HR Derby

Baseball's All-Star game is being played tomorrow night in San Francisco. As a HUGE baseball fan and a former Bay Area resident I'm kinda bumming I'm not there for the festivities. Mind you - a ticket would be out of the question but wandering around the park amid all of the hoopla would be cool. Alas - it was not meant to be. Should MLB decide to re-locate a team to the Portland area and then award the city an All-Star game I'd be pretty pumped. Check back with me in about 10 years and we'll see where things stand.

To alot of people the All-Star game means the HR Derby. Everyone likes to watch major league baseball players hit HR's. Don't forget - chicks dig the longball. The thing is - I end up having a couple of issues with the HR Derby. For one - it can get a bit boring. Ohhhh - there goes another one.....that one measured 474 ft.......oooohh - there goes another......Now that I really think about it I don't think it's that the HRD is boring, it's that I'm getting tired of Chris Berman. Tonight - if I had to hear another one of his "BACK BACK BACK - GONE! All the way to Alcatraz (or Sausalito or Half Moon Bay etc...)" I was going to throw up in my mouth. Just as Charlie Steiner cannot call a baseball game if the fate of the Western world depended on it, Chris Berman should not have anything to do with baseball on any level. Put him in the studio with Tommy Jackson and other assorted athletes/analysts (YAY Steve Young!!!), and he shines with his nicknames and "He could go ALL THE WAY"! I guess that's what happens when you've been doing the same thing for 25 yrs. He has his place in the world - it just wasn't working for me tonight during the HRD.

By the way - did you see Vlad Guerrero hit that one 503 ft!!!!!! Holy moly - I thought he was going to hit the glove. Pretty cool stuff huh?

All said - I am looking forward to the game tomorrow night. This new generation of players are something special and will be fun to watch for years to come. Nothing like watching the best of the best show their stuff. Go American League! We need the home field advantage for the World Series so the Red Sox get 4 games at The Fens.

Misc. Tidbits
> Wasn't part of the No Doubt/Gwen Stefani love fest that has been going on for years but I now have to admit she's got me hooked. I'm listening to the No Doubt remake of It's My Life as I write this and I just LOVE her voice. It's seems like nowadays everything she does is good. Glad I have officially joined the party.
> Started re-reading the INXS autobiography again last night. With the new Harry Potter book on the way I'm not sure why I decided to pick it up again but after reading just a few chapters I'm reminded why I'm such a big fan of the band and their music. If you are curious about their lives and rise to fame check it out. It's worth the read (and the re-read).
>Back to Gwen - HELLA GOOD rocks!
>As I mentioned yesterday summer is officially here. Tomorrows forecasted high - 101.....yikes. This should be fun.
>For my listening pleasure - here's a 10 song shuffle from my iPOD
1. American Idiot - Green Day
2. Love Bites - Def Leppard
3. Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen
4. Voyage Around The Moon - The Saturn 5
5. Viking Juice - INXS
6. Funeral In The Rain - Chris Isaak
7. Peace On Earth - U2
8. Dreams - Van Halen
9. Da Do Do Do, De Da Da Da - The Police
10. Love and Affection - Nelson

On that note - I'm off to bed......"I can't live without your Love and Affection....I can't face another night on my own...."