There was a lot more statistical analysis than I counted on in doing a playoff preview AND quite frankly (did I sound like Gary Betman?), there was no way that I could speak to stats and trends without sounding like I was favouring a team or predicting a winner. Therefore I'm keeping the 10 page power point presentation to myself.
Anyway, I took a break, because that's what I do. And while I was on a break I came up with a new top 10 list. Now its come to my attention that some of you don't like these lists. That's okay. When you get to the list, you'll know that you are at the end of the BLOG for today so STOP READING!!! That way a) I can still write lists, b) you can stop reading them but not miss anything baseball related c) everybody's happy!
So predictions and lists aside, last night was the kick-off of the 2009 playoffs and it had everything! It had low scoring games, dramatic comebacks, home runs, good defense and bench clearing brawls. Ok, kidding about the brawls.
NO ToT PLAYERS IN THE ABOVE MELEE
DAY 1 RESULTS
Red Dogs at The Wild - This game will be considered by many to be a big upset because The Wild finished 1st. However, you should remember that The Wild only finished in front of the charging Red Dogs by 2 points and were outscored in the season series against the Red Dogs. Red Dogs 16; Wild 11.
Recycled at Dislocated Joints - This featured the 4th place team vs 2nd place in the standings. While it WAS an upset technically, like the game listed above, these teams were only separated by two points in the standings. Additionally, Recycled owned the Joints during the regular season sweeping the series 2-0 and outscoring them 28 to 10! Recycled 16; Dislocated Joints 10
Rusty Rebels at Hot Tub Woody's - This was a 12 vs 9 matchup and featured teams that were separated by more than a couple of points (4). They split the season series with the Woody's carrying a slight advantage in runs scored. That advantage helped last night as they eked out a close win in a defensive struggle. Hot Tub Woody's 9; Rusty Rebels 4
Dusty Cleats at Grisslies - This was the feature game of the night. Just joking. This was a match up of 11 vs 8. Despite the season split and 6 point lead in the standings, the Cleats held a distinct advantage over the Gris in +/-. In a game that really had everything; from shutdown defence to 7 run innings, the Gisslies pulled out a close one. Grisslies 14; Dusty Cleats 12
Lucky Stiffs at Torn Ligaments - The 13th ranked team vs #5. I watched the last inning of this after our game & I've gotta say it was hard to take. The Stiffs had a 16-10 heading into the bottom of the 7th. The Torn Ligaments went on a great 6 run rally, much of it with 2 out. Like I said to a few people last night at the club house, the Stiffs were less than a foot away from the 3rd out four or five times. Balls just kept finding holes. Good on the Ligaments, tough on the Stiffs. Torn Ligaments 16; Lucky Stiffs 16
Dog Catchers at Dodge City Rounders - Seven vs six, but they finished in a dead tie in the standings. The Dog Catchers lost the season series to the Rounders 2-0 although they were only outscored by a total of 5 runs. Well, that trend would stay in play. Dodge City Rounders 17; Dog Catchers 10
STATS
Maybe not "stats" per se, but here a few findings with 6 playoff games in the books:
- Home teams are 3-2-1
- Teams that swept the regular season match ups against their opponent were 2-0-1.
- Teams with me & Billy Clouthier splitting 3rd base duties are 1-0-0. Just saying.
(Unofficial, unsanctioned & not verified by the league...use these at your own peril).
| Team | W | L | T | PTS | +/- |
| Dodge City Rounders | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| Recycled | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Hot Tub Woody's | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Red Dogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Grisslies | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Torn Ligaments | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Lucky Stiffs | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Banshees | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dusty Cleats | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -2 |
| The Wild | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -5 |
| Rusty Rebels | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -5 |
| Dislocated Joints | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -6 |
| Dog Catchers | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -7 |
TONIGHTS SCHEDULE
| Time | Location | Home | Visitor |
| 7:00 | C3 | Red Dogs | Lucky Stiffs |
| 7:00 | K | Recycled | Hot Tub Woody's |
| 8:30 | C3 | The Wild | Rusty Rebels |
| 8:30 | K | Torn Ligaments | Banshee's |
Of note, barring a tie, either Recycled or Hot Tub Woody's will move to 2-0 tonight. Also, barring a tie, either The Wild or Rusty Rebels will fall to 0-2 tonight. Its getting REALLY EXCITING!!! See you at tonight's games.
OKAY....time for you to go if you aren't interested in my top 10 list.
10 Best Guy Comedies
Oh, this is a VERY subjective list. Its not so much what's in as much as whats out. No Happy Gilmore. I know, I struggled with that one. No Wedding Crashers, Achorman or Talladega Nights. Almost sacrilegious, huh? So two questions, what is a guy comedy and what is my criteria.
A guy comedy is humour that only guys really get. A movie that your wife/girlfriend will pretend to like but then use it later to prove that you're an idiot. Don't think that I'm woman bashing here. You are an idiot. The trick is to stand up and admit that its okay.
The criteria is simple. 1) Do you laugh? 2) Do you laugh later when you think about it and no one is around? 3) Can you say one line (ie. "The price is wrong Bob") in a locker room or a bar and every guy around you knows exactly what you're talking about? and 4) If you see it on TV even 10 years later are you compelled to stop? Do you arrive late at functions because you wanted to see the end of the same movie you've seen 50 times? Do you flip back from commercials of a Leafs game to catch snipets of the flick?
So that's it, the rules are simple, but will prove to have different results for everyone. If you have a different top 10 or top 5, post in the comments.
#10. Stripes. Bill Murray at his best. A cast including John Candy, John Larroquette, Harold Ramis, Judge Reinhold and a very hot and pre-psychotic Sean Young. The best line of the movie, Bill Murray's, "chicks dig me because I rarely wear underwear and when I do its often something unusual".
#9. Ferris Bueller's day off. I'll admit not liking this when it came out, but it was legend by about the 20th viewing. Cast included Mathew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Jennifer Grey, Charlie Sheen and Ben Stein. Best line in the movie, Ferris, "The key to faking out the parents is the clammy hands. It's a good non-specific symptom; I'm a big believer in it. A lot of people will tell you that a good phony fever is a dead lock, but, uh... you get a nervous mother, you could wind up in a doctor's office. That's worse than school. You fake a stomach cramp, and when you're bent over, moaning and wailing, you lick your palms. It's a little childish and stupid, but then, so is high school"
#8. Fast Times at Ridgemount High. The cast alone was tremendous, Sean Penn (future Oscar winner), Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Forest Whitaker (future Oscar winner), Eric Stolz, Nicolas Cage (future Oscar winner) and Anthony Edwards. You couldn't afford to make a movie with that cast today. The quotes are plenty from this one, but my favourite is, from Spicoli, "Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got the ultimate set of tools. I can fix it"
#7. Mystery Men. Maybe the stupidest movie ever and tons of mindless fun, plus it introduced the Ben Stiller era of guy comedies. The cast included Hank Azaria, William H. Macy, Janeane Garafalo and Paul Rubens (formerly known as PeeWee Herman). It was a futuristic flick about people with somewhat abnormal super powers. Stiller's character, Mr Furious is hysterical. Every line from "the sphinx" is priceless, "if you can't master your fear, fear will be your master"
#6. American Pie. The cast was okay, but the best one in the movie was SCTV vet Eugene Levy. The movie belongs in the top 10 if for no other reason than it brought the term MILF into the public consciousness. Plenty of sophomoric scenes to keep us all entertained.
#5. Dogma. A departure from the list because it actually had a story. A somewhat demented one, but a story. This Kevin Smith film popularized the characters of Jay and Silent Bob and had Mat Damon and Ben Afleck playing fallen angels as well as Alanis Morrisette in the role of God. While there are a lot of good lines, my favourite part has nothing to do with the actual movie. The film was protested by the catholic church and Kevin Smith (in cognito) joined a protest outside a theatre in New Jersey. He actually got interviewed on air supporting the protest. Now that is good comedy. Here is the clip of him protesting, its real! CLICK ME
#4. Baseketball. Good luck finding the story in this one. Two losers invent a game in their driveway combining baseball and basketball. It becomes hugely popular and gets carried on TV. The gem of the whole movie is listening to Bob Costas call the games.
#3. Ace Ventura. Jim Carey at his best before he went psycho. Sean Young in her full blown psycho phase. Supporting roles from Courtney Cox (before Friends), Tone Loc and Dan Marino. Alllllrighty then.
#2. My cousin Vinnie. Marisa Tomei won an Oscar for this role. Joe Peschi proved he could act in this role. Its funny from start to finish, particularly if you've got any Italian in you. "the two youts"
#1. Zoolander. The movie by which all others are measured. Derek Zoolander (Stiller) a male model on the decline being replaced by Hansel (Owen Wilson). David Dochovny as the hand model, Billy Zane, David Bowie, the "walk off", the "school for ants", Will Ferrell as Mugatu the evil genius, Vince Vaughn, the gas pump dance, its endless. The beauty of this movie is the seriousness at which they play being models. "but why male models?". Finally, "there was a moment last night, when she was sandwiched between the two Finnish dwarves and the Maori tribesmen, where I thought, 'Wow, I could really spend the rest of my life with this woman'". I rest my case.
Cheers for those who hung in!
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