hiway29

I admit I did not factor in the Cubs, Simon. Very shortsighted of me. Though they may be the exception that proves the rule-as they say.

Of all the trueisms in baseball, for me the truest is that no team is as good as they look while they're winning, and no team is as bad as they look when they're losing. In other words, next week the Sox could be riding a 5 game winning streak, while the Yankees go cold. It's a loooong season, but it sure does seem like those two teams go neck and neck every year.

Fernando Tatis ! Thanks. I should have remembered. The Yankees are starting to put it together. This is going to be some second half, with so many strong teams in the AL. Yanks, both colored Sox,Tigers, A's, Twins, Rangers, Blue jays, Angels,all solid teams. Not to demean the NL, with the Mets , and Cards. It does seem like most of the other contenders wouldn't match up to the AL teams over a season. Who'da thunk it 20 years ago.

In 1999 at Dodger Stadium. Cardinals vs Dodgers. Cards hit 2 grand slams in the same inning against Chan Ho Park. I was at that game, and the question on everyone's mind was how in the world Park was still in the game to give up the second grand slam! I hate to admit it, but the name of the player who hit them, and I'm pretty certain it was the same guy, escapes me at the moment, but will come to me when I least expect it.

As far as I can see, baseball iinterest is at an all time high, at least in terms of attendance. Without looking anthing up, I know that the Yankees regularly get more than 50,000 a game, even on weekdays. The Mets are obviously a force again, and are pulling great crowds at Shea, so baseball in New York is just fine. Her in LA, the Dodgers draw over 3 million every year, even when the team is awful. Their stated goal is 4 million, and darned if they might just make it this year. The Angels are no longer the 'Other Team', and will draw 3 million again this year. Beyond that I'd have to look at figures. I sincerely hope the good people of Detroit are getting behind the Tigers-that place should be rocking. And with so many teams still in the race, it should be a banner year for attendance. The bar has been raised. It used to be just a select few teams that drew 2 million, with some teams striving to hit the million mark. Back in baseball's 'hay day', when there was no debate about it's status in America, most teams didn't draw a million. Part of it was scheduling, with weekday daygames common. I was watching ken Burns baseball documentary, and noticed that the last game at Ebbets field only drew a few thousand. They moved because people stopped coming, though they loved their Dodgers. Can you imagine the crowds if the yankees were leaving town, looking for a souvenir? In looking at all the old footage, it just seemed commonplace for attendance to be much much less than it is today. Maybe marketing and availability has changed. Maybe we have more money now to go to a game.When I was growing up I only got to a few yankee games, though I lived and died with them. It was a Major Event to go to a game. I'm starting to ramble, just thinking out loud.

I only got 31 right. That was a tough test.

Michael Young has been lost in the mix nationally. I like to think that won't be the case anymore. If nothing else, the All-Star game can elevate player awareness. Nice win by the AL, pulling it out after being down to the last strike. That's what the NL used to do 'back in the day'.

It's a movie, George, though they haven't officially said what it's about, it looks like it will be about young Kirk at the academy. If I could cherry pick episodes I liked from Next Generation, i would say it was my favorite. When it was good it was VERY good, but too often, especially in it's first 2 years, it was slow and plodding. A friend referred to the show as 'Dinner with Picard" once. But it improved with time, and I came to love that crew as they grew into their roles. I'll even admit to saying my favorite character was Will Riker, who seems to get bashed by many fans, at least at the time. I never got into Deep Space Nine, so I can't speak to it. I am considering picking up on it to see what I've missed. Same withthe Captain Janeway show. I must have been out of the Trek loop during these years. I liked the idea of Enterprise, but then didn't like the first season or 2. It got MUCH better the season they were on the mission in that hostile part of space, and I felt had found themselves right when the plug was pulled. The movies are another topic.

Out of the 79 episodes from the original series, I would choose 10-15 that I still think are just great,25 or so that i can still watch and enjoy, and alot of episodes that are dumb, boring, and just lazy in the writing and loss of focus. Most of the latter are from the fatal 3rd season, a fair number from the second season, and a few clunkers from the first. Still, any TV series that I can watch 40 or more episodes , almost 40 (!!!) years later , even after multiple(and I mean multiple) viewings, is a ok with me.

That quote is so outrageous, that I'm curious what the source is( I mean, where did Wikepedia take that from. ). It's not even worth responding to. I preferred Tony Kubek as a shortstop, rather than announcer. He was a good field no hit player who's career was severely sidetracked when he was hit in the thoat during the (I think) '62 World Series, by a hard hit ball, and was never really the same again. Good thing the Yankees had Gene Michael waiting in the wings, he said sarcastically.

Thanks Sushi. Let's be grateful they DIDN'T include the words in the series.

Simon-that cracked me up-you are referring to that dude in the 'Changed' film, right?

George, you're right that there are words to the Star Trek theme. For accuracy's sake I have to tell you that 'Beyond Antares' isn't it, however. Nichelle Nichols sang 'Beyond Antares', on the first season trek episode-"The Conscience of the King" She sang it in the rec room over the intercom to Ensign Riley, who was on duty in the bowels of the ship to protect him from a murderer. While the song is similar to the Star Trek theme, it clearly is a different melodybut perhaps the similarities have led some to equate the 2. I have heard that the Star Trek theme does have words, but I haven't seen them.

The voice is obviously the head of the Cartwright clan. I don't know where that recording is from, but promotional records of that type were common back then, especially westerns. My guess is that is was made early on in the series, around 1959, as he sings the soon to be lost to the ages words to that familiar theme. The words were never used on the TV show, (unless the song was snuck into an episode somewhere),but it was generally known that words did exist, which means this record probably got some airplay for a time. I liked that show until Pernell Roberts (Adam) left. Not only was he my favorite one for reasons I can't remember except I thought he was the coolest, but the chemistry of the Cartwrights didn't seem balanced afterwards. I never got used to seeing 3 riding towards the screen , rather than 4. Also, back then if a character left a series he ceased to exist.It was as if he were never there. I had major problems with that as a kid, with this show and others that did the same thing.

just to elaborate a bit on Vin Scully- He still sounds the same as 30 years ago, and has not faded a bit mentally. He will not do a Harry Carey and decompose a little at a time. He still approaches every game with equal professionalism and dedication. He manages to represent and embody the Dodgers without sounding like a shill for the team. He works alone-a true rare breed these days. He weaves the game through his own voice without a 'color' person beside him. Though he's just as smooth when he does work for others, as I'm recalling the weekend national games he did with Joe Garagiola for years in the 80's. I can't imagine Dodger games without him, but of course they will be within a few years as he's 79 or 80. We should all be doing so good at that age. As I said-enjoy him while we got him. I'll end on an oft repeated Scully call-Kirk Gibson's limping home run in the '88 series. "In the year of the improbable, the impossible has just happened" and he was right.

I agree that the players union won't give up the dh- there's no way the NL will ever adopt it though. They take it a source of pride that their game isn't 'diluted'. It seems like every time a NL pitcher manages to get a hit,a hometown announcer will use it as a springboard to bash the dh. I was at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, in 100 degree weather, thankfully in the shade. I've been to so many games this year, I'M ready for the all star break! Hoping the AL wins again, but really, who cares. Deciding home field advantage by this exhibition was a bone headed idea. Oh-the exception to the 'home town announcer' is Vin Scully, IMO the greatest announcer maybe ever and certainly now. He's been doing Dodger games since 1952!!! and hasn't missed a beat. A national treasure that will not be there forever. To those who can, I say enjoy him while you got him.

George, I agree with you about Lois' boyfriend-a character everyone was prepared to hate, but turned out to be a really good guy. Didn't save the movie for me though-as if I need to say that.

Kathy, did you know that he wanted to name the strip 'The Family Circle', since it's drawn in a circle, but the magazine of the same name wouldn't allow it, so it became Circus.

Couldn't agree with you more about the first 2 seasons of the 50's Superman series, Dan. Don't think about picking up the dvd's-just do it.

I've begun several attempts to respond to various ways that the movie fails for me. The whole thing is a mess from start to finish. I didn't hate it QUITE as much as the new King Kong, but it's right up there. Among the dozens of things that 'offend' me, the most relevant to this forum may be the 'Superman as Savior' concept that was rammed down our throats throughout. Unfortunately even that has it's roots in the mostly wonderful first film, where Marlon Brando's God like voice tells us he's sent to earth 'his only Son'. They took that piece of nonsense and really built the new movie around it. But the whole thing is awful- Wait, I did enjoy some of the flying scenes. See, I can find the positive if i try hard enough.

Ortiz is amazing- too bad he doesn't play the field though-I hate the dh-always have It was instituted at a time when the AL was way overshadowed by the NL, in an attempt to breathe some life and offense into the game. There is no need for it anymore, as the AL is now the power league. DH is not a 'position'. Whether it's fair or not, Ortiz' accomplishments will always be clouded by not playing the field. It's one of the favorite arguements among radio sports yappers when they discuss MVP's.

For all the times I watched that show, all I really remember is the opening where they're running around that dark alley, for no apparent reason.

I thought it was just a horrible movie, George. Dreary, dull, and depressing. It was nice to see Noel Neill, but Good Lord-that's the part they gave her??!! A little more Jack Larson would have helped, but it was good to see him. I'm surprised DC comics allowed the 'breach' you're referring to. It was a bad idea , made worse by the awful writing and the catatonic acting of the character. Every 'homage' to the first movies fell flat for me. Even the classic last shot, where Reeve would fly off camera flashing his'everythings alright' smile was botched. They repeated the shot but this guy couldn't even manage an expression, which is the whole point of it. I went back and watched the first Christopher Reeve movie for healing, and was blown away at how wonderful it is, despite it's flaws. But , hey, them's are just my opinions, and for sure alot of people liked the movie, so whad do I know.

Got that show in one note. It came on Tuesday night, right after 'Combat'. For my money, the best character was the 3rd billed actor Joe Flynn.

I would hate to attribute Tom Cruise's qualities to 'right brain thinking'. I think he's just sorta whacked out, and those qualities seem to apply to any number of left brain and right brain types. I don't now enough about the subject to speak with any authority, but I have strived to 'tap' into right brain resources for my work. I can assure you I won't be jumping up and down on any couches. (little joke there) I also wouldn't ascribe liberal/conservative, democrat/republican, socialist/fascist, or any other opposing world views. I think we're talking about different cognitive factors that make up many of those ideas. Seems to me that all stripes of people love to mouth off without much thought, and many mouth off after MUCH thought-we may just not agree with them. I agree with your thoughts on why the world needs both left and right brained folks.