text:
Q: Limit filling out a form for an instance of User to once a day (Django) I'm working on this web app that let people sign in, and be able to create: users, create beers and reviews for the different types of beers.
This is my models.py for creating a beer:
from django.db import models
from django.conf import settings

# Models

User = settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL

class BeerModel(models.Model):

    user = models.ForeignKey(User, default=1)
    name = models.CharField(max_length=254, default="")
    style = models.CharField(max_length=254, default="")
    ibu = models.IntegerField(default="")
    calories = models.IntegerField(default="")
    abv = models.IntegerField(default="")
    location = models.CharField(max_length=254, default="")

    class Meta:
        verbose_name_plural = 'Beers'

    def __str__(self):
        return self.name

    def avg(self):
        return

This is my forms.py:
from django import forms
from django.contrib.auth.models import User
from .models import BeerModel, RateModel

# Forms

class UserForm(forms.ModelForm):
    password = forms.CharField(widget=forms.PasswordInput())

    class Meta:
        model = User
        fields = ('username', 'email', 'password')
        help_texts = {
            'username': None,
        }

class NewBeerForm(forms.ModelForm):
    name = forms.CharField(label="Beer Name")
    ibu = forms.IntegerField(label="IBU")
    abv = forms.IntegerField(label="ABV")
    location = forms.CharField(label="Brewery Location")

    class Meta:
        model = BeerModel
        fields = '__all__'

And this is my views.py:
@login_required
def new_beer(request):
    if request.method == "POST":
        beer = NewBeerForm(request.POST)
        if beer.is_valid():
            beer.save(commit=True)
            return HttpResponseRedirect(reverse('beer_tracker:home'))
    else:
        beer = NewBeerForm()

    return render(request, 'beer_tracker/new_beer.html', {'beer':beer})

As you can see, to create a beer, you need to fill out a couple of details including the "User" field.
So my goal is to be able to limit that specific User that I chose to be able to create one beer per day only.
Any thoughts? I was looking into celery, but I'm sure there is a much better way.
Anthony

A: The first thing you will have to do is create a DateField in BeerModel:
class BeerModel(models.Model):
    ...
    created = models.DateField(default=django.utils.timezone.now)
    # or (but see https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/20180)
    # created = models.DateField(auto_now_add=True)

Then, if you want to enforce this at the database level, you can create a unique_together constraint:
class BeerModel(models.Model):
    ...
    class Meta:
        unique_together = ('user', 'created')

Or you could just have a clean method on the form to check this:
class NewBeerForm(forms.ModelForm):
    ...
    def clean(self):
        cleaned_data = super().clean()
        user = cleaned_data.get('user')
        created = datetime.now().date()
        if BeerModel.objects.filter(user=user, created=created).exists():
            raise forms.ValidationError("User already created beer today")

You will probably always need the clean anyway, because of the ticket I mentioned above (if it still applies). If you use an editable field for the date, you have to make sure the current day is saved to the database. E.g:
if beer.is_valid():
    instance = beer.save(commit=False)
    instance.created = datetime.now().date()
    instance.save()

A: You might want to add a datetime field to store when the beer was created.
class BeerModel(models.Model):

    user = models.ForeignKey(User, default=1)
    name = models.CharField(max_length=254, default="")
    style = models.CharField(max_length=254, default="")
    ibu = models.IntegerField(default="")
    calories = models.IntegerField(default="")
    abv = models.IntegerField(default="")
    location = models.CharField(max_length=254, default="")
    created = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)

Then you will have to update your view to check if there is a beer that was created within one day.
from django.utils import timezone

@login_required
def new_beer(request):
    if request.method == "POST":
        yesterday = timezone.now() - timezone.timedelta(days=1)
        if BeerModel.objects.filter(user=request.user, created__gt=yesterday).exists():
            return HttpResponseForbidden()   # return a 403 status code
        beer = NewBeerForm(request.POST)
        if beer.is_valid():
            beer.save(commit=True)
            return HttpResponseRedirect(reverse('beer_tracker:home'))
    else:
        beer = NewBeerForm()

    return render(request, 'beer_tracker/new_beer.html', {'beer':beer})


Daily Science Fiction buys "The Age of Three Stars"
I'm pleased to say that I've sold my story "The Age of Three Stars" to Daily Science Fiction.
This is the first of my post-Clarion stories to find a home. I wrote the first draft in the winter of 2009-2010, sitting in a coffee shop in East Greenwich while waiting for my daughter to complete a master class in modern dance.
Congratulations! I really enjoy DSF.


text:
News Article Revisions
This article is from the source ' bbc ' and was first published or seen on October 03, 2006 13:15 (UTC) . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/5401922.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version 1 2 Next version
US offer to return Guantanamo men
2006-10-03 15:00:30 UTC (about 2 hours later)
The US has offered to return former British residents being held at Guantanamo Bay to the UK, say reports. The US has offered to return former British residents being held at Guantanamo Bay to the UK, say reports.
The Guardian newspaper quotes leaked documents written by UK officials saying the American Government is willing to send the men back. The Guardian newspaper quotes leaked documents written by UK officials saying the American Government is willing to send the men back.
But the British Government said the men did not pose a big enough threat to justify the strict security conditions demanded by the United States. But the British Government said the men did not pose a big enough threat to justify the strict security conditions demanded by the United States.
The Foreign Office says it cannot comment on individual cases. The Foreign Office says it cannot comment on individual cases.
'Idea floated' 'Idea floated'
Nine Britons have already been returned from Guantanamo Bay in the last two years and freed without charge. Nine Britons have already been returned from Guantanamo Bay in the last two years and freed without charge.
But at least nine former UK residents are understood to remain among the detainees. But at least nine former UK residents are understood to remain among the detainees.
The Guardian says it has obtained witness statements from the director general of defence and intelligence at the Foreign Office, David Richmond, and the director of counter-terrorism and intelligence at the Home Office, William Nye. The Guardian says it has obtained witness statements from the director general of defence and intelligence at the Foreign Office, David Richmond, and the director of counter-terrorism and intelligence at the Home Office, William Nye.
They appear to show the US is willing to return the men to the UK under strict conditions. They appear to show the US is willing to return the men to the UK under strict conditions.
Mr Richmond reportedly says: "The British embassy in Washington was told in mid-June 2006 that, during an internal meeting between US officials, the possibility had been floated of asking the UK Government to consider taking back all the detainees at Guantanamo who had formerly been resident in the UK." Mr Richmond reportedly says: "The British embassy in Washington was told in mid-June 2006 that, during an internal meeting between US officials, the possibility had been floated of asking the UK Government to consider taking back all the detainees at Guantanamo who had formerly been resident in the UK."
'All or nothing' 'All or nothing'
Mr Richmond said details of the meeting had been given informally to the embassy and the government wanted to "clarify the significance of the idea". Mr Richmond said details of the meeting had been given informally to the embassy and the government wanted to "clarify the significance of the idea".
UK officials reportedly met American officials from the State and Defense Departments, as well as the National Security Council on 27 June. UK officials reportedly met American officials from the State and Defense Departments, as well as the National Security Council on 27 June.
Mr Richmond said about the meeting: "The US administration would only be willing to engage with the UK Government if it sought the release and return of all the detainees who had formally resided in the UK (ie regardless of the quality of their links with the UK), rather than just a subset of the detainees falling in that category." Mr Richmond said about the meeting: "The US administration would only be willing to engage with the UK Government if it sought the release and return of all the detainees who had formally resided in the UK (ie regardless of the quality of their links with the UK), rather than just a subset of the detainees falling in that category."
Mr Nye said the American Government wanted a series of measures to stop the former detainees leaving the UK, meeting know extremists or planning, supporting or promoting extremism or violence. Mr Nye said the American Government wanted a series of measures to stop the former detainees leaving the UK, meeting know extremists or planning, supporting or promoting extremism or violence.
It also wanted to be sure the British authorities would know immediately if they did try to engage in any of those activities. It also wanted to be sure the British authorities would know immediately if they did try to engage in any of those activities.
Security fears Security fears
Mr Nye said: "I am not satisfied it would be proportionate to impose... the kind of obligations which might be necessary to satisfy the US administrations." Mr Nye said: "I am not satisfied it would be proportionate to impose... the kind of obligations which might be necessary to satisfy the US administrations."
He argued the resources needed to meet the US demands "could not be justified and would damage the protection of the UK's national security". He argued the resources needed to meet the US demands "could not be justified and would damage the protection of the UK's national security".
It is thought he was worried the measures would take resources away from monitoring more dangerous suspects. It is thought he was worried the measures would take resources away from monitoring more dangerous suspects.
A Foreign Office spokesman said he could not comment on individual cases. A Foreign Office spokesman said he could not comment on individual cases.
"We regard the circumstances under which detainees continue to be held at Guantanamo Bay as unacceptable," he said. "We regard the circumstances under which detainees continue to be held at Guantanamo Bay as unacceptable," he said.
"As the prime minister has said, Guantanamo should be closed. "As the prime minister has said, Guantanamo should be closed.
"We are not in a position to provide consular or diplomatic assistance to foreign nationals in Guantanamo Bay. "We are not in a position to provide consular or diplomatic assistance to foreign nationals in Guantanamo Bay.
"However we have, exceptionally, met the families and representatives of these men and have conveyed their concerns to the US on a humanitarian basis." "However we have, exceptionally, met the families and representatives of these men and have conveyed their concerns to the US on a humanitarian basis."
Reports of the documents come after Cabinet minister Lord Falconer last month denounced the Guantanamo Bay detentions as a "shocking affront to the principles of democracy". 'Red herring'
David Johnson, from the US Embassy in London, said America was working to close the detention camp. But he refused to comment on any discussions with other nations about the detainees.
Clive Stafford Smith, a lawyer working for the release of detainees at Guantanamo, described UK fears about monitoring the men if they did return as a "red herring".
He told BBC Radio 4's World At One: "My clients say they don't care if the British Government watches them on the toilet - they will come back here."
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said the government should not shirk its moral responsibility.
"What is the point of the attorney general and lord chancellor condemning Guantanamo as legally unacceptable when the British Government, at the same time, is unwilling to take back UK residents who are detained there?
"The government really needs to make up its mind."
Currently monitoring 1,622,818 news articles with 3,385,345 different versions.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Time to get your home tested for Radon, but don't know where to start? Finding qualified Radon professionals can be difficult, but we've put together a list of Dunstable, MA contractors to help you save time.
Click the link below to search for Dunstable, MA radon mitigation contractors.
Click the link below to search for Dunstable, MA radon testing contractors.
Dunstable, MA resides in a county which has been assigned a high risk zone by the EPA. It is recommended your home business or be tested for elevated levels for radon. Radon levels in the 01827 zip code have also been given a high assessment.
Dunstable, MA and the 01827 zip code are located in Middlesex County, which has an EPA assigned Radon Zone of 1. A radon zone of 1 predicts an average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L, which is above the recommended levels assigned by the EPA. Dunstable is located in a high risk area of the country. However, with any household or business, regardless of Radon Zone, it is suggested your home be tested for unsafe levels of radon.


text:
Q: Pass redux actions as props using Enzyme How should I pass redux actions to a component using props in Enzyme tests?
This is what I have right now and it seems it's not working correctly.
import Flag from "./Flag";
import FlagImage from "./FlagImage";
import * as actions from "../../actions/auth";

test("Flag changes the language after click", () => {
  const flag = shallow(<Flag authActions={actions} />);

  flag.find(".flag2").simulate("click");
  flag
    .findWhere(FlagImage => !FlagImage.prop("big") && FlagImage.prop("name") === "DE")
    .parent()
    .simulate("click");

  expect(flag.state().open).toEqual(false);
  expect(flag.find(FlagImage).prop("name")).toEqual("DE") ;

the second expect() returns US, which is the default value, so the action doesn't get fired. The first expect() passes though, meaning that the flag has been in fact clicked.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Mueller says Russia's campaign interference "was not a hoax"
Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier questioned Mueller about whether Russian intervention in the 2016 election was a hoax. Mueller said: "It was not a hoax. The indictments we returned against the Russians, two different ones, were substantial in their scope." He also explained what the American people should understand about the special counsel's report.


text:
Q: flex index.html template i see that that template has some code to see if the client has the required version, and it does stuff if it has or it doesn't
and there is a <object> tag inside <noscript>
question: if the stuff is gonna work with the <object> tag anyway why would you need all that stuff above with the control of version if it has or not ?

A: What is inside the noscript tag is only run in the case that the user has turned off javascript in their browser. This is required for the Flex page to still work in that case.
The other code is inside of a script tag, and handles the creation of the flash object smoother than the brute force method in the object tag. It would prefer to use this method, but in the case that scripting is disabled, it will use the object method instead in an effort to still give the user what they want on the page.
That is why it seems that it appears twice in the page. For any given browser only one section should actually run.


Jim and Mary were both patients in a Mental Hospital. One day while they were walking past the hospital swimming pool, Jim suddenly jumped into the deep end. He sunk to the bottom and stayed there.
Mary promptly jumped in to save him. She swam to the bottom and pulled Jim out. When the medical director became aware of Mary's heroic act he immediately ordered her to be discharged from the hospital, as he now considered her to be mentally stable.
When he went to tell Mary the news he said, "Mary, I have good news and bad news. The good news is you're being discharged because since you were able to jump in and save the life of another patient, I think you've regained your senses." The bad news is, Jim, the patient you saved, hung himself with his bathrobe belt in the bathroom. I am so sorry, but he's dead."
Mary replied "He didn't hang himself, I put him there to dry."
Hope you laughed! Have a good week people!


No. 1 international bestseller and Swedish crime sensation Camilla Lackberg's new psychological thriller featuring Detective Patrik Hedström and Erica Falck – irresistible for fans of Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbo.
When a four-year-old girl disappears in the woods outside Fjällbacka, people are horror-struck. Thirty years ago, a child went missing from the same spot, and was later discovered, murdered.
Back then, two teenage girls were found guilty of the killing. Could one of them be the culprit this time? Detective Patrik Hedström starts investigating, with his wife, bestselling crime writer Erica Falck, by his side.


text:
Herman Arthur Oróbio de Castro (Amsterdam, 3 juni 1882 – aldaar, 29 mei 1947) was een Nederlands violist.

Hij was zoon van arts Samuel Oróbio de Castro en Esther Henriques de Castro, De cellist Max Oróbio de Castro was zijn broer. Hijzelf was getrouwd met Jacoba Louisa van Loenen Martinet. Zoon Arthur Oróbio de Castro (Arthur Caesar Johannes Sebastian Christian Maximilian, 1909-1997) werd koordirigent (onder andere van het Residentie Vrouwenkoor) en mocht in 1988 een Franse onderscheiding (Société Académie d'Education et d'Encouragement) daarvoor in ontvangst nemen.

Hij kreeg zijn opleiding bij Joseph Cramer en Bram Eldering aan het Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Hij kreeg er ook pianoles van Jean-Baptiste de Pauw. Vervolgstudies vonden plaats in Berlijn bij Joseph Joachim, in Parijs bij M. Hayot en in Praag bij Otakar Ševčík. Hij werd violist bij orkesten in Berlijn (Mozartorkest), Duisburg en ook bij het Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest.

Hij was tevens viooldocent aan de conservatoria in Den Haag en Rotterdam. Violisten Henk Citroen en Davina van Wely waren leerlingen van hem.

Hij overleed wonende in Den Haag in Amsterdam.

Nederlands violist

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


God Gives! We Share! The Bible Point for the second unit of KFC reminds us of all the good gifts God gives and entrusts to us their wise care and keeping. Because God gives so generously to us, God expects us to share those gifts with others so they, in turn can be touched and transformed by God's love.


text:
from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function

import errno
import json
import os

class Config(object):

    _default_profile = "default"

    DEFAULTS = {
        "debug": "false",
        "log_file": None,
        "log_level": "warning",
        "master": "localhost:5050",
        "max_workers": 5,
        "scheme": "http",
        "response_timeout": 5
    }

    cfg_name = ".mesos.json"

    _default_config_location = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), cfg_name)

    search_path = [os.path.join(x, cfg_name) for x in [
        ".",
        os.path.expanduser("~"),
        "/etc",
        "/usr/etc",
        "/usr/local/etc"
    ]]

    def __init__(self):
        self.__items = {self._default_profile: self.DEFAULTS}
        self["profile"] = self._default_profile

        self.load()

    def __str__(self):
        return json.dumps(self.__items, indent=4)

    def _config_file(self):
        for path in self.search_path:
            if os.path.exists(path):
                return path

        # default to creating a user level config file
        return self._default_config_location

    def _get_path(self):
        return os.environ.get(
            'MESOS_CLI_CONFIG', self._config_file())

    @property
    def _profile_key(self):
        return self.__items.get("profile", self._default_profile)

    @property
    def _profile(self):
        return self.__items.get(self._profile_key, {})

    def __getitem__(self, item):
        if item == "profile":
            return self.__items[item]
        return self._profile.get(item, self.DEFAULTS[item])

    def __setitem__(self, k, v):
        if k == "profile":
            self.__items[k] = v
            return

        profile = self._profile
        profile[k] = v
        self.__items[self._profile_key] = profile

    def load(self):
        try:
            with open(self._get_path(), 'rt') as f:
                try:
                    data = json.load(f)
                except ValueError as e:
                    raise ValueError(
                        'Invalid %s JSON: %s [%s]' %
                        (type(self).__name__, e.message, self._get_path())
                    )
                self.__items.update(data)
        except IOError as e:
            if e.errno != errno.ENOENT:
                raise

    def save(self):
        with open(self._get_path(), "wb") as f:
            f.write(str(self))

CURRENT = Config()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Garmin Forerunner 235 is a simple GPS running watch with wrist-based strapless heart rate monitoring, smart features, and built-in activity tracking. The Forerunner 235's built-in accelerometer gives pace and distance indoors and all day activity tracking. With a compatible smart phone you have full smart features including auto download to the free Garmin Connect app and phone notifications. Expand the Forerrunner 235 with a full suite of compatible cycling and fitness sensors. The Forerunner 235 is a fantastic self-contained GPS heart rate monitor watch for the connected runner.


Appliance malfunctions and predictive modeling?
Appliance malfunctions and predictive modeling? was published on SAS Voices.
If you don't buy a ticket to the data lottery, your competitors will was published on SAS Voices.
The first step on the path to Hadoop nirvana? was published on SAS Voices.
The post Helping retailers get their unfair share appeared first on SAS Voices.
Rowing: What has 150 years of data taught us?
The post Rowing: What has 150 years of data taught us? appeared first on SAS Voices.
The post Retailers see checkout analytics pay off with Toshiba partnership appeared first on SAS Voices.
Will technology replace the need for data scientists?
The post Will technology replace the need for data scientists? appeared first on SAS Voices.
The post Jump start your analytics program with visualization and communication appeared first on SAS Voices.
SAS finds evidence for extraterrestrial life?
The post SAS finds evidence for extraterrestrial life? appeared first on The SAS Training Post.


That's why I was really excited when Kyle Rosenbluth told me about his new todo list for iOS 7, Begin. Begin is meant to be a todo list for today, not longterm planning — just like my Moleskine. Kyle's also the guy behind Horizon, my favourite iPhone calendar app. And I couldn't wait to dig in to his new creation. Read on for my thoughts on Begin.
Begin, conceptually, is all about planning your day and simply getting through the tasks ahead. Instead of jotting down something you need to do next week, this is all about managing what has to happen today. If you fail to get something done, Begin will remember this and let you know that you have an uncompleted task. You can simply swipe to bring that task back to your daily todos.
What you can't do is add a todo for a week from now. You can't manage tasks. There are no extra menus or fluff. This is simple and minimalist, with very few excessive flourishes. From a design perspective, this is opinionated software. And that's a good thing, because it keeps the app focused.
Uncompleted tasks are easy to access.
The premise is genius, and it works beautifully. Adding todos is simple, and because it runs on iOS 7 exclusively, it's smooth as butter. You can turn on notifications, if you're the sort of person who's into that kind of thing. I've set mine to remind me every day at 10am that I've got things I need to do.
As far as adding and managing your todo list, Begin — like I said — is limited. To add to your list, simply pull down while you're in the app. To complete an item on your list, swipe it to the right. To move it to tomorrow (more on that in a moment), swipe it to the left. And when something's been completed, you can un-complete it by swiping it to the right again. You can delete it by swiping it to the left. It's very intuitive and works very well.
Adding a task is easy.
If a task is uncompleted when the day is done, Begin notices this and keeps it in the app for a day. You can view yesterday's uncompleted task(s) by pulling up from the bottom of your todo list. Swiping overtop of them will return them to your list of things to do today.
You can also manage one day ahead. After you've punched in an item to do today, if you decide you need to do it tomorrow, swiping it to the left pushes it one day ahead. Again, this is useful for workflow. Before I go to bed, I can open the app and punch in tomorrow's tasks. With just a couple swipes, I'm ready for the day tomorrow.
You'll notice I've got a task ready for tomorrow.
If you're thinking to yourself that the app sounds a lot like Clear as far as the way users interact with it, you'd be right. That being said, it would be a mistake to call this a Clear clone. Clear is still a task and list "manager." Philosophically, there isn't very much management happening here — at least, not in the same way. This is solely about managing your daily tasks, not micromanaging every detail.
Down the road, I'd like to see some additional features. Kyle and I have discussed things like integrating Horizon and Begin together. It's not on the roadmap, but I think it should be. It could be a great way to make planning your day even easier.
I can't believe I made it this far into the review without talking about the design. I love this app. Begin is beautiful. It fits in beautifully with iOS 7. It's also got a great selection of themes that I think you're going to love.
The app comes with a Light and Dark theme. The Dark theme can be triggered automatically, using background geolocation updates, or it can be changed by the end user. I think the Light and Dark themes are both very useable, and it's nice to be able to set the Dark theme automatically, but it's the in-app purchases that are really fantastic.
The Flamingo theme is very funky.
There are several additional themes: Dusk, which is blue in nature; Forest, which is green; Black, which is a very dark Dark theme; Solarized Light and Solarized Dark, which I'll get to in a moment; and Flamingo, a bright theme that plays with the high-contrast black and pink colours Disney traditionally animates flamingos with.
The Solarized Light and Solarized Dark themes are my favourite. They're similar to the Light and Dark themes, but just different enough to appear more alive and lifelike. The Solarized Light theme looks very similar to paper, and it's become the one I've been constantly using.
Here's a taste of all the different themes you can purchase.
Beyond that, as far as design goes, the best thing I can say about Begin is that design and function go hand-in-hand with this app. There are no extras. There's very little to talk about beyond its purpose and how to use it. And I think that's a good thing. Begin is a sterling example of what iOS 7 should be about: a deference to clarity for the sake of your content.
At the end of the day, Begin isn't an app that's going to sell iPhones. This isn't demo material. But for those of us who keep track of a daily todo list, Begin is going to be indispensable. It's one of the coolest iOS 7 apps I've tried both conceptually and from a design perspective.
When it comes to starting off your day, Begin will help you do it right. Highly recommended.
Begin is a must-have for people who like to keep track of their daily tasks without a complicated todo list.


text:
Requiem For A Restaurant
The absolute best part of living in Manhattan is the preponderance of awesome things within walking distance from your apartment. I have accounts with two different banks, both of whom have a location within two blocks from my place. We have two grocery stores within the same distance. I can walk to work in just about the time it takes to listen to Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts I & II, and Central Park is under 5 minutes away. I've mentioned the Beacon and Fairway, both of which I wouldn't swap for another theater/grocery store.
Another thing that makes the location of our apartment so perfect is (was) Westside Brewing Co. When we first moved down here, we used to go there every Sunday night in addition to the impromptu visits during the week. If I had anyone came into town, it was the first place I thought to bring them.
I would place their wings in my top five of all time, with some serious consideration for the #1 spot. I'm probably biased, but trust me, these were not your ordinary orangey, fake-looking, limp dick wings you get at TGIFriday's. The sauce wasn't sweet like a BBQ and didn't really have a buffalo twang. They never detailed any of the ingredients on the menu, and I'm not much of a gourmand, so if you've never had the pleasure, you are going to have to use your imagination a little bit. They were a deep maroon color, subtly smoky, hot, but not lingering, and... did I mention they were fucking amazing?
Westside stopped brewing their own beer long before I moved down to the city, but they kept a rotating selection of ten taps to make up for that fact. They centered on local brews like Captain Lawrence, Chelsea and Blue Point, but also drew from across and the country and world. Last time I was there, they had Green Flash Le Freak on tap and around Easter-time last year they had an incredible Rauchbier (smoked beer) from Germany.
The had a pretty fervent staff turnover, but managed to keep a cute girl hostessing with remarkable consistency. One time Sampson and I walked in, and were making some offhand comment about work, and the cutest of the hostesses smiles and says "Are you guys in the movie industry?" Sampson immediately goes "Yeah, I'm a director and he is a producer". Her eyes light right up, so we had to let her down gently. She's was like, "Oh, it seems like everyone is in the movie business around here". After we sat down, I went to Sampson, "They aren't really in the movie business sweetie, they just want to have sex with you".
The place wasn't without it's faults. For one, it was closed for strange reasons way too often. Too many times someone came into town and wanted a fairly cheap, relaxed meal, I couldn't wait to take them to WSBC. I would hype up the wings and promise I could pick them out a great beer, only to roll up to the place and see a note scrawled on the door explaining some strange circumstance which precluding them from being open.
About a year and a half ago construction began on The Harrison, which took up most of the block between 76th and 77th & Amsterdam and Broadway. It was well boarded off, but through the slats, you could catch a glimpse of the cavernous void that claimed Amsterdam Billiards.
One night I walked in to the bathroom and in the corner underneath the urinal there was a gigantic hole, looking right down into a 25 foot deep rubble-filled pit. That must have violated the health code, because two nights later they embarked a a little hiatus for a month or two.
In the three years we've been going there, they never changed their menu. It's not like it diverted us from stopping by, but as a place that had a pretty large regular customer base, you'd think they'd have wanted to switch it up a little bit.
It is also extremely close to The Beacon and it gets a lot of spillover, which can be annoying if you want to get a seat at the bar. They occasionally even play the music of the act that is on that night. One night Kelly Clarkston was in town and we got sat down right next to a table full of pre-teen girls who knew the words to every single song, and weren't afraid to sing along at full roar.
Sometime last year, our friend Ian was around and we popped into Westside to grab some food. We got the wings (as always) I ordered a Hawaiian pizza, Sampson got a burger and Ian got the tuna melt. The pizza always takes longer to begin with, but at one point I glanced over my shoulder and happen to spot the our waitress and my pizza in mid-air headed towards an inevitable demise.
She didn't think we saw it happen and about two minutes later, after the mess had been cleaned up, she came over and said "Sorry guys, your food will be up in like 5 minutes. Want another beer?" We didn't feel like correcting her just yet, and let it slide.
She eventually brought us over the food and as she's sliding the pizza in front of me, I go, "Round two on this one, huh?" She stopped for a second and goes, "Yeah, I was kinda hoping you guys didn't see that". She was cute and we laughed it off. When Ian got terrible food poisoning an hour later, he wasn't laughing. There's not way of telling, but I'm pretty sure the 20 minutes that tuna melt spent under the lamps didn't help. That didn't stop us from going back either.
The allure was obviously the beers, for me personally. It was always crowded, so I don't think I'm alone in that respect. They absolutely always had a high quality Double IPA on tap, whose hoppy character was an unlikely match for the wings. Ten beers every week allows for some pretty serious breadth and they did a pretty good job of managing the selection.
I really don't go out to dinner than much because we have a grill and SeamlessWeb (and I have no money), so I'm probably the last person who is going to get sentimental about an eatery closing it's doors. Evelyn Lounge... now that was a tragedy. But wow, this sucks a fucking lot. I was moving my car the other night, saw the papered up windows and went out of my typical loop so I could email Sampson a picture with the caption "RIP Westside Brew Co." from my iPhone.
It's not all doom and gloom though. I was trawling the message boards over at Beer Advocate and found this little gem:
I have an infallible source telling me this place will be re-opened under new management in a few weeks. And by new management, I mean guys who know how to run an outstanding beer bar. UWSers should be psyched. More to follow.
It's a message board, so I'm not going to get my hopes up, but please, please, please almighty Beer Gods, get something in there soon. It's not fair. I'm dying inside.
I just went out to take the daytime pictures above and as I was standing there, a guy with one of those chest baby pouch/carriers and his wife walk up. The dude was probably in his 30's and with a forlorn look on his face he said "It's like, closed, man."
Labels: 76th and Amsterdam, beer, beer advocate, closing, jay, manhattan, the harrison, upper west side, westside brewing company
5 x 81 = 405
I know lots of people were up in arms about the obstructed view bleacher seats at The New Yankee Stadium when they were still being sold for full price. Now they are $5, and I really can't think of a better value in all of sports, and possibly all of life.
Here is a short list of other things that cost $5:
Half of a shitty beer at the New Stadium
A pint of shitty light beer elsewhere in the city
Two slices at Freddie & Pepper's (one cheese and one white slice with broccoli, zucchini and ricotta on whole wheat crust or a buffalo chicken with cross-checked bleu cheese)
A foot-long sandwich from Subway
Two Olde English 40oz (paper bags included)
Roughly 12 cigarettes
A 10 block cab ride with tip (estimated)
A shoe shine (plus tip)
2 1/2 subway rides
A small frozen yogurt at Pinkberry with three toppings
The Sunday NYT
One share of GE stock, 2 shares of GM, or 3 1/3 of CitiGroup
2 pairs of socks at a street fair
One Titleist Pro-V1
A NYS Lottery Win For Life scratch-off
A program at the Saratoga Race Track
One pound of sirloin at Fairway
A shot of Jameson
I'd rather have a ticket to a Yankee game at the New Stadium than any three of those, regardless of how bad the view is. Well, depending on how the scratch-off turned out, I might have to take that plus two shots of Jameson.
Last year, our Saturday Package was about $330, for Tier Reserved Section 7 Row M. That put us between home and first, with a view of the whole field, but pretty far up there. Not exactly a location that was going to impress anyone, but there was a bathroom and a beer dispensary right at the entrance to our section. That's only 13 games, though.
Yes, the seats are obstructed view, but unlike the Old Stadium, you aren't sequestered like you are in a leper colony in out centerfield. You have access to the rest of the park, and although you can't take beers back to your seat, you can certainly drink them walking around.
It's basically a Standing Room Only ticket. Back when the Beacon Theater wasn't owned by MSG/Cablevision and diabolically corporatized, they used to have SRO tix for the mezzanine level. The sound was 100 times better than the balcony, and who cares if you don't have your own seat? Sitting down at a concert in not in my playbook.
Granted, standing for an entire baseball game would kind of suck, but if that picture above is anywhere near accurate you'll be able to see everything except left-center and over. I can live with that. Plus, you can always watch on the monitors on the side of the sports bar. It's better than your couch, right? Hell, you can just go in the sports bar.
After the initial rush of everyone wanting to get out to the Stadium for the first time, you are going to be able to spot some empties in the upper deck and park it there for a while too. And of course, I'll try to sneak into better seats than that and document the escapades for this here cyberblogsite.
I don't know how gestapo-like the security is going to be at The Structure That Mariano Rivera Erected, but the concourses are supposed to be more open and have better views of the field. I wouldn't mind crusing around, sipping on a really expensive beer (or ginger ale I spiked with my flask of Johnny Red) and taking in the different vantage points. I can understand if you wouldn't do it because are older or have kids, that sounds like a pretty fantastic deal to me.
Just to recap, you could (theoretically) get full season tickets for the New Yankee Stadium for $75 more than we paid for our Saturday package last year. If I wanted to wait on hold for an hour and then be told to go fuck myself, I'd look into this right now.
All I wanna know is... Who's coming with me?
Jan, thank you Jan!
[Sorry, but that abomination was the only version I could find. God, I don't know why the fuck that person felt the need to remix, edit and thereby bastardize such a brilliant cinematic moment, but I'll bet you anything Jim Bruer would like to stub his joint out in their eye]
Labels: $5 things, beacon theater, half baked, jay, obstructed view seats, saturday package, season tickets, standing room only, The Structure That Mariano Rivera Erected, Yankee Stadium
Countdown To Opening Day: #37
Sorry, I got decked with something unexpected that isn't my responsibility and I'd reaaaally rather not do this morning at work. I have a post in the works, but it could be a little while. Here are some Casey Stengel Spring Training pictures to hold you over.
And now the action shots!
Talking about balance, maybe?
Or possibly just wasted
He just punted the rosin bag in those one, apparently
The Yankees also learned ballroom dancing at Spring Training
(You may notice that I took the header for the site from another shot from this sequence.)
Labels: casey stengel, jay, New York Yankees, pictures, spring training, Yankees
Joba to De-Virginize New Yankee Stadium?
Based on the rotation that Joe Girardi has set forth...
Pettitte
...and the Yankees schedule, New York Post genius George King has penciled Joba in as the starter for the Opener of the New Yankee Stadium (by the way, how long will this Yankee Stadium be called "New"?).
Says King:
Since Chamberlain would work on April 11, he would be in line to start April 16 against the Indians at the Stadium.
"I don't want to give that to you yet because there is a lot of things that can change in spring training," Girardi said of which pitcher will draw the prestigious Stadium opener.
I'm not sure that I buy King's hypothesis. Given the many off-days in the beginning of the season (both scheduled and as a result of Mother Nature being a bitch in the Northeast at this time of the year), a few guys will be skipped, as is ordinarily the case. The prime skip candidate is Joba himself, whose 2009 innings need to be limited to around 150-160 given his total of 100 1/3 IP last year.
Given that Joba will probably be skipped, Andy Pettitte, Sabathia or Burnett are the prime candidates for the Opener.
Thanks for the blog content, George!
Posted by Xman at 3:45 PM 0 comments
Labels: george king, joba chamberlain, joe, joe girardi, new york post, starting rotation, Yankee Stadium
Huggins-Stengel Field
[Ed. Note: Sorry folks, the content is going to be somewhat fluffy today, as I've got a lot of (actual) work to do.]
Here are some pictures from Huggins-Stengel Field in St. Petersburg, the site of Yankees Spring Training from 1925-1942, 1946-1950, and 1952-1961. After the Yankees vacated the site, it was used by the Mets from 1961 to 1988, then by the Orioles and the (at the time Devil) Rays in the 90's.
Legend has it that the reason the Yankees moved to St. Pete from New Orleans after the 1924 season was to eliminate the temptation for the Babe to carouse around Bourbon Street. The Babe was said to have lofted a blast into the alligator infested Crescent Lake some 500 feet from home plate, as was Dave Kingman.
The park was first known as Crescent Lake Field but was changed to Miller Huggins Field in 1931. The name was altered to honor Casey Stengel as well in 1963.
The book Haunted Baseball: Ghosts, Curses, Legends and Unexplained Events, by Mickey Bradley and Dan Gordon details some of the supposedly supernatural occurrences at the field, if you are into that sort of thing. They say, sometimes, when it's just you and a couple other equally irrational/superstitious people, you can still smell Miller Huggins' cigar smoke.
Here is a picture taken last October from an article in USA Today.
You can also check out a really cool slideshow here.
Labels: alligators, babe ruth, casey stengel, crescent lake field, dave kingman, haunted baseball, huggins-stengel field, miller huggins field, New York Yankees, spring training, st. petersburg, Yankees
Fantastic News
Fack Youk has been picked up by ESPN:
Despite of all the Widget bashing, erroneous Simmons hating, and Nate Silver questioning, we are now part of the ESPN family. They've specifically requested more incoherent rants from Big Willie Style.
[Ed. Note: That's not a photoshop, just a random Internet Explorer glitch.]
Labels: bill simmons, ESPN, espn widget, fack youk, jay, nate silver
Jerry Reese, I Am Available
The Sporting News has a rather earth-shattering revelation, via the Cincinnati Enquirer:
Wideout T.J. Houshmandzadeh of the Bengals is the top free agent on the New York Giants' wish list, according to The Sporting News.
While Houshmandzadeh is a reliable receiver, TSN noted, "there is no way to find a comparable replacement to Plaxico Burress, as 6-5 receivers with speed and a huge wingspan are almost impossible to find. Burress faces a serious legal battle and possible jail time as a result of illegal gun charges."
If you were one of the six people reading this blog a month and a half ago you may recall this post. No? Perhaps this one from a week later.
I threw out the possibility of TJ Houshmandzadeh, who is going to be a free agent, because the Giants won't have to give anything up besides money and cap space. Up until this season, Housh has taken a backseat to the artist formerly known as Chad Johnson. TJ caught 905 of the 2672 yards thrown for by Bengals QBs in 2008, and has had more touchdowns than Ocho in each of the past three years. But he's 6'1", 199, and 31 years old.
Come on Jerry Reese, you know you need a guy with no experience in professional sports and a sometimes vulgar sports blog on your staff. You can find my email address on the left side of the site. I look forward to hearing from you.
/pats self on back
//toots own horn
Labels: cincinnati bengals, jay, jerry reese, new york giants, sporting news, TJ Houshmandzadeh, wide recievers
Spike Lee Plays D
I don't know who would be penalized, but I'm fairly sure this is against the rules.
With the Knicks down by two and under a minute to go, Spike Lee decided to get his lean on and help Al Harrington force the Magic to spend their last timeout. Well played, sir.
Spike is trying to be fairly discreet, but unfortunately, the guy in the suit next to him looks like he's about to piss himself.
Labels: al harrington, cheating, Hedo Turkoglu, jay, MSG, New York Knicks, spike lee
Dueling Projections
I have taken considerable heat for my post on Nate Silver's A-Rod projections in our comment section and elsewhere. As always, here at Fack Youk, we subscribe to Benjamin Disraeli's quote "It is easier to be critical than right". As the result of some goading from a commenter named Fridas Boss at Baseball Think Factory, I have used some cutting edge statistical techniques to develop my own projection for how many home runs Alex Rodriguez will amass over the course of his career.
First, for the record, here are Nate's projections again (with A-Rod's past two years).
One thing I didn't notice before was that Silver's projection lasts two years beyond A-Rod's current contract. I'm going to go out on a limb here, but if A-Rod hits four home runs in 2017 and is at 726 total, I don't think the Yankees, or any team for that matter, are going to sign him.
My method was extremely complex and exhaustive. Here are the steps I took.
Used the later years of Frank Robinson, Eddie Murray, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Babe Ruth to see, in total, how some of the greatest home run hitters of all-time have produced during their decline phases. I excluded Barry Bonds because of his atypical middle aged physical metamorphosis, despite the fact that he a A-Rod are both alleged PED users.
Combined that and A-Rod's previous totals to develop a trend line for doubles.
And for slugging percentage, factoring in his declining speed and the negative impact it will have on his SLG%.
Combined those three lines into a conglomerate trend line I called his Projected Power Index (PPI)
Estimated the ballpark effects of the New Yankee Stadium based on the prevailing weather patterns in April through September and the way it the diamond now faces.
Used all of these in conjunction with his previous home run numbers, taking into account his steroid use in Texas (increased production minus park effects) to create his Projected Home Runs (PHRs).
Decided all of that that would be way too difficult and possibly counterproductive, and instead picked the number "792" which would ensure that if he breaks the record, I will be closer than Nate by a couple of HRs. I then back-filled the numbers making sure there wasn't a drop off every single year since that was something I took issue with.
Behold:
One of the things I said in the last post, but probably should have emphasized more was:
I realize that the most reliable way to predict future outcomes is by analyzing past events. However, the flaw in using this methodology is that it becomes impossible to predict when someone will do unprecedented things. Simply put, how is analyzing 20 guys, none of whom is the career home run leader, ever going to result in the simulation predicting A-Rod will break the all-time record?
Commenter scatterbrian nailed it:
It seems futile to attempt projecting a career that is an outlier. Rodriguez had 91 extra-base hits in his age-20 season, so we're dealing with a pretty rare player as it is. (DiMaggio and Pujols each had 89 in their age-21 seasons.) Using guys like Grich, Caminiti and Sandberg as comps doesn't seem fair to Rodriguez. Combined those three have only four seasons with 30+ homers. Rodriguez has hit less that 35 just one time.
The point of an individual projection, at least to me, is not to produce a seemingly exhaustive and all-encompassing methodology. The objective is to be right.
PETCOA is obviously more complex and accurate overall than anything I could ever hope to construct. However, the point of the previous post was to call into question a method that is only going to produce one result: A-Rod falling short of the all-time home run record.
Silver's projection serves to remind us that A-Rod breaking Hank Aa-- er, Barry Bonds' record is far from a foregone conclusion based on pretty much every career path that has taken shape in the history of baseball. I just don't think A-Rod fits that mold.
Oh and by the way, I made a similar projection for his home run totals this year, based on his performance in Spring Training. You probably won't believe it, but he is currently on pace for 162 HRs in 2009: A-Rod homers in first spring game [ESPN]
Labels: a-rod, baseball prospectus, baseball think factory, disraeli, Doug DeCinces, ESPN, hank aaron, home runs, jay, nate silver, PETCOA
The Stolen Base: Fallen From Grace
With the advent of the Juiced Era and an emphasis on sabermetrics by front offices around MLB, the stolen base has declined in use around the game.
One of the most telling disadvantages of stealing bases is measured by the run expectation stat. Below is the run expectation chart for the 2003 MLB season (thanks to writer Joe Sheehan at Baseball Prospectus).
Based on this chart, a runner on first with no one out is worth .9116 runs. A successful steal of second base with no one out would bump that to 1.1811 runs, a gain of .2695 expected runs. However, in the unfortunate event that a runner is caught stealing second base, the run expectation stat drops to .2783. This is a loss of nearly 2/3 of a run (2.3 times more than the gain).
Why would managers risk this chance for a run and give up one of 27 precious outs? Unless it is late in the game and there is a need for a tying run, the batter is a ground into double play threat, or there is next to little chance that the batter at the plate cannot drive the runner in from first (i.e. low slugging percentage), it is stupid.
Horrible times to steal bases include early in the game, when you need multiple runs (baserunners are important) and when a big slugger is at the plate.
In his article, Sheehan points out that the belief that running distracts defenses is misplaced or exaggerated. Sheehan correctly states that "a runner on first is more disruptive to a defense, with the first baseman holding and the second baseman cheating towards second for a double play, than a runner on second." He also points out the distraction that running has on the batter. How many times have we seen a batter give up an out by flailing at pitches in the dirt so that the runner can advance? If the batter strikes out and the runner is thrown out, the run expectation goes from .9100 to .1083 in an instant.
Sheehan concludes that break even rate for a stolen base is a 75% success rate. Thus, players with less than a 75% success rate should not even attempt to steal. In fact, if your speed is your only asset and you have less than or barely a 75% success rate, you shouldn't even be on a roster (ahem, Scott Podsednik).
Stealing bases also presents injury risks. Why risk the injury of high-salaried slugger such as an A-Rod, Vladimir Guerrero or Alfonso Soriano? The benefit that these players provide at the dish is immensely higher than their base stealing benefits.
With the decline in Performance Enhancing Drugs and subsequently the decline in the number of home runs, it will be interesting to see if the number of stolen bases returns to 1980s levels when Rickey Henderson, Vince Coleman and Rock Raines ran wild. Having a few .390+ OBP/85+% SB guys can make a team lethal so long as they are in front of a few power hitters. However, as evidenced by the teams mentioned in Sheehan's article, teams shouldn't run just to run.
Labels: baseball prospectus, home runs, joe, Moneyball, rickey henderson, rock raines, sabermetrics, Scott Podsednik, stats, Stolen Bases, vince coleman
(Benjamin Molina with Yadier pictured above)
Peter Abraham has a story about the passing of Jose Molina's father in LoHud this morning.
Despite having three sons in the major leagues, Benjamin Molina continued to work at a factory on an assembly line. Only after his death did the brothers learn that he intended to retire in December to spend more time with their mother.
"He used to say he worked to get the health insurance for my mom," Molina said. "We told him we would take care of that, but he loved to work. I could tell you hours and hours of stories like that. There was nothing bad about him."
There is no way a father can have three sons at the same position in the major leagues without knowing a whole lot about baseball, teaching and hard work.
I lost my dad a while back and although I never played baseball, my dad was a lot like Mr. Molina. When I was six years old he started taking me to the driving range and eventually let me play in from the 150 yard markers. I owe a lot of my golf skills to the fact that my dad wasn't afraid to push me to try harder.
He'd get up at 5AM during the week and bust his ass at SOFCO during the day but would usually stop by The Edison Club on the way home to pound some balls and could always be found at sunset on the putting green.
You have to hang in 'til the end, but this song will hit home if you've lost your father.
Labels: benjamin molina, jay, jose molina, LoHud, Peter Abraham
I Have Nothing To Add To This
"The only thing left to answer about this case, for now, is what kind of wacko attempts to seduce porn stars by posing as a career .248 utility player?" [Deadspin]
Labels: andy phillips, deadspin, Demi Delia, impersonators, jay, Porn Industry, porn stars
He Also Picked Mickey Rourke...
I'm a little late to the party on this one, but Nate Silver's projections of A-Rod's home run totals just don't look right. Here is his description of his methodology:
I took Rodriguez's top 20 PECOTA-comparable players and averaged their performances over each remaining season of their careers. Actually, the process was a little more complicated than that (each comparable's performance was adjusted for his park and league context, as well as his previous track record, and we had to make an accommodation for guys like Manny Ramirez who made A-Rod's comparables list but have yet to conclude their own careers). But the basic idea is simple: Comparables like Frank Robinson, who aged well, have a favorable effect on Rodriguez's forecast, and players like Caminini [sic] just the opposite one.
And here are the projections (I've added A-Rod's two previous seasons in white):
There are three glaring problems to me.
Silver predicts a near-linear decline, with each total being 2-6HR lower than the preceding year. This, of course, is the result you are going to get when you take his "top 20 PETCOA-comparable players" like Silver did. If you take any 20 players and average their careers, the total number of home runs is almost always going to decline with age. Increase the sample size and it will always decline. The only problem is, over that ten year period it is extremely unlikely that any individual player is going to have that consistent of a downward slide. I will bet anyone reading $100 that this doesn't happen to A-Rod. First one to take the bet in the comments is on, we can iron out the details later.
A-Rod is going to be able to DH at some point. Common knowledge would suggest that playing regularly in the field puts wear and tear on a body, draining energy in individual games and effectively shortening careers. Many of his comparables didn't have that luxury and were driven out of the league because they were no longer well-rounded players, not just because they could no longer be effective at the plate and hit home runs.
The problem with being on pace to be the greatest home run hitter of all time is that you aren't going to have too many people similar to you.
Here are Alex's 20 comparables (and their career HR totals):
Sammy Sosa (609)
Bobby Grich (224)
Dave Winfield (465)
Ken Caminiti (239)
Ryne Sandberg (282)
Frank Robinson (586)
Dwight Evans (385)
Jeff Bagwell (449)
George Brett (317)
Reggie Jackson (563)
Hank Aaron (755)
Greg Luzinski (307)
Albert Belle (381)
Reggie Smith (314)
Manny Ramirez (527, Inc.)
Carlos Delgado (469, Inc.)
Dick Allen (351)
Doug DeCinces (237)
Larry Walker (383)
Tony Perez (379)
Granted, PETCOA's comparables are based on a ton of things besides home runs, but the problem with this list is that A-Rod already has more HRs than 16 of the guys on it. He has twice as many as his second and fourth closest matches and his career isn't over. I know Nate is going to lean on his own projection system for a variety of reasons, but it would probably have made more sense to look at the top 20 career HR leaders. We are, after all, trying to predict how many home runs he is going to hit and he's already #12 on the list.
Look what happens when you line up A-Rod's projections with Hammerin' Hank's:
For one thing, last year, A-Rod played in only 138 games. If he played 156 games, he was on pace for almost exactly 43 HRs, right in line with a 32 year old Aaron.
Where the big differentials come in, are from ages 35-39. As A-Rod enters his steady plunge into oblivion (98HR, 19.6/year), Hank checks in with 203 round-trippers (40.6 per year) including the highest single season total of his career (47 at age 37).
There's no guarantee that A-Rod will hit even one more home run. He could get struck by lightning tomorrow. I just don't think that Alex is going to take the field on a consistent basis and gradually slide off into oblivion like PETCOA projects. The truly eye opening part of Silver's projection is that he'll would still only be 33 HRs away from the all-time record even if he is as bad as the simulation predicts.
Before you leave a comment telling me how much of a moron I am, I've posted my own projections here.
Labels: a-rod, baseball prospectus, Doug DeCinces, ESPN, hank aaron, home runs, jay, nate silver, PETCOA
Earlier today, I wrote a post detailing The Sports Guy's on-air complaints about ESPN's policy regarding what radio shows he was allowed to appear on. I was wrong about what he was referring to in his cloaked bitching to ESPN management.
Awful Announcing now has the audio:
I thought ESPN didn't want him to go on with Max Kellerman in favor of Colin Cowherd's National show. He has never been on The Herd, in no small part due to the feud that I brought up in the previous post.
I did some more in-depth research and here is an except from one of Simmons' chats:
Kevin (Chappaqua, NY): Bill, with the Mike and the Maddog show no longer on the airways and the classic radio 1, 2 combo having gone their separate ways, What do you think there interactions will be at their first Super Bowl apart? I'm sure they will be fighting for guests, giving evil snickers and stares across radio row, while Mike sips on his Diet Coke and Dog fidgets uncontrollably in his chair. My questionthough is if you were asked to go on both shows and only had time for one, who you going with?
Bill Simmons: I would go on Mike's show. There's a 85% chance that Dog has never read a single thing I've written. Mike and I have a love-hate relationship (mostly love) but at least he reads me... the last time I was on, they grabbed me on Media Row and I was sick... I want a second chance... sadly it can never happen because I am not allowed to go on non-ESPN shows ... even though the show that goes against Mike's (Michael Kay) has never asked me to come on. Yup, this is my company.
So as commenter JJV first pointed out, the show that he was talking about wanting to appear on was Mike Francesa's (Mike'd Up) and the show that hadn't invited him on was the Michael Kay Show on 1050, which is up against Mike'd Up.
I think my overall point still stands. Simmons is a bit of a drama queen and never misses an opportunity to publicly slam ESPN for any policy that he disagrees with. I find it hard to believe he's really that upset about not being ask to go on Michael Kay's show.
As The Big Lead pointed out, it's not a great match, seeing that Michael Kay is predominantly a Yankees guy and bringing Simmons on wouldn't really appeal to his audience. Has there been a good reason to bring him on? It's not like TSG has been promoting anything recently.
I would tend to think that Simmons is just bitching because he can't go on Francesa's show and is just using the fact that Michael Kay hasn't asked him to come on (without any incentive to do so) as an excuse to whine about ESPN management (again).
I respect what Simmons does, but ESPN pays him close to $1M, and I don't think anyone held a gun to his head when he agreed to the terms of the contract. He has a job that every blogger would trade for in a second, even if you had to take his annoying nasally voice and were consigned to writing 90% of your columns about Boston teams for the rest of your career. I just get the feeling that no matter what happens, he's going to be a malcontent.
Still, I was wrong, and thought the record should be set straight. An anonymous commenter on the last post really summed it up, though:
Yeah dont be a dipshit, the show he wants to go on is Mike'd Up on WFAN (Formerly Mike and the Mad Dog)but he is not allowed by ESPN and he is not invited on the ESPN--1050 Michael Kay Show. Dont just spill diarhea [sic] from your mouth.
Buzz Bissinger, is that you? I believe in this case the "diarhea" would have been flowing from the tips of my fingers since these are the interwebnets and I actually had to type all of that up. Also, apostrophes are your friends, don't be afraid to use them. Thanks for your input, though. Feel free to share your sage and flawlessly written insights anytime, whoever the fuck you are.
Labels: 1050 espn radio, anonymous commenters, bill simmons, colin cowherd, conspiracy theories, ESPN, espn radio, jay, max kellerman, michael kay, mike francesa, neil best, podcast
Bill Simmons: Kind Of A Drama Queen?
[Ed. note - 1:57PM: It has been brought to my attention that some of the assumptions I made in this post were wrong and I've corrected them in this post. However, I stand by the title and general premise of the article.]
Yesterday during the Max Kellerman Show on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York, the Sports Fella popped on. They two are excellent foils to each other as both have unique perspectives and represent New York and Boston, respectively. They would make a fantastic radio combo, but ESPN would never put them together. Simmons anti-establishment position has been well-documented, and Kellerman has clashed with executives at ESPN, as well as FOX.
So, yesterday it took Simmons all of thirty seconds to start complaining about ESPN and their restrictive policies as to which radio shows he can or can not appear on.
[Ed. Note: I had to edit out some of Kellerman's excessive verbal tics, but other than that, the transcript is basically word for word]
[around the 0:40 mark (open that link in a new window)]
Max Kellerman: ...then I was mentioning, like, how you have a standing invite to come onto this show and you have invited me onto your podcast and everything, but is it kind of like... you have a friend that you are friendly with and everything, but you are like "Come over" or "Yeah, we'll see you" but you don't really mean it...? Is that what it's like with us?
Bill Simmons: No. No, what I said was... You know, we have the rule that ESPN talent can only go on ESPN shows, which is fine, but, you know, there are some shows that I'd like to go on, and I'm not allowed to go on, but then the show that's going against that show, has never invited me on.
Max Kellerman: I see...
Bill Simmons: So, basically I'm just banned from whatever that time slot is...
Max Kellerman: Oh I see, I see, I see what you are saying...
Bill Simmons: Yeah, without getting into details...
The show that he'd "like to go on" is obviously the Max Kellerman Show, but he's obviously "allowed to go on", considering he was on it right then. The show airs from 10:00AM to 1:00PM on the New York affiliate. The show on opposite that on the national stream? The Herd with Colin Cowherd (who has never invited Simmons on). If you'll recall, there was a dust up between Simmons and Cowherd about a year and a half ago:
While we're here, my ESPN colleague Colin Cowherd mocked my seven trade scenarios for Kobe on the radio last week without reading the entire column or even attempting to understand its premise, namely, that the trade options for Kobe were limited because (A) he needed to go to a big market for a team that could contend right away, and (B) nobody pays 100 cents on the dollar for a team looking to unload an unhappy superstar.
And if that wasn't bad enough, Cowherd embarrassed himself by not understanding basic NBA trading principles like "it would be valuable for L.A. to swap Vlad Radmanovic's contract for Bobby Sura's expiring contract in a T-Mac/Kobe deal because Sura's contract expires in 2008, which would buy them some cap space down the road."
Look, I know the radio business lends itself to hosts lazily skimming other people's columns and blogs ... but seriously, Colin, in the words of Mark Jackson, you're better than that. Your show's on for three hours a day and you get four giant commercial breaks per hour. That leaves you plenty of time to research your segments so you don't come off as misinformed. No offense.
Those are all fair points, but dumping "No offense" after saying someone "embarrassed himself" and using the word "lazily" in reference to their professional work ethic is like taking a shit on their pillow and then putting a mint on top. Cowherd later retorted that his show was actually on for four hours a day (from 6-7 Pacific time is his "mysterious West Coast hour") and that Simmons was in fact the uninformed one.
It never went any further than that and both ESPNers have publicly laid the conflict to rest.
But here is the weird thing. After Simmons calls out ESPN for not letting him go on Kellerman's show, this appears on the front page of ESPN.com.
If ESPN didn't want Simmons to go on Kellerman's show, why would they give it such a prominent billing that same day? (It's still up as of 8:00AM on Tuesday). Is this just Simmons and his blogging alter ego, (still complete with a picture of Tim Robbins at his breaking point in Shawshank) whining about ESPN's policies, again?
Would ESPN put that up knowing that the podcast leads off with Simmons' trademark ESPN bashing? The segment was about 18 minutes long and Simmons congratulates Kellerman at the end for running long.
Simmons: You know what, I love the fact that you fought the man and stayed on past that 8/40, 20/20 break.
Kellerman: I'm not playing around, I'm not playing games. Let me tell you something, it was 35 break, not 40. How do you like that?
Is Simmons just being a baby or constructing this talent vs. executive conflict in his own mind? He was clearly allowed to appear on the show and it was given as high profile a link as a random radio spot ever gets. I like Simmons, but I think I have to side with ESPN on this one; he's being a drama queen.
The other outstanding issue: It would be very unESPNlike to feature something on their front page with this kind of outright anti-management rhetoric. I thought the whole segment was fantastic and perhaps the editors just thought it was good enough to feature anyway.
Posted by Jay at 8:00 AM 14 comments
Labels: 1050 espn radio, bill simmons, colin cowherd, conspiracy theories, ESPN, espn radio, jay, max kellerman, podcast
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
[Ed. Note: I flipped the format here a little bit so you can listen to the song and read the post at the same time.]
A few of you actually inquired as to how I made it back to New York yesterday, so just to tie up the loose ends and acknowledge those who helped me overcome my absent-minded idiocy, here is a picture recap/synopsis of how it went down.
I was packed up and ready to leave Boston Bren's place at about 9:00am when I was unable to locate my keys. I searched for about forty five minutes myself, canvassing every obvious place, emptying my bag and backpack and cursing under my breath non-stop. The car was unlocked, so I was able to check and see if they were in there, or if there was a spare key kicking around. No dice. I woke Brendan up, he woke his roommates up, and after another hour or so of intense searching, we were at quite the impasse.
Believe it or not, Googling "Hotwire 1999 Mercury Sable" doesn't really turn up anything useful. It was Sunday, so the service department at Clark & White wasn't open. I called AAA, but the girl literally laughed at me when I asked if there was anything they could do. Thanks.
The only two sets of spare keys were at my mom's house upstate. My sister was headed down to the city because she was flying from JFK to Turks & Caicos the next morning. As a result, the wheels started turning, and by saving the train fare from Albany to NYC, there was actually a mild incentive for them to meet me halfway down the Mass Pike. I have family in the Boston area, and my cousin Brendan and his girlfriend were cool enough to drive me the other half.
To add insult to injury there was a pretty serious storm moving through covering the Berkshires in snow and Boston in rain.
We met in Wilbraham, which happens to be the home to the headquarters of Friendly's. There is one right off the exit and we chose that as a rendezvous point. Since this was apparently a flagship location of sorts, they had some interesting wall hangings.
There were a bunch of pictures of their HQ and the top one says "Public Safety Complex".
What really stole the show, however, were the pictures with items that you can order at a Friendly's inserted into them.
It is obscured by the lighting, but that appears to be a coffee flavored ice cream sundae ambling down a path towards the beach. There were others including a similar one with the sundae next to a lighthouse and one with a Ruben peeking around the corner of a barn. Dazzling. If they weren't gigantic and glued to the wall I would have tried to take one.
From there we went back to Brendan's house, spare keys in hand, and picked up the car. We got on the road at about 4 and headed back to NYC. There was a healthy wintry mix until about New Haven but it didn't really slow the process down too much.
So... we made it back to the city at about 8:00PM, and in a somewhat ironic twist of "too little, too late" I got a parking spot right on my street, about 50 feet from my building.
The point of this wasn't to bore you with the details of my shitty day, but rather to point out that I'm pretty lucky to have six different people who didn't mind ruining their day to bail me out. Thanks guys, I owe you one.
Labels: car keys, carl perkins, extreme beer festival, goin down the road feelin bad, hotwire, jay, johnny cash, mass pike, mercury sable, snowstorm, turks and caicos
The Yankees have a long history of getting great players just as they are exiting their prime and their 2005 aquisition of Randy Johnson was a perfect example.
When the Yankees got The Big Unit, I couldn't have been more excited. I got a call from my roommate Kevin and we were both downright giddy. We had known him as an ageless wonder who had just hit his stride at age 35 and taken down four straight Cy Young awards.
At a time when the rest of the Yankees' rotation was Mike Mussina, Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright, it looked like a move that should have pushed them over the top. The Red Sox had just won the World Series and it seemed like sending Javier Vasquez, Brad Hallsey, Dioner Navarro and $9M to the Diamondbacks was going to right the baseball universe once again.
In retrospect, there were a ton of warning signs, land mines, red flags and caution tape that Yankee fans probably should have noticed.
He was 41 years old
He had spent his last six seasons in the National League West
After pitching 244 or more innings in 5 consecutive seasons, he was hurt in 2003 and started only 18 games at a 4.26 ERA
He was making $16M a year
His K/9 had been declining for 4 years
Being 6'10" is as much of a liability as it is an asset
I don't put much stock in whether people in the New York media think a player can "handle the New York media", but that scuffle with a cameraman on the way to his Yankee physical certainly wasn't a good omen.
After posting ERAs 2.64 or below in 5 out of his 6 years in Arizona the Big Unit threw 225 2/3 innings of 3.79 ball for the Yanks in 2005. Mostly attributed to his "hanging sliders", he gave up 32 home runs and 207 hits, the highest totals of his career. It was a respectable season overall, but it fell far short of even the most conservative expectations of Yankees fans, players and executives. The prevailing thought at the time was that Johnson would rebound the following year and return to his dominant form.
The result was quite the opposite, in fact. He started 33 games but threw only 205 innings, an average of under 6 1/3 innings per outing, the lowest of his career. His K/BB ratio fell from 4.48 to 2.86 (also the worst of his career). For the first time since his rookie season in 1989 and only time since, he posted an ERA worse than league average.
Late in the season it was revealed that Johnson was pitching with a herniated disc. He received treatments and ended up starting Game 3 of the ALDS against Detroit. It was his last game in Pinstripes and he gave up 5 runs in a contest the Yanks went on to lose 6-0.
The Yanks ended up trading Johnson back to the D-Backs for Luiz Visciano, Ross Olendorf, Alberto Gonzalez and Stephen Jackson. It was a pretty fair haul for a 43 year old pitcher with a bad back coming off what was easily the worst full season of his career.
After getting it right (for the most part) with guys like David Cone, David Wells, El Duque and Roger Clemens during the last 90's and Mike Mussina in 2001, the aughts have been filled with a minefield of pitching acquisitions that just didn't work out.
In addition to Johnson and Vasquez: Kevin Brown, Jaret Wright, Carl Pavano, Jon Lieber, Jose Contreras, Esteban Loaiza, Jeff Weaver...
If the Yanks are going to return to the promised land this year, they need two big double-initialed additions to the rotation buck that trend.
Labels: cameraman, countdown to opening day, hanging sliders, herniated disc, javier vasquez, jay, New York Yankees, randy johnson, the big unit
Kevin Youkilis: Human Being Or Catfish?
You Decide:
(h/t Sports Hernia)
Labels: catfish, facial hair, fack the red sawx, fack youk, gorilla mask goatee, jay, kevin youkilis
Taking It To The Felt
Via PeteAbe, Joe Girardi cancelled the team's workout today and arranged an 8-ball tournament at at local pool hall.
To me, this is a great idea. Right out of the Tom Coughlin playbook. The Yankees are out of here, off to play pool. They're going to be partnered up with a teammate and play some 8 Ball.
"It's a team day away from the field. We're going to have a little tournament and try to enjoy the day," Girardi said.
Coughlin, as you may remember, took the Giants bowling during training camp in 2007. Next thing you know, they won the Super Bowl. Was there a connection? Maybe not a direct one; but building relationships is an important aspect of success.
When Eric Mangini was fired, I recommended that Girardi take a look at the way the Jets and Giants were run and decide which of the coaches he wanted to follow. I think he's headed in the right direction.
Labels: Eric Mangini, jay, joe girardi, LoHud, New York Yankees, Peter Abraham, Tom Coughlin, Yankees
Nothing Like Home
It took 11 hours, four separate car rides, and the combined efforts of five friends/family members, but I finally made it back to NYC last night. I've got some pictures documenting the journey back which may or may not make their way up on the site after work.
The mythical music post obviously didn't make it up this weekend due to the unforseen circumstances discussed above and Brendan still has to weigh in with his Extreme Beer Fest recap, so the non-sports content is going to bleed into the week a little bit. Hope y'all folks don't mind.
Labels: Boston Sucks, car keys, jay, manhattan, mobb deep, nothing like home, upper west side
Some Friendly Advice
There is never a good time to lose your car keys, but when you are a solid four hour drive from home and quite hungover, misplacing them will make you want to slit your wrists with a broken bottle.
The good news? There are plenty of bottles to choose from.
Labels: Boston Sucks, car keys, extreme beer festival, jay, suicide
Characters [EBF Session One]
As you can see, Michael Phelps has really let himself go...
Jim Koch isn't the only one who feels the need to snort his beer.
No, there is no mirror in this photo. The guy on the right is Dan from Maahty's, and the other gentleman was from The Lost Abbey. I'm assuming they share a stylist.
A perfect specimen of the Geekus brewicus. Beard (check), glasses (check), tasting glass (check), intently reading the program (check). I know there are only about 4 people who are going to get this joke but... I didn't know Frank and my sister had a kid together...
A velvet paisley blazer and camo pants. Yeah. Guess what this guy does for a living. I'll give you a hint: He's not in finance. Check out the looks on the Sixpoint guys' faces.
Jeffrey Ross's younger brother in the house. That guy on the right in the Sawx hat is wearing a South African Rugby shirt. Nice choice my friend, I have one as well.
"Roger that, can you grab me a waffle?" (Waffle Cabin is the goods)
Working "security" at this shindig has to be the easiest paying gig available. It wasn't exactly Lollapalooza.
I nominate this guy for Beer Advocate's unofficial mascot.
I didn't actually talk to this guy, but from what I could tell he invented his own dialect which was limited to only four words: "Dude", "Brah", "Chill(in')" and "Brews".
A special thanks to whoever rose this guy from the dead an hour before the event started. That's the kind of extreme beer gut you get from attending too many Extreme Beer Festivals.
So many ways to go with this one. Is visor guy:
Saying that the BA Select was overrated and anyone who disagrees with him doesn't know shit about beer
Informing the guy in the green that dark skin is a curse from God
Explaining how to build your own dwelling and become self-sufficient in the wilderness
Miming a beer pong toss
Certifiably insane
Labels: BA select, beeahs, beer advocate, characters, cyclorama, extreme beer festival, founders, jay, jeffery ross, lollapalooza, lost abbey, maaaahty's, Michael Phelps, paisley blazer


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FRESH Sessions With All Night Shoes: April 2014
Our big April Music Issue will start hitting newsstands next week—and to celebrate, we're releasing April's Coachella-themed FRESH Sessions mix a bit early!
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has been around since 1999, and has grown—massively—ever since. This year's lineup features a diverse collection of performers from all over the world. To celebrate the festival, for this month's FRESH Sessions, I've compiled a set of tracks that includes some music by up-and-coming artists at the festival, as well as songs by some more well-known acts.
I like Coachella because it showcases a wide variety of performers and genres. Everything from indie rock to trance is represented under various tents, all with an atmosphere that is electric. While the festival has lost a bit of its local element, unfortunately, it still seems to carry a strong sense of culture and creativity.
As for my appearances in April: Watch my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ansofficial) for an updated list of gigs—but make sure you don't miss the Pre-Coachella Warehouse Party, at Coachella Valley Brewing Co. (30640 Gunther St., Thousand Palms), starting at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 5. Tickets are $35, and that includes four CV Brewing Co. beers, lots of music, live art and tons more. Get your tickets now at brownpapertickets.com!
In the meantime, here's the April FRESH Sessions. Enjoy—and watch out for a surprise!
Chromeo featuring Toro Y Moi, "Come Alive"
Duck Sauce, "Barbara Streisand"
Anna Lunoe and Touch Sensitive, "Real Talk"
Flight Facilities featuring Elizabeth Rose, "I Didn't Believe"
Chromeo, "Bonafied Lovin'"
DJ Topsider, "Mast (Yale x Classixx)"
Anna Lunoe "Up and Down"
Alf Alpha x All Night Shoes, "Deep End"
Justin Timberlake, "Suit and Tie" (Aeroplane Remix)
Flume featuring Chet Faker, "Left Alone"
Published in Subatomic


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Selfie Le Le Re Video Song – Bajrangi Bhaijaan: Watch this one for cute and adorable Salman Khan.
Finally, the wait is over as the most awaited song of the year is out. Yes, we are talking about Selfie Le Le Re Video song from Salman Khan's upcoming masala entertainer. The song has been trending on social media channels for last few days and the Salman fans were eagerly waiting for its release.
Selfie Le Le Re is purely a Salman Khan number. Though, the music and singing being quite average, Salman Khan has literally nailed it with his cuteness. Be it his dance moves or expressions, everything about Salman is so perfect in the song. In some of the dance sequences, he reminds us of legendary Dharmendra.
Watch this full on enjoyable song right here.


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May We Introduce You to the Phobias You Didn't Know You Already Had?
By Jennifer Gunner, M.Ed. Education , Staff Writer
Birthday Balloons With Globophobia Definition
Globe: Richard Hutchings / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images / Background: Tolchik / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Used under Getty Images license
Those with arachnophobia know that a spider will send them up the walls; people who have claustrophobia will do anything to stay out of confined spaces. But what about those everyday phobias that worry you more than an average annoyance?
Arithmophobia: I'm Bad at Math
We've all been there: You're out to lunch with your friends and the server brings the check. A nervous smile bounces around the table. Are you splitting it evenly? Is everyone paying their share? And most importantly, who is going to calculate it? The first one to announce "I'm bad at math" may be declaring that they have a touch of arithmophobia, which is the fear of numbers.
Coulrophobia: Clowns Aren't So Funny
Having a fear of clowns may sound unusual, but think about it for a moment. Would Stephen King's It really be that scary if clowns didn't actually frighten people? For those with coulrophobia, Pennywise and Ronald McDonald may as well be cut from the same cloth.
Cyberphobia: No Need to Reboot
Older people get a bum rap for having a fear of computers and technology. But cyberphobia, also known as technophobia, can affect people of all ages — and in an increasingly online world, it can be quite debilitating in its extreme state. For those of us with a more mild form of cyberphobia, a phone call with a real person is always preferable to an electronic substitute.
Erythrophobia: Don't Make Me Blush
Portrait of Blushing Woman With Erythrophobia Definition
Woman: xavierarnau / E+ / Getty Images / Background: Tolchik / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Some phobias are self-perpetuating, meaning that the fear itself makes the issue worse. Such is the case with erythrophobia, which is the fear of blushing in public. Being embarrassed about blushing is likely to inspire — you guessed it — even more blushing. If you cover your face when you feel nervous or excited, you might be experiencing erythrophobia.
Globophobia: It's Gonna Pop, I Know It
Forget the birthday clowns — for those with globophobia, it's the party balloons that raise their blood pressure. They fear that the balloon will pop at any minute, so they avoid touching or being near balloons when possible. Globophobia is often regarded as a form of phonophobia (a fear of loud noises) due to the dread of the impending noise when it pops.
Glossophobia: (Don't Make Me) Speak Into the Mic
If someone has ever advised you to "just picture them all naked" before a public speaking event, you and your sweaty brow may be experiencing glossophobia. The fear of speaking in public is so common that there are plenty of time-honored tips and tricks that people try to pass on (including said naked mental pictures). In fact, so many people face this phobia that it's often regarded as scarier than death itself.
Hemophobia: Blood Makes Me Queasy
When someone cuts their finger in the kitchen, there are two types of people: the ones who rush to help, and the ones who scatter. It's not that the scatterers don't want to be helpful — they just know that they have hemophobia, the fear of blood, and know that they may faint at seeing a bloody injury. Now there will be two people to take care of.
Myrmecophobia: Get the Bug Spray
Ants With Myrmecophobia Definition
Ants: GlobalP / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images / Background: Tolchik / iStock / Getty Images Plus
No one loves seeing ants in their kitchen. But for those with extreme myrmecophobia, the fear of ants not only ruins their breakfast — it could send them into a panic that ruins their entire day. If the sight of one ant makes your heart race, invest in ant traps or bug spray to keep those little guys from taking over your space.
Nomophobia: Where's My Phone?
One of the newer phobias is also one of the most prevalent in the 21st century. Nomophobia stands for "NO MObile PHOne phoBIA" and describes that gut-drop feeling when you realize you left your phone at home (or, worse, have no idea where you left it). Those with nomophobia are prone to using apps and devices to keep track of their phones, even when their devices have just slipped between the couch cushions for a second.
Triskaidekaphobia: Let's Just Skip 13
Black 13 On Ski Slope With Triskaidekaphobia Definition
Sign: atosan / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Background: Tolchik / iStock / Getty Images Plus
If black cats and broken mirrors make you nervous, you're probably not a fan of the (supposedly unlucky) number 13, either. Triskaidekaphobia sounds very specific, but it's more common than you think — in fact, it's common practice for buildings to skip the 13th floor and go right from 12 to 14. Technically, floor 14 is floor 13, but people don't have as much of a problem with the number 14.
More Greek Words For Your Everyday Use
The Greeks didn't give us these everyday phobias, but they did give us the word phobia — along with many others. More English words with Greek origins include:
Let's Bring Back 'Gorgonize' and Make It the New 'Terrify'
29 English Words With Origins in Greek Mythology
Powerful Greek Words for Love & Their Meanings