the device.
Rohe had a particular interest in the product because he is legally blind and has arthritis in his hand. In the focus group, Rohe pointed out that the buttons were too small. He then took the thermostat home for four months or so to test it further.
It worked very well, he says. It had a feature that when you clapped, it would tell you the temperature. My grandson loved it!
That productthe Kelvin voice-controlled thermostathas been endorsed by the National Federation of the Blind and is now in the marketplace.
T2RERC worked on another thermostat through its Fortune 500 program. The White-Rodgers (a division of Emerson Electric Co.) thermostat features large characters, red and blue temperature keys, audio programming, and a reminder
alert to change the furnace filter, all fitted on a 12-square-inch touch-tone screen.
When you have a good design, you not only make mainstream products easier for the elderly and people with disabilities to use, you make them easier for everyone to use, says Leahy, who is project administrator and principal investigator for the Fortune 500 program. I think that's an eye-opener for some companies and helps them see the bottom-line value of what we can offer them.
Other projects being developed by the Fortune 500 program include an interactive device for Whirlpool that would allow remote operation and interaction with appliances. Also, Michelin evaluated new wheels/tires for wheelchairs and Eastman Kodak developed T2RERC's EasyShare Photo Printer and Printer Dock, both with new user-friendly features.
In the washer-dryer focus group, says Stanfield, they asked us questions on how to make [the remote to control the appliances] better for everyone's use. She wanted to see the numbers enlarged. And after studying several different sizes of the remote, she opted for the largest one. The bigger the better for me, she says.
Where do the ideas for these independent- living products come from? Apparently from just about everywhere: inventors, companies, consumers, and T2RERC staff, who hunt for ideas all around the country, if not the world. Not all products make it to market, but many do. And most make an important contribution to the lives of the people who use them.
The StrongArm cane is one such product. Many peopleold, young, disabled or notwill use a cane or forearm crutches at some point in their lives (broken leg, postsurgery, sprains), and they will likely experience the strain a traditional cane puts on the hand, arm and especially the wrist.
Canes require strong finger grip and strong hand grip and a strong wrist, says
Bauer. But due to injury, disabling condition or age, that strength may be compromised.
The new cane, designed as a direct extension of the arm, has a handgrip and bracing element in the handle that shifts the load from wrist to forearm, providing better support. It reduces stress from finger to elbow, and you don't need a strong wrist or finger grip, Bauer says, adding, it's a very enabling product.
Well-designed assistive products can enable people with disabilities and elders to succeed in all aspects of their lives. In this advanced technological age, there is growing recognition that these products constitute important markets with immense business potential. The work at T2RERC, along with the consumer groups, has played an important role in hastening this recognition.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Good
- Music:Southern All Stars
What is this theme music they're playing over the advertiser IDs? It sounds like something I've heard on an Oscar telecast, so I'm assuming it's from a movie, but I can't place it.
As I mentioned yesterday, Derek Lowe is about six weeks older than me, and he was born in Dearborn, Michigan, which is where my grandmother lived when I was a kid. I wonder if I ever played with him in Hemlock Park when I was down visiting her. I think I'm going to start telling people that I did.
Slick play by DeWitt.
Top of the 2nd
Casey Blake is about six weeks younger than me. He was born in Des Moines. I've never been there. Maybe I met him that summer I was on the traveling league, though. Ah, probably not. Blake doesn't look like he was ever much of a bowler.
Derek Lowe is up and Rosenthal and McCarver make a good point regarding how much timing plays into free agent contracts. Lowe had a walk year in 2004 and again this year, each time posting seasons that will end up having made him a lot of money. Somewhere Ben Sheets is throwing beer cans at the TV. Well, he would be if he didn't hurt his arm at the tail end of his walk year.
Bottom of the 2nd
McCarver is talking about that sinkerballers-can't-have-too-much-rest thing. Hasn't that been debunked? At least negatively in that the idea that short rest is good for a sinkerballer has been discredited? I need an intern to track this stuff down.
I always wonder how guys like Milt Thompson get gigs as hitting coaches. He was a career below-average hitter with no power stroke. If he had some insights on hitting, wouldn't he have used them on himself? Gerald Perry is another one.
Top of the 3rd
Cole Hamels' changeup causes Rafael Furcal's helmet to fly off. That's a pretty good changeup.
Howard oles a grounder from Either, but they score it a hit. Doesn't it seem like official scorers are giving out way too many infield hits on balls like that? A decade or two ago that play was always called an error, and now it's a hit two out of three times.
Joe Buck is talking about the 1996 Yankees and Joe Torre, and as he does this, a sharp director down in the truck gets a shot of Mariano Duncan coaching first base. Buck says "Mariano Duncan . . . longtime Dodger coaching first . . ." apparently missing the fact that Duncan was on the 1996 Yankees himself.
Bottom of the 3rd
A promo for the new season of "24," subtitled "Redemption." So, what, are the producers going to have the Jack Bauer character apologize for helping to desensitize our nation to torture, thereby legitimizing it in the minds of our policymakers for the past six years? Because I'd watch that.
Hamels out, Rollins out, Victorino given the big Dusty Rhodes elbow splash by Derek Lowe down at first base to end the inning.
Top of the Fourth
Matt Kemp doubles on a ball that bounces into the seats on the rightfield line. Jayson Werth mighta coulda slid and caught that one, but he looked like he was feeling the wall from 30 feet away.
Buck says "Casey Blake is in battle mode as the count evens 2 and 2." How you can tell if Blake is in "battle mode?" Does he slightly arch an eyebrow, and then quickly return to to his normal placid self?
Blake gets Kemp to third on a fielder's choice to bring DeWitt up. McCarver notes that this might be a squeeze situation. Somewhere Mike Scioscia is jumping up off a couch yelling "you're goddamn right it is!!!!"
DeWitt flies out and the run scores. It's 2-0 Dodgers. Erick Aybar turns to the guy at the bar next to him and says "I coulda done that."
Bottom of the Fourth
DeWitt has looked pretty good at second. He's not a good enough hitter to stick at third. Actually, he's really isn't good enough to hit at second either, but at least that's a closer call. In other news, Ryan Howard still isn't hitting.
Top of the Fifth
A 1-2 changeup from Hamels to Furcal was about as perfect as it gets. It was like one of those pitches in The Naked Gun when Leslie Neilsen is umping, but it's called a ball.
They're playing this game in Citizens Bank Park. There are an awful lot of parks, stadiums, and arenas named after financial institutions out there. Now that we seem to be on course to nationalize the entire financial sector, I wonder if someone could sneak a provision into one of those multi-billion dollar bills requiring that all of the ballparks shall henceforth be named after leading citizens, sports figures, or historical events. I mean, if we're going to go socialist, let's have some good to go along with the bad, right? That and some WPA art projects. I love WPA art.
The Manny-leaving-Boston saga is finally brought up. I'm surprised it took five innings to get there. Joe Buck: "Manny didn't just fall from the sky and into a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform for no reason. Manny Ramirez was traded away by the Boston Red Sox because they were tired of the way he was acting." McCarver remains mysteriously silent for a time, then brings up the Manny-knocking-the-traveling-secretary incident, but refrains from editorializing. No use of the word "despicable." I wonder if FOX forbade McCarver from offering his honest opinion on that stuff. If so, it's a shame. Not that I totally agree with his opinion on Ramirez. I just think broadcasts would be more enjoyable if broadcasters shared their honest opinions more often instead of pretending that this is some kind of political show that demanded balance and equal time or something. We're grownups, we can take it. We hear so much of McCarver's muddled baseball opinions, I'd love to hear some of his sharper personal ones.
Bottom of the Fifth
Joe Torre interviewed between innings, and gives Don Mattingly lots of credit for the turnaround at midseason, particularly as it relates to Kemp and Ethier. Manny didn't do everything, you know.
I'm sitting and watching Hamels swing and thinking "man, he looks like a real hitter up there." Then he goes and laces a hit into right center.
For the second or third time tonight, Buck calls Jimmy Rollins "the reigning MVP." Technically that's right, but the votes have all been cast for the 2008 MVP award, and are presumably sitting tallied somewhere. Someone else is the MVP-elect, as it were. We just don't know who it is.
Top of the 6th
McCarver "this double play is good." Sharp insight there, Timmy.
Hamels makes quick work of L.A. in the 6th.
Bottom of the 6th
Furcal needlessly rushes a throw and Victorino winds up on second base. I feel like I'm watching a Braves game circa 2003.
Um, I think we can say that Chase Utley is out of his slump. 2-2.
Howard rolls out to first and the, bammo! Pat the Bat jacks one to left! I wonder if something happened to Lowe in the 5th, because he's been a totally different pitcher in the past two innings than he was in the first four. Phillies up 3-2. Torre walks to the mound. Buck says "and the great Derek Lowe is done." That's a bit much, I'd say, but it does sound better than "the above average Derek Lowe is done."
Top of the 7th
Greg Maddux is warming up in the pen. I never thought he'd hang around long enough to be a middle reliever, but there you are. Hamels sets DeWitt down, and that's seven Ks for the minivan driver.
Make it eight, as Jeff Kent -- a man who has underwear older than Hamels -- goes down swinging.
Hamels puts them away in order, and now that he's north of 100 pitchers, I'm assuming he's done for the night.
But the inning isn't over yet! It's "God Bless America" time! We've been over this before, but I'm way partial to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at this juncture of a ballgame.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Good
- Music:Ami Suzuki
When Robbie R. Stanfield made a meal or fixed a snack, opening a jar of pickles or peanut butter was a daunting and frustrating task. I'd take the jar and hit it on the floor, but sometimes it broke, says Stanfield, who was born with no left hand and has carpal tunnel syndrome in her right. Or, I'd use one of those rubber things and try to twist the cap by holding the jar in the pit of my left arm. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.
It's hard to believe that in the 21st century, a period of such great technological advances as a spacecraft launched to Mars and robots that can vacuum rugs, nobody has come up with an easier way to open a jar.
Well, someone has. And, UBalong with Robbie Stanfieldplayed significant roles in the development of the device marketed as the Black Decker Lids Off Automatic Jar Opener.
UB played a role through its Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology Transfer (also known as T2RERC), which is in the business of designing and developing products that work for everyone, regardless of age or ability.
Stanfield's role was to participate in local focus groups that examined several different stages of prototypes and to suggest ways to make the jar opener as close to an product as possible. Stanfield put the device to the test. I was asked to show them how I could use the opener by opening several different sizes of jars, she says. What she found was that the automatic opener helped me tremendouslyso much so that one now resides in her Buffalo kitchen.
The Black Decker product is one of the most successful examples of the work performed by the 10-member staff of T2RERC, which to date has placed more than 40 products in the hands of consumers.
Housed in Kimball Tower on the South Campus and part of the Center for Assistive Technology in the School of Public Health and Health Professions, T2RERC began its work in 1993. It is one of 23 such facilities across the country and one of three at UB. However, with grants from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, it is the premier RERC working on technology transfer nationally.
Technology transfer encompasses a wide range of activities that facilitate research and development of technology for people with disabilities and elders. It also is involved with the commercialization of the productsgetting them into the hands of consumers who need them.
Like Stanfield, Ronald Kaczanowski took part in several focus groups conducted by Western New York Independent Living, a family of nonprofit agencies providing services to enhance quality of life for individuals with disabilities. One in particular focused on refrigerators, and, as a wheelchair user because of a spinal cord injury, he was especially interested to find out how easyor difficultthe appliance was to use.
We looked at top-mounted, side-by-side and low-mounted [freezers], Kaczanowski says. For me, the bottom-mounted freezer was too low, but other wheelchair users had difficulty reaching the top-mounted freezer and even the side-by-side design. The group also checked the refrigerator door to see how easy it was to open, and whether they could reach the food shelves, change the inside light bulb and adjust the internal thermostat.
Through the focus group, Kaczanowski learned a great deal about how the appliance could be adapted for easier use. He admits that the refrigerator in his Cheektowaga home could be a lot better when it comes to access. We've had it a long time, and I've gotten used to it; I've had to adapt to it, he says. The staff at T2RERC would rather the product be adapted to the person's needs, and U.S. companies are starting to take notice of that approach.
Stephen Bauer, T2RERC's project director and principal investigator, uses the cell phone as an example. When [some] people retire, they aren't going to be able to use their cell phones. Their eyes aren't good enough, their hands aren't good enough, says Bauer. But, must they stop using the phones, he asks, or will the industry incorporate the needs of the aging population into the next generation of phones?
Some companies plan for incremental refinement of their products to retain customers, Bauer says. A wholesale redesign of a product will happen less often.
Transgenerational design, which considers elders as people who have multiple disabilities, has been adopted by major corporations like Intel, Microsoft and Kodak, Bauer says. They are looking at product development the same way as designing products for people with visual, hearing and physical impairments, so that anyone at any age can use them.
Such an approach can be profitable, stimulating a whole industry. A company wouldn't develop new products unless there was a market for them, Bauer explains. T2RERC has identified those markets through its research and the work of the consumer focus groups, which consist of people of all ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and abilities, he points out.
Kaczanowski's experience with those groups was he says, but, more importantly, it gave me a sense that my input had value to it.
You don't have to convince Douglas J. Usiak of the importance of consumer input on the development of assistive devices and other products. As executive director of the local Independent Living Center and facilitator of a couple of hundred focus groups in his role as co-principal investigator at T2RERC, Usiak says that people [with disabilities] know what they want and how they want it. They are willing to work together to get everyone to use it.
In fact, Usiak says that he noticed participants without disabilitiesarguing for inclusion. There is no detail too small to ponder during focus group sessions. Explains Usiak: We look at effectiveness [of the product], safety, learnability, portability, durability and reliability.
Consumers also are asked to consider costwhich brings us back to the Black Decker automatic jar opener, which was introduced in 2003 (pictured). Initially, it was priced at $49.99, according to James Leahy, co-principal investigator and director of development at T2RERC, which finished its third round of five-year grant cycles on Sept. 30.
But it didn't sell well at that price. So the cost of the product when it entered the market was reduced to the recommended $39.99. [It was] marketed as a gift device, and it sold so well they had to pull the ads because they ran out, Leahy says. It wasn't just people with disabilities snatching them off the shelves. It was also the adult children of aging parents who bought them, he says.
Bauer considers the Black Decker project and the first major success of T2RERC's Fortune 500 program, which assists top companies in developing products and improving the functional design of existing ones, according to Leahy.
Indeed, T2RERC provides market research on the needs of people with disabilities and elders, analysis of existing products and competitors' products, and suggestions for design improvements and innovations. UB graduate students from the School of Public Health and Health Professions and MBA students from the School of Management do much of the research.
Over the years, in fact, T2RERC has enriched the academic experience of many UB students. In particular, students pursuing graduate degrees in electrical, mechanical and industrial engineering, and law have gained valuable real-world experience
helping to design, create, test, license and market assistive devices. Some of the products were built in the Fabrication Services Shop, associated with the Center for Assistive Technology and the School of Public Health and Health Professions.
With the Fortune 500 program, companies might send employees to Buffalo to directly observe focus groups; others may watch in real time via a special hook-up between Buffalo and corporate headquarters. Either way, the companies get valuable consumer input.
George E. Rohe took part in a focus group on a new type of thermostat designed to meet the needs of people with visual impairments, among others. It can be operated by pushing a large button or by speaking to the device.
Rohe had a particular interest in the product because he is legally blind and has arthritis in his hand. In the focus group, Rohe pointed out that the buttons were too small. He then took the thermostat home for four months or so to test it further.
It worked very well, he says. It had a feature that when you clapped, it would tell you the temperature. My grandson loved it!
That productthe Kelvin voice-controlled thermostathas been endorsed by the National Federation of the Blind and is now in the marketplace.
T2RERC worked on another thermostat through its Fortune 500 program. The White-Rodgers (a division of Emerson Electric Co.) thermostat features large characters, red and blue temperature keys, audio programming, and a reminder
alert to change the furnace filter, all fitted on a 12-square-inch touch-tone screen.
When you have a good design, you not only make mainstream products easier for the elderly and people with disabilities to use, you make them easier for everyone to use, says Leahy, who is project administrator and principal investigator for the Fortune 500 program. I think that's an eye-opener for some companies and helps them see the bottom-line value of what we can offer them.
Other projects being developed by the Fortune 500 program include an interactive device for Whirlpool that would allow remote operation and interaction with appliances. Also, Michelin evaluated new wheels/tires for wheelchairs and Eastman Kodak developed T2RERC's EasyShare Photo Printer and Printer Dock, both with new user-friendly features.
In the washer-dryer focus group, says Stanfield, they asked us questions on how to make [the remote to control the appliances] better for everyone's use. She wanted to see the numbers enlarged. And after studying several different sizes of the remote, she opted for the largest one. The bigger the better for me, she says.
Where do the ideas for these independent- living products come from? Apparently from just about everywhere: inventors, companies, consumers, and T2RERC staff, who hunt for ideas all around the country, if not the world. Not all products make it to market, but many do. And most make an important contribution to the lives of the people who use them.
The StrongArm cane is one such product. Many peopleold, young, disabled or notwill use a cane or forearm crutches at some point in their lives (broken leg, postsurgery, sprains), and they will likely experience the strain a traditional cane puts on the hand, arm and especially the wrist.
Canes require strong finger grip and strong hand grip and a strong wrist, says
Bauer. But due to injury, disabling condition or age, that strength may be compromised.
The new cane, designed as a direct extension of the arm, has a handgrip and bracing element in the handle that shifts the load from wrist to forearm, providing better support. It reduces stress from finger to elbow, and you don't need a strong wrist or finger grip, Bauer says, adding, it's a very enabling product.
Well-designed assistive products can enable people with disabilities and elders to succeed in all aspects of their lives. In this advanced technological age, there is growing recognition that these products constitute important markets with immense business potential. The work at T2RERC, along with the consumer groups, has played an important role in hastening this recognition.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Good
- Music:Namie Amuro
JOSE DeLEON - The Pirates 3rd round pick in 1979 out of Perth Amboy HS in New Jersey, DeLeon burst on the scene in 1983 by flirting with (but never completing) multiple no-hitters. Tough to hit in a 13-year career, hell unfortunately be remembered as one of the most talented pitchers ever to twice lead the league in losses. LUIS De Los SANTOS - A tall, lanky 1B chosen in the 2nd round by the Royals in 1984, De Los Santos batted just .209 in 139 career at bats with the Royals Tigers. He played in Taiwan and Korea before retiring in 2002. JOSE MOTA ANDY MOTA - Jose, the White Sox 2nd round pick in 1985, and Andy, the Astros 12th round selection two years later, were both sons of ex-big leaguer Manny Mota and 2B out of California State University. Together they combined to bat .195 in a total of 46 major league games. BIEN FIGUEROA RAFAEL BOURNIGAL - Shortstops drafted out of Florida State University in consecutive year, Figueroa (Cardinals 5th round pick in 1986) and Bournigal (Dodgers 19th round pick in 1987) had careers inverse to their draft positions. Figueroa peaked with a dozen big league appearances in 1992, then slipped from minor league utility infielder into a coach career within a few years. Bournigal, on the other hand, lasted parts of seven seasons in the majors, including a three-year stint as Oaklands utility infielder thanks to a very good glove. LUIS ORTIZ - A corner infielder who batted .295 in a dozen years at Triple-A, Ortiz batted just .228 and fielded just .875 in limited big league trials with the Red Sox and Rangers. Bostons 8th round pick out of Union University in Tennessee in 1991 was once part of a two-for-one package (along with Otis Nixon) in a trade for Jose Canseco. MANNY RAMIREZ FRANKLYN GRACESQUI - About as different as two players could be, but they share the fact that they were both drafted out of George Washington HS in the Bronx. Ramirez, the Indians 1st round pick in 1991, already has 527 big league homers, 12 All-Star selections, two World Series rings and a certain plaque in Cooperstown. Gracesqui was a 21st round pick of the Blue Jays in 1998, and the southpaw was pounded to the clip of an 11.25 ERA in his only major league action with the 2004 Marlins. PLACIDO POLANCO JUAN PENA - These two were drafted out of Miami-Dade Wolfson Community College in Florida in consecutive seasons. Do most fans even realize that Polanco, the Cardinals 19th round pick in 1994, is five hits away from 1,500 with a .306 career batting average? It sure doesnt seem like it, and he earned a Gold Glove at 2B in 2007 when he didnt commit a single error for the Tigers. Pena, a 6 RHP selected 27th by the Red Sox in 1995, won his first two big league starts in 1999 with an ERA of 0.69 and more than a strikeout per inning. Unfortunately he hurt his arm, missed the following season entirely, and hung up his spikes after going 4-15 over three minor league seasons in an unsuccessful comeback attempt. JULIO LUGO RUDDY LUGO - Brothers with different skills, different paths to the big leagues and different types of careers. Julio, a SS drafted by the Astros in the 43rd round out of Connors State College (OK) in 1994, has batted .271 in 1,149 career games through 2008. He was the starting SS for the World Series champion Red Sox in 2007. Younger brother Ruddy, a RHP taken by the Brewers in 1999 with their 3rd pick of of Brooklyns Xavierian HS, went 8-4 as a big leaguer in 2006-2007, but has just 133 1/3 big league innings to show for 10 seasons as a professional. ALBERT PUJOLS - This future Hall of Famer probably needs no introduction if youre reading this blog, but it bears repeating that he was the Cardinals 13th round (!) draft pick in 1999 out of Maple Woods Community College in Missouri. You think the other 29 teams would pass on him a dozen times if they had the chance to do it all over again? HENRY MATEO EDWIN ENCARNACION - These pair of Dominicans were drafted out of high schools in Puerto Rico. Not everybody knows this, but Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens and, since 1989, major league teams have to draft them rather than signing them as free agents the way they still do in the DR. Mateo, the Expos 2nd round pick in 1995, is a speedy 2B with nearly 300 stolen bases in the minor leagues whos spent parts of six seasons with the Expos / Nationals. His .289 big league on-base percentage and .292 slugging mark are two reasons hes made only 280 plate appearances during that time. Encarnacion was a 9th round pick of the Rangers in 2000, then got traded to the Reds (with fellow Dominican Ruben Mateo, no relation to Henry, for Rob Bell a year later). Hes currently a slugging 3B in Cincinnati, having hammered 26 home runs in 2008. CARLOS PENA - At press time, the powerful 1B is battling vision problems in the ALDS, where the Tampa Bay Rays are hoping their HR RBI leader gets back to full strength. In 1998, the Rangers made Pena their 1st round pick out of Northeastern University (MA). Texas eventually traded him to the As, who traded him the the Tigers, who released him. The Yankees signed him and released him before he ever wore their uniform. The Red Sox let him go after 18 games. Since signing on with Tampa Bay, though, Penas clubbed 77 home runs in two years and helped them become winners for the first time. EDWIN ALMONTE - A big RHP chosen by the White Sox out of the College of St. Francis (NY) in the 26th round in 1998. Almonte was one of three players traded to the Mets for Roberto Alomar in 2003, put up an 11.12 ERA in a dozen appearances for New York that summer, and found himself out of pro ball two years later. JOSE BAUTISTA - Not to be confused with the former big league pitcher from the Dominican with the same name, this is the 3B-OF drafted in the 20th round out of Chipola Junior College (FLA) by the Pirates in 2000. Since making his major league debut with the Orioles (like the other Jose Bautista) in 2004, hes played for four more teams, most recently the Blue Jays. VICTOR DIAZ - Hitting 24 homers in 446 at bats give some idea why Pedro Martinez says Diaz is known as Little Manny in the DR, but the Dodgers 37th round pick in 2000 out of Clemente HS in Chicago has nowhere near the plate discipline of Mr. Ramirez. After entering pro ball as an infielder, he moved to the outfield due to glove deficiencies, and doesnt hit the long ball often enough to justify his .309 big league OBP or lack of a position. Nevertheless, he hit 25 HR with 107 RBI in Triple-A in 2008, so he may yet be back. HUMBERTO SANCHEZ - A super-sized (6, 270-lbs) RHP once drafted in the 9th round by the Dodgers out of high school, Sanchez went to Rockland Community College (NY) instead, and slipped to the Tigers 31st round pick before signing. He actually went to the same college in Oklahoma that Julio Lugo attended before inking his dealand dominated, giving the Tigers reason to be optimstic about the hard thrower. Injuries have hounded him since turning pro, but he was highly regarded enough to be part of the package the Yankees accepted for Gary Sheffield. Despite pitching fewer than 14 professional innings the last two seasons, Sanchez made his major league debut for New York in September.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:More emotions
- Music:Namie Amuro
James Loney is probably a nice guy, but I honestly wouldn't have minded if he got hit by a bus after the game. That grand slam silenced the sell-out crowd and made me feel as though someone kicked me in the stomach. Dempster pitched like shit, but he somehow wiggled his way out of trouble until the 5th, where like Langston stated earlier, he tempted fate one time too often and paid the price. Despite all the gloom and doom, we can still win the series. Here are 5 things that need to happen in order for the Cubbies to get off the mat and advance.
1. Big Z needs to be a hero: Zambrano's first half was the most controlled and consistent I've ever seen him pitch. His second half was terribly inconsistent, ranging from a dominant no-hitter to getting shelled on a regular basis. He had some arm problems, but when everything is right, he is the Cubs ace. He needs to come out and dominate tonight, setting the tone and quieting all the doom and gloom that Cubs fans inevitably are feeling right now. If he gets shelled, all bets are off.
2. Soriano needs to put the team on his back: Fonz is the catalyst of the offense. We have some extremely gifted hitters, but no one who can dominate and carry the team except for Soriano. When he's hot and hitting line drives, everything else seems to flow into place. When he's swinging at bullshit pitches and chasing everything in the dirt, the life seems to drift out of everyone else's bats. He needs to get it going, and get it going quick.
3. Wrigley fans need to stop acting like they're scared: The vibe last night was one of "Oh shit, here we go again." Instead of waiting for something bad to happen, they need to be confident and raucous from the start. Stop waiting for them to F up, stop waiting for Bartman 2.0, and show that you're team had the best record in the National League and that you know they're going to keep advancing. This is the best team we've had in years, and after winning 97 in the regular season, all we have to do is win 11 more. Start acting like it.
4. Keep the webgems coming: This team has played great D all season, yet they made some boneheaded plays late in the year that can't happen. Fukudome and Soriano made great plays last night, and knowing that everybody's favorite head case is on the mound, they need to help his confidence by making plays behind him.
5. Don't let Manny hurt you: Manny's homerun last night was basically a golf swing. With the Dodgers lineup, he's the only one who scares me. He should not see anything close to the strike zone. Make the other hitters beat you, keep Furcal off base, and you're going to win game 2.
I'm still confident, but last night definitely was a stomach punch. We've comeback all season long, so we're not out of it yet. All it takes is one.
Click Here to Read More..
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Very good
- Music:Kumi Koda
Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. GuideCraft/MLBP 2007.
Add matching piece of furniture, from the drop list below, for complete look of your child #39s room.
Browse through and choose from many other similar products available under Major League Baseball Kids Furniture category.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Cry
- Music:Namie Amuro
Theres plenty of multi-tasking going on today at DDA. My desktop currently has 12 open windows, including six Word documents and at least half a dozen browser tabs. Everyone from our graphic designers to our programmers to our videographers to our animators and search engine optimization specialists is hard at work today on a wide variety of projects. At DDA, there are always so many things going on that you almost never have a large chunk of time to dedicate to one specific thing. So were all multi-taskers, even if some study wants to say were not.
A busy day means a day that flies by. And as much as we all love our work here at DDA, we also love Thursdays, because that means the end of a busy week, and a few days to recharge.
And today, Thursday also means Game 2 of the Phillies playoff series with the Brewers, scheduled for tonight at the odd time of 6:07 p.m. (hopefully I wont get a speeding ticket on the way home). After a HUGE win in Game 1 yesterday, the Phillies must win two of the next four to reach the National League Championship Series. So hopefully, by the time we return to work Monday, the Phils will be four wins away from the World Series.
But lets not get ahead of ourselves just yet.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Cry
- Music:Ami Suzuki
James Loney is probably a nice guy, but I honestly wouldn't have minded if he got hit by a bus after the game. That grand slam silenced the sell-out crowd and made me feel as though someone kicked me in the stomach. Dempster pitched like shit, but he somehow wiggled his way out of trouble until the 5th, where like Langston stated earlier, he tempted fate one time too often and paid the price. Despite all the gloom and doom, we can still win the series. Here are 5 things that need to happen in order for the Cubbies to get off the mat and advance.
1. Big Z needs to be a hero: Zambrano's first half was the most controlled and consistent I've ever seen him pitch. His second half was terribly inconsistent, ranging from a dominant no-hitter to getting shelled on a regular basis. He had some arm problems, but when everything is right, he is the Cubs ace. He needs to come out and dominate tonight, setting the tone and quieting all the doom and gloom that Cubs fans inevitably are feeling right now. If he gets shelled, all bets are off.
2. Soriano needs to put the team on his back: Fonz is the catalyst of the offense. We have some extremely gifted hitters, but no one who can dominate and carry the team except for Soriano. When he's hot and hitting line drives, everything else seems to flow into place. When he's swinging at bullshit pitches and chasing everything in the dirt, the life seems to drift out of everyone else's bats. He needs to get it going, and get it going quick.
3. Wrigley fans need to stop acting like they're scared: The vibe last night was one of "Oh shit, here we go again." Instead of waiting for something bad to happen, they need to be confident and raucous from the start. Stop waiting for them to F up, stop waiting for Bartman 2.0, and show that you're team had the best record in the National League and that you know they're going to keep advancing. This is the best team we've had in years, and after winning 97 in the regular season, all we have to do is win 11 more. Start acting like it.
4. Keep the webgems coming: This team has played great D all season, yet they made some boneheaded plays late in the year that can't happen. Fukudome and Soriano made great plays last night, and knowing that everybody's favorite head case is on the mound, they need to help his confidence by making plays behind him.
5. Don't let Manny hurt you: Manny's homerun last night was basically a golf swing. With the Dodgers lineup, he's the only one who scares me. He should not see anything close to the strike zone. Make the other hitters beat you, keep Furcal off base, and you're going to win game 2.
I'm still confident, but last night definitely was a stomach punch. We've comeback all season long, so we're not out of it yet. All it takes is one.
Click Here to Read More..
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Very good
- Music:Kumi Koda
Of course, missing the aces of Philly and New York is probably a good thing, with Johan sporting a killer 1.71 ERA in 21 career innings against the Cubs, and Hamels a 2.61 ERA in 31 IP. Yet, the three pitchers the Cubs are likely to see – Lowe, Kuroda, and Billingsley – arent going to be a picnic for them. While theres more to a pitcher than just WHIP, keeping runners off base is obviously important for winning games, and these guys are 4th, 13th, and 24th respectively in the NL in WHIP this season (among ERA qualifiers). The other aspect of run creation – slugging – paints an even better picture, as they are 7th, 8th, and 10th among qualifiers in slugging% allowed. Kurodas the #3 starter, probably based on inferior “Cy Young” numbers (9-10, 3.73), but NL hitters know better. A pitcher who holds batters to an anemic batting line of .253/.299/.359 is getting it done. And he doesnt have a funky Hideo Nomo leg kick with allows baserunners to go to the races against him, either. Base thieves have stolen only 7 bases against him in 183.1 IP, while getting caught twice and picked off two more times.
Digging deeper into the Dodgers pitching presents even more potential problems for the Cubs. As a team, the Cubs slug about the same against righties (.443 vsR to .442 vsL), but their batting average (.274 vs .288) and – most importantly – on-base percentage (.350 vs. .366) are both significantly lower. Using Runs Created/Game, the Cubs are about 6% worse against righty starters (5.23 vs 5.57). And the Dodgers righties are more lopsided that the norm. Here are the splits for the Dodgers starters, along with league-average R/L splits for righty pitchers:
NL Average (vsR as RHP): .255/.318/.405, 4.24 RC/G
NL Average (vsL as RHP): .273/.348/.429, 5.03 RC/G
Derek Lowe (vsR, career): .241/.286/.346, 3.19 RC/G
Derek Lowe (vsL, career): .274/.337/.403, 4.58 RC/G
Chad Billingsley (vsR, career): .218/.294/.351, 3.23 RC/G
Chad Billingsley (vsL, career): .287/.381/.396, 5.18 RC/G
Hiroki Kuroda (vsR): .246/.292/.319, 3.03 RC/G
Hiroki Kuroda (vsL): .260/.306/.399, 4.04 RC/G
It is difficult to be precise with any methodology to predict how a “hard righty” pitcher will do against a given offense, but a “quick and dirty” approach can approximate it. It can be seen that the Dodgers 3 starters are about 30% better against righty hitters than they are against lefty hitters, compared to NL average of 16%. Since this “advantage” will apply to 7 of the 8 Cubs hitters, this “lopsidedness” of the L.A. Pitchers causes a decline of approximately 11% to the Cubs offense. This is in addition to the basic fact that these pitchers are all better than average (ERA+ ratings – from baseball-reference.com – of 136, 119, and 141). Pitchers who are that good can be expected to reduce scoring by typical hitters by 23%, so – with both depreciating factors added in – the Cubs league-leading offense goes down from 5.31 runs per game to a measly 3.63 runs/game.
And things get even worse for the Cubs. In a September 29 article at The Hardball Times, Sal Baxamusa writes:
A Dodger lineup consisting of Rafael Furcal, Russell Martin, Manny Ramirez, Andre Ethier, James Loney, Matt Kemp, Casey Blake, Blake Dewitt, and some random pitcher will score something like 5.18 runs per game. That figure is the result of current Marcel projections for each those players, assuming an average-hitting pitcher for two plate appearances, and a league-average pinch-hitter for two more.
Now, Mr. Baxamusa makes a lot of assumptions to get here, the largest leap being that Furcal will come back and perform at the level a Marcel projection would indicate after missing most of the season. But its a safe bet to assume that the team will hit a lot better than the anemic 4.32 runs/game they put up in the regular season (ahead of only the Nats, Giants, and Padres). For people (such as this author) who still think, “pitchers park” when LA is mentioned, its been playing as a good hitters park in recent years, adding further fuel to the argument that the Dodgers didnt hit well in 2008.
Looking into platoon splits doesnt change much, as the typical righty pitcher sees 53.4% righty batters, and the Dodgers have 4 of their 8 hitters who hit from the right side. The big unknown is really how well the Cubs pitchers will be able to thwart the now-mighty Dodger offense. Part of this is the wildly inconsistent Carlos Zambrano. When hes “on”, hes almost unhittable (or completely unhittable, as on one occasion recently). Dempster has been the most consistent Cubs starter, and can probably be considered as reliable as anyone to keep them in the games he starts, even against great starting pitching. But Harden represents another form of risk from Zambrano, as its unclear how many innings hell be able to go, and even whether hell be able to pitch on any given day. Fortunately for the Cubs, they have a great #4 starter in Ted Lilly, who should be able to step in to any short starts by either risky Cubs starter and do a fine job.
Most analyses of how the Cubs pitching will do seem more in the purview of psychoanalysis than that of sports analysis. Starting Harden on long rest, and only using him once in the first short series seems like a good strategy to keep him healthy. Frankly, anyone who claims to be able to predict what Carlos Zambrano will do is probably deluding themselves. His strikeouts are down this year, continuing a decline begun in 2007. His arm slot has been off the past two years. His ERA is 3.91, up from his career ERA of 3.48. His xFIP (from The Hardball Times formula) is a bloated 4.68, indicating that even his 3.91 ERA is misleading. Yet he pitched an absolute gem against the Astros on September 14. Just assuming that Zambrano pitches the way hes pitched on average this year (a huge assumption, obviously), he could probably almost hold his own with Chad Billingsley in Game 2. Given the starter matchups, the Cubs should have even pitching in Game 1, and a significant advantage in Game 3 at least as long as Harden remains in the game.
With Hong-Chih Kuo sidelined, both teams have serious lefty weaknesses in their pens. If Saito isnt 100%, the Cubs should have a huge advantage in the pen. Broxton has been good, but Marmol has been utterly ridiculous. And Kerry Wood has quietly had a very fine season, holding opponents to a .288 on-base percentage.
On defense, the Cubs probably have a slight advantage. For the season, most defensive metrics show the Cubs to have a clear edge, but the dropoff from Furcal to Berroa or Nomar at shortstop can be very impactful to a teams defensive stats. If Furcal is 100% on defense, the defensive units are probably a wash.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Very good
- Music:Kumi Koda
One thing that will never let you down though is the Tailgate. If youre bored at home and need a local sports fix, just head over here and check out the Hangover for the week that was. Trent would want you to.
Monday:
The Chiefs and Rams are waging quite the battle to determine who the NFLs worst team is. If nothing else, its an intriguing subplot on Sundays
No doubt sensing the challenge, the Rams came out fired up to make a statement about who was worse. They gave up a field goal on the opening drive and then fumbled the ball back to Seattle on their first offensive possession. Minutes later a guy named Michael Bumpus caught a touchdown pass to make it 10-0 Seahawks.
[Chiefs and Rams Strengthen Their Cases For #32]
Tuesday:
Rams Park is beginning to look a lot like an emotional movie weve all seen
If Bernie failed to mention Linehans wife, an outsider with no knowledge of football could argue Miklasz was talking about a dying dog - owned by Rosenbloom. Yes, Old Yeller Snydrome has taken over Rams Park.
[Ole Yeller Syndrome Strikes Rams Park]
Wednesday:
Its always a shock to the system when the owner of the New York Yankees is crying for sympathy, and using the Cardinals as his reason why
The Yankees last championship team (2000) won 87 games, yet first in the AL East, and went on the eventually win the World Series. Meanwhile, four teams had better records and the 90-win Indians in the AL Central missed the playoffs entirely. Forget about that one, Hank.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Very good
- Music:Heartbreak Hotel
members (mostly), published authors, Ritter Award winners and nominees, and Yoseloff Grant recipients, let us know.
Wed like to add more writers as soon as we can, so if you love baseball, especially its history, and have a talent and passion for writing, contact Mike Lynch at seamhead@hotmail.com. Experience is not required; a love for The Game is.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Cry
- Music:Sukiyaki
But I want to talk about our little library a little furtherwe now have so many titles we need to start getting serious about finding them a good home and organizing them. P pointed this out that we have whole sections that have books some die hards would love to find on certain topics. They arent worth any moneys just that we have them. (Who goes and buys every single ornithology book there? Hello. Which was a classic example of how to be a predator at a booksale todayfind all of the 19th century bird books in the hunting section.)
So I am making my first official 2009 resolutionby the end of the year we will have the books sorted out in a library system. No clue how to do this, but we will do it as a family project. They will get bar codes and the works so we can loan them out.
Or maybe they will just all sit in boxes until I think of a better resolution for 2009m not sure.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Very good
- Music:Southern All Stars
Im going to reserve judgment about how important this win really is until we see how Rutgers season develops. However, from an exposure standpoint, this was fantastic. We went on national TV and put on a fireworks show. Our offense took shots down field and featured creative play-calling. Our defense swarmed to the ball and put some highlight-reel hits on Rutgers. There is a lot to like from this effort, but we cant get complacent. But, the ship is pointed in the right direction. And Id say the Heels took advantage of their prime-time opportunity like this clown pointed out
Ok, lets get on with the picks. Weve got some seriously good football games this weekend. My prognostication skills will be put to the test. Without further ado, lets get started.
#1 USC vs. #5 Ohio State
Might as well start with the feature matchup. The point spread on this one is 11, which seems ridiculous. Ohio State is paying for a lackluster performance last week against Ohio, and its recent BCS title game losses. USC is getting praised for lighting up a depleted UVA team. Theres no way this is a two-touchdown margin of victory for anyone. I think Beanie Wells plays and its a close, exciting game with USC edging out the Buckeyes, 24-21.
#2 Georgia @ South Carolina
The only thing Spurrier likes more than playing Georgia is beating Georgia. Unfortunately for him, he only gets to do one of them this week. South Carolina just isnt very good and Richt has somehow managed to play the disrespect card after dropping in the rankings. Bulldogs win 27-13.
#3 Oklahoma @ Washington
Theres no telling what kind of mental state the Huskies are in after their heartbreaking loss last week. We do know that Oklahoma doesnt care. Earlier this week, Herbstreit said Stoops could pick the score in this one, meaning the Sooners could win by as much as they want. Ill say he picks a 49-14 win.
# 6 Missouri vs. Nevada
The only person who cares less about this game than you is me. Mizzou wins 56-7.
#7 LSU vs. North Texas
Its been awhile since LSU has seen action due to Hurricane Gustav, so expect them to be a little rusty. Of course, it wont matter since theyre playing North Texas. LSU wins 34-10.
#8 Texas vs. Arkansas
Hurricane Ike wins. Bobby Petrinos humiliating beatdown is moved to 9/27.
#9 Auburn @ Mississippi St.
As this guy astutely pointed out, the real test begins this week for Auburns Chris Todd. Can he effectively maneuver the Tigers spread offense against an SEC opponent on the road? I say yes, but barely. Auburn wins 21-17.
#10 Wisconsin @ #21 Fresno St
I applaud the Badgers for playing this game at Fresno St. Its really a no-win situation for Wisconsin because as good as Fresno St. may be, they are still Fresno St. Last I checked, Fresno was not an actual state. But, its also going to be a no-win situation for the Badgers because they are going to lose the game, 28-13.
#11 Alabama vs. Western Kentucky
If this was basketball, Id give the Hilltoppers a chance. But, Sabans troops will be ready to go after a lackluster effort last week. Roll Tide, 35-10.
#12 Texas Tech vs. SMU
Id love to pick SMU, but the Pony Express isnt coming through that door. Texas Tech wins, 49-21.
#13 Kansas @ #19 South Florida
Who would ever think that this would be a Top 25 football matchup? Not I. South Florida barely squeaked out a win over Central Florida last week. Kansas hasnt played anyone a good high school couldnt beat. Som taking South Florida at home. In Matt Grothe we trust? Man, I loathe that guynice Mohawk, retard.
#14 ECU @ Tulane
Tulane played Alabama tough and ECU is bound to suffer a little letdown from its two big wins. But, ultimately, I dont think Tulane has enough firepower. Its a close one, but ECU escapes with a win, 17-14.
#15 Arizona State vs. UNLV
Earlier this week, Warren Sapp called Urban Meyer a classless dirt bag for running up the score. Sapp played at Miami for Dennis Erickson, who now is ASUs coach. One of Dennis Ericksons favorite past times is, you guessed it, running up the score. This week will be a prime example. ASU wins 52-7.
#16 Oregon @ Purdue
If you like points, this is the game for you. Both offenses are explosive and both defenses are vulnerable. Ill take Purdue in the upset at home, 38-35. If they show this game in your area, watch it. Should be fun. Im hoping I get the Penn State-Syracuse massacre instead.
#17 Penn State vs. Syracuse
Speak of the devil! Syracuse is absolutely atrocious. I mean, theyre probably worse than Duke. PSU wins 45-3.
#18 BYU vs. UCLA
BYU barely survived last weekend while UCLA had the week off to come down from its win over Tennessee. Im taking UCLA to get another upset, even on the road. 28-20.
#22 Utah vs. Utah St.
Mormons everywhere are fired up for this one. My Mormon friend H is loading up on Diet Mountain Dew in preparation. Utah wins 34-17.
#23 Cal @ Maryland
The only thing that gives me some hesitation about this game is that its being played at noon on the east coast, which is 9am for the Berkeley kids. I know, impressive subtraction. Hold the applause. Anyway, Cal is much, much better than Maryland. But, its going to be a closer game than it should be. Im taking Cal, but 24-20.
#24 Illinois vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
The Juice will be loose all over Champaign. Illini win, 41-9.
NFL
Skins vs. Saints
Im not going to make a pick in this one, but I just want to give my state of the Skins paragraph. The state is not good. I realize were only a week in, but that was the worst 16-7 loss Ive ever seen. Sure, the score would indicate the Skins had a chance against the Giants, but we didnt. Im just glad they showed highlights of Brandon Jacobs running through and over Laron Landry during the UNC game last night. That was a nice break from the Beanie Wells updates we kept getting.
Anyway, Im not optimistic about the Skins season. We need to see a lot of improvement in the offense this week for me to change my mind. Like, you know, get a first down before the 2 minute warning.
Colts @ Vikings
I doubt either team expected to be 0-1 in this matchup, so a loss in this one will put that team in a major hole. The Colts have considerably less room for error with a much tougher division to play in. Plus, Peyton Manning vs. Tavaris Jackson? Im going with Manning and the Colts, 28-21.
Tennessee @ Cincinnati
What a clown show. I mean, we have Vince I need my mommy and some hot wings on side and Chad Reebok wont let me change my name until I pay them $4 million Ocho Johnson Cinco on the other. Frankly, I just feel sorry for Carson Palmer. And in turn, my fantasy football team. Bengals win, 3-2.
Bears @ Panthers
Orton v. Delhomme. First one to finish a Bojangles tailgate platter wins. Im taking Orton because hell probably be drunk and you can totally dominate fried chicken when youre drunk. Bears win 20-13.
Pats @ Jets
I dont think the Jets ever figured to be favored in this game. I still think the Brett Favre experiment isnt going to work. And Belicheck hates the Jets so much, hell come up with something. Even if its Randy Moss throwing passes to himself, the Pats will get this win, 24-13.
Chargers @ Broncos
Broncos looked good last week, but it was against Oakland. Hey look, Jamarcus Russells fat ass just got sacked again. Im taking the Chargers to bounce back and get the win, 31-20.
Steelers @ Browns
This is one of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL. The Dawg Pound will be fired up for this one. Unfortunately, Derek Anderson is still the Browns quarterback. Steelers win 24-23.
Eagles @ Cowboys
Two of the most impressive teams from week 1 square off in an important divisional matchup. I hope they both lose. If I ever see Tony Romo on the road, Im going to pretend I have a flat tire. When he comes over to help, Im going to smash his face in with a tire iron. Good times. Cowboys win 24-21.
Well, there you go. Despite my animosity towards Tony Romo, Im in an excellent mood going into the weekend. The Heels have secured a statement win and I can just sit back and enjoy the football without getting too worked up. At least until Sunday when I have to suffer through another Redskins game. Oh geezBARTENDER!!!!.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Cry
- Music:Chage and Aska
Of course, most of that stuff comes from Cardinal fans. As for the rest of the country, well, let's just say there's a reason that Albert only has one MVP award so far.
Once again this year, Albert is making a strong case for himself as the Most Valuable Player in the National League. Early in the year, Lance Berkman of the Houston Astros was having an absolutely unreal year, and would have had to be the choice. Berkman fell off, though. In the second half, Carlos Delgado of the New York Mets made a big charge and began to generate some buzz. That's mostly died down again, though, as Delgado has cooled back off and so have the Mets.
Really, there's only one player right now that stands between Albert and his second MVP award. And that just happens to be the same man that stood between Albert and his second MVP back in 2006. I'm talking, of course, about the local boy (the pride of Lafayette High School), Ryan Howard.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Cry
- Music:Sukiyaki
Damn, I guess I oughta say something myself then. Lemme do one sentence each:
Obama was right on Iraq, and Bush and McCain have moved closer to his position. With Afghanistan/Pakistan, we need more accountability, were not going to get more troops from Europe, and strikes inside Pakistan are a losing bet. With Israel/Palestine, the Bush administration is failing to achieve its stated goal of peace by the end of this year. Somalia is a disaster. Irans regional influence has grown and our tough talk has not prevented that: we need bilateral talks with no preconditions, because we have stuff to talk about. As regards Russia, we need a policy that goes beyond talking tough; NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine seems to be ridden with risks in exchange for little benefit. We need to take Brazil more seriously, especially on energy issues. Speaking of energy, we need renewable energy so that were not boxed in when it comes to policy toward the Gulf. China needs to be treated with caution but openness. More accountability for aid to Africa and elsewhere; if we give money, we need to know its not just being devoured by the corrupt. Finally, we need to stop torturing people and putting foreign visitors through customs hell so that other countries will keep a straight face when we try to flex moral authority.
Alright, thats my simplified two cents.
Chime in and let us know how the candidates do.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Good
- Music:Mai Kuraki
I went from hitting maybe one fairway per round and not being able to hit my driver to hitting the vast majority of fairways off the tee while still enjoying the extra distance of using my driver. This is exciting stuff for a mid to high handicapper...so read on.
Golf Tip #1 - Be certain that you are taking the club back by turning your shoulders NOT picking up your hands.
By taking the club back in a "one piece" takeaway, which only means that your shoulders start the turn back and your arms, hands and thus club follow in one piece - by doing this you will automatically put the golf club on the proper swing plane. So long as you do not try to help the club do its job, you will be well down the path to a more solid swing and consistent hits with this tip alone.
Practice this in front of a mirror with or without a club, making sure that your head stays solidly in place and that your three body parts mentioned above go to at least parallel as one unit.
Golf Tip #2 - Don't overswing and swing easy. They engineer the clubs to do the hitting - getting the ball off the ground and a certain distance no matter how hard you swing. As a matter of fact, the harder you swing the less the club can do what it is supposed to do and you will sacrifice both distance and accuracy.
Just make a full shoulder turn and a good wrist cock then return the club from where it came from! When I say swing easy I do not mean decelerate on the downswing. What I do mean is find a good tempo and naturally accelerate through the ball on your downswing with a complete follow through.
Golf Tip #3 - Relax and enjoy the game. Tension in your golf swing is your biggest enemy. One of the tips that I have recently read is that once you get over your shot and are ready to swing....SMILE!! Believe it or not it works...it is extremely hard to be tensed up and smile at the same time.
These 3 simple tips have taken 5 to 10 of those "dumb" giveaway strokes off my game and it will yours too! Just get the swing thought in your mind of takeaway with the shoulders for a full turn, easy swing back through the ball to let the club do the work and relax! You will be excited to start see those shots going longer and straighter very soon!
Happy golfing.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Good
- Music:Kumi Koda
If you have ever played or coached competitive volleyball, this will be review. But if your niece, grandson, neighbor, BFF or any other significant other plays and you've been too afraid to ask what's going on, this is for you.
This week we focus on strategy.
I know what you're thinking: "I thought there were supposed to be three in the front row and three in the back row in volleyball."
You're half right.
The first observation of those whose only exposure to volleyball has been gym class is that the players line up in crazy formations that seem unnecessary. Actually it's very necessary.
The main difference between competitive volleyball and P.E. class is that every player on the court has a specific position with specific responsibilities and needs to get to their spot on every play. This way coaches can utilize different players' skill sets and talents to maximize the team's output. Simple economics, really.
So in a game in which players rotate around the court with every sideout (possession change) each player is only in ideal position once. That's why you'll see different groupings with each serve. Once the ball is served, any player can be anywhere except fro the libero - the player in a different colored shirt - who is allowed to play solely in the back row.
The rules governing rotation are simply that a back row player cannot lineup in front of a front row player, no player can lineup on to the right of the player immediately to the right of them in the rotation and vice versa for the left. Coaches will commonly lineup their teams in the following pattern: Setter, hitter, middle, setter, hitter, middle.
Teams can run a 6-2 (six attackers, two setters at any one time) or a 5-1 (five attackers, one setter at any one time) offensive set. In a 6-2, two setters are on the floor at the same time (one in the front row, one in the back) and the one in the back row will set until he or she reaches the front row and it switches over. Thus, before a play starts, any one of the six on the floor is a potential attacker. In a 5-1 the same setter sets all the way around, and cannot attack on the second contact (a common trick amongst setters) while in the back row.
Here's a breakdown of the usual suspects.
Position (where they line up): Skill profile.
Outside hitter (front and back left): Quick, agile and athletic. Must be able not only have the hops to hit in the front row, but also quickness to get in position to make digs in the back row.
Middle blocker (the middle, duh): Height, height and height. Your middle should be hard to hit over, through or around and thus must possess good jumping ability and lateral movement. It's uncommon for middles to play in the back row, mainly because their height makes it harder for them to get to balls in the back row.
Setter (front and back right): Must be one of the best conditioned on the floor, possess good hand/eye coordination and be a good decision maker. The setter ideally touches the ball on every play and thus has the most influence on the offensive output.
Rightside hitter (front right only): Same skill set as an outside hitter, though you may want a better blocker here, as they will be matched up on the other team's outside hitter.
Libero (middle back): Quick, agile and must be a good passer, they're the ones responsible for keeping the ball off the floor. Liberos almost always play the back row for middle blockers. A quick aside: The libero wears a different colored jersey because they can run on and off of the floor without formally substituting and thus not counting against the number of allowable substitutions during a set (18).
Now that we know what everybody does, let's start with offensive sets.
The setter can set an array of sets all over the court but by far the most effective is the "1" - a quick set just above the net to the middle. This gives the opposite middle (and the defense behind them) little reaction time, and means the attacking middle only has one person to hit around. Other effective sets are back sets to the rightside hitter (a "5"), a quick set to the outside (a "31") or a "slide" in which the middle will veer to the right behind the setter upon their approach and attack off of one foot (like a lay-up).
The problem with these is that it requires a heck of a lot to go right. The pass, set and timing between setter and attacker must be perfect.
If the pass or dig requires the setter to move too much in order to make a set, they usually push a high set in the direction of the outside hitter. If their momentum is taking them toward the back row, they may also set a "pipe" to a back row player (not the libero) who can leave their feet to attack as long as they take off behind the 10-foot line. A designed set to the outside is called a "4." You'll hear players shout these numbers if they want that set, and before the play, look for the setter to signal to their hitters via fingers to indicate what they plan to do.
From there, much like football, you can have a lot of fun with combinations. Like sending one player on an approach to draw a blocker, then setting the ball elsewhere, or just having someone follow the attacker and hit from the same place.
I could double the length of this entry by describing in detail blocking and defensive schemes (and maybe I will in the future). Basically the goal is to get a block up and for the players behind the blocker to take away any angle left available to the hitter. Obviously gaps in blocks are bad, as are ones that are too far from the net.
Your homework assignment for the week is to watch a match and, instead of following the ball, watch the team setting up to defend to see what they do - this is often quite fun. The schemes to defend a ball on the right or left side are just mirror images of each other, while the middle (if you use your imagination) usually resembles a five-pointed star.
Next week: Lingo.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Very good
- Music:Southern All Stars
Im going to reserve judgment about how important this win really is until we see how Rutgers season develops. However, from an exposure standpoint, this was fantastic. We went on national TV and put on a fireworks show. Our offense took shots down field and featured creative play-calling. Our defense swarmed to the ball and put some highlight-reel hits on Rutgers. There is a lot to like from this effort, but we cant get complacent. But, the ship is pointed in the right direction. And Id say the Heels took advantage of their prime-time opportunity like this clown pointed out
Ok, lets get on with the picks. Weve got some seriously good football games this weekend. My prognostication skills will be put to the test. Without further ado, lets get started.
#1 USC vs. #5 Ohio State
Might as well start with the feature matchup. The point spread on this one is 11, which seems ridiculous. Ohio State is paying for a lackluster performance last week against Ohio, and its recent BCS title game losses. USC is getting praised for lighting up a depleted UVA team. Theres no way this is a two-touchdown margin of victory for anyone. I think Beanie Wells plays and its a close, exciting game with USC edging out the Buckeyes, 24-21.
#2 Georgia @ South Carolina
The only thing Spurrier likes more than playing Georgia is beating Georgia. Unfortunately for him, he only gets to do one of them this week. South Carolina just isnt very good and Richt has somehow managed to play the disrespect card after dropping in the rankings. Bulldogs win 27-13.
#3 Oklahoma @ Washington
Theres no telling what kind of mental state the Huskies are in after their heartbreaking loss last week. We do know that Oklahoma doesnt care. Earlier this week, Herbstreit said Stoops could pick the score in this one, meaning the Sooners could win by as much as they want. Ill say he picks a 49-14 win.
# 6 Missouri vs. Nevada
The only person who cares less about this game than you is me. Mizzou wins 56-7.
#7 LSU vs. North Texas
Its been awhile since LSU has seen action due to Hurricane Gustav, so expect them to be a little rusty. Of course, it wont matter since theyre playing North Texas. LSU wins 34-10.
#8 Texas vs. Arkansas
Hurricane Ike wins. Bobby Petrinos humiliating beatdown is moved to 9/27.
#9 Auburn @ Mississippi St.
As this guy astutely pointed out, the real test begins this week for Auburns Chris Todd. Can he effectively maneuver the Tigers spread offense against an SEC opponent on the road? I say yes, but barely. Auburn wins 21-17.
#10 Wisconsin @ #21 Fresno St
I applaud the Badgers for playing this game at Fresno St. Its really a no-win situation for Wisconsin because as good as Fresno St. may be, they are still Fresno St. Last I checked, Fresno was not an actual state. But, its also going to be a no-win situation for the Badgers because they are going to lose the game, 28-13.
#11 Alabama vs. Western Kentucky
If this was basketball, Id give the Hilltoppers a chance. But, Sabans troops will be ready to go after a lackluster effort last week. Roll Tide, 35-10.
#12 Texas Tech vs. SMU
Id love to pick SMU, but the Pony Express isnt coming through that door. Texas Tech wins, 49-21.
#13 Kansas @ #19 South Florida
Who would ever think that this would be a Top 25 football matchup? Not I. South Florida barely squeaked out a win over Central Florida last week. Kansas hasnt played anyone a good high school couldnt beat. Som taking South Florida at home. In Matt Grothe we trust? Man, I loathe that guynice Mohawk, retard.
#14 ECU @ Tulane
Tulane played Alabama tough and ECU is bound to suffer a little letdown from its two big wins. But, ultimately, I dont think Tulane has enough firepower. Its a close one, but ECU escapes with a win, 17-14.
#15 Arizona State vs. UNLV
Earlier this week, Warren Sapp called Urban Meyer a classless dirt bag for running up the score. Sapp played at Miami for Dennis Erickson, who now is ASUs coach. One of Dennis Ericksons favorite past times is, you guessed it, running up the score. This week will be a prime example. ASU wins 52-7.
#16 Oregon @ Purdue
If you like points, this is the game for you. Both offenses are explosive and both defenses are vulnerable. Ill take Purdue in the upset at home, 38-35. If they show this game in your area, watch it. Should be fun. Im hoping I get the Penn State-Syracuse massacre instead.
#17 Penn State vs. Syracuse
Speak of the devil! Syracuse is absolutely atrocious. I mean, theyre probably worse than Duke. PSU wins 45-3.
#18 BYU vs. UCLA
BYU barely survived last weekend while UCLA had the week off to come down from its win over Tennessee. Im taking UCLA to get another upset, even on the road. 28-20.
#22 Utah vs. Utah St.
Mormons everywhere are fired up for this one. My Mormon friend H is loading up on Diet Mountain Dew in preparation. Utah wins 34-17.
#23 Cal @ Maryland
The only thing that gives me some hesitation about this game is that its being played at noon on the east coast, which is 9am for the Berkeley kids. I know, impressive subtraction. Hold the applause. Anyway, Cal is much, much better than Maryland. But, its going to be a closer game than it should be. Im taking Cal, but 24-20.
#24 Illinois vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
The Juice will be loose all over Champaign. Illini win, 41-9.
NFL
Skins vs. Saints
Im not going to make a pick in this one, but I just want to give my state of the Skins paragraph. The state is not good. I realize were only a week in, but that was the worst 16-7 loss Ive ever seen. Sure, the score would indicate the Skins had a chance against the Giants, but we didnt. Im just glad they showed highlights of Brandon Jacobs running through and over Laron Landry during the UNC game last night. That was a nice break from the Beanie Wells updates we kept getting.
Anyway, Im not optimistic about the Skins season. We need to see a lot of improvement in the offense this week for me to change my mind. Like, you know, get a first down before the 2 minute warning.
Colts @ Vikings
I doubt either team expected to be 0-1 in this matchup, so a loss in this one will put that team in a major hole. The Colts have considerably less room for error with a much tougher division to play in. Plus, Peyton Manning vs. Tavaris Jackson? Im going with Manning and the Colts, 28-21.
Tennessee @ Cincinnati
What a clown show. I mean, we have Vince I need my mommy and some hot wings on side and Chad Reebok wont let me change my name until I pay them $4 million Ocho Johnson Cinco on the other. Frankly, I just feel sorry for Carson Palmer. And in turn, my fantasy football team. Bengals win, 3-2.
Bears @ Panthers
Orton v. Delhomme. First one to finish a Bojangles tailgate platter wins. Im taking Orton because hell probably be drunk and you can totally dominate fried chicken when youre drunk. Bears win 20-13.
Pats @ Jets
I dont think the Jets ever figured to be favored in this game. I still think the Brett Favre experiment isnt going to work. And Belicheck hates the Jets so much, hell come up with something. Even if its Randy Moss throwing passes to himself, the Pats will get this win, 24-13.
Chargers @ Broncos
Broncos looked good last week, but it was against Oakland. Hey look, Jamarcus Russells fat ass just got sacked again. Im taking the Chargers to bounce back and get the win, 31-20.
Steelers @ Browns
This is one of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL. The Dawg Pound will be fired up for this one. Unfortunately, Derek Anderson is still the Browns quarterback. Steelers win 24-23.
Eagles @ Cowboys
Two of the most impressive teams from week 1 square off in an important divisional matchup. I hope they both lose. If I ever see Tony Romo on the road, Im going to pretend I have a flat tire. When he comes over to help, Im going to smash his face in with a tire iron. Good times. Cowboys win 24-21.
Well, there you go. Despite my animosity towards Tony Romo, Im in an excellent mood going into the weekend. The Heels have secured a statement win and I can just sit back and enjoy the football without getting too worked up. At least until Sunday when I have to suffer through another Redskins game. Oh geezBARTENDER!!!!.
Similar posts: baseball league little
- Mood:Very good
- Music:Southern All Stars
Profile
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
worldtourism- worldtourism
Syndicate
