CDs of the Year - The Early Awards

I know you all decide your musical choices based on what I'm listening to, so here are my early in the year selections for best music so far this year...

1. The Fratelli's - Costello Music - You cannot not shake something when this is on!

2. Fall Out Boy - Infintiy on High - Even though they screwed Sacramento by cancelling their concert next week and not rescheduling, I still love this band and this CD is good. I think they just saved me the pain of feeling real, real old at the concert.

3. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Sank - Takes a few listens, then you are hooked. Their last album title is the tag line for the website "Good News for People Who Like Bad News" They just spelled it wrong.

4. Spring Awakening Soundtrack - Perhaps I'd feel different about this Broadway soundtrack if I didn't see and absolutely love the musical. But I did and it is awesome! The show will never come to Sacramento, so unless you travel you may never see this. Best musical ever! Surpassing Chicago, Jesus Christ Superstar and Rent, but that's a different list.

5. Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked Ladies Are Men - Back to more upbeat songs after a disappointing release just last fall. Might be the band I'd most want to hang around and drink beers with. They just seem like fun and nice guys.

Summer Movie Alert!

The Bad Gnus season is not quite giving the players or their many, many fans the entertainment that we would desire. Therefore, I am going to give you some coming entertainment options outside to the world of the Bad Gnus.

I know you are all dying to know, but here are the top 5 summer movies I'm looking forward to. Get to your local multi-plex!

1. Knocked Up - The latest by the creator of 40 Year Old Virgin. I expect to laugh and be glad I'm not watching it with my mom.

2. The Simpsons Movie - My number one TV show I never watch but wish I did. They are always good for a quick zinger. It'll be interesting if they can carry a whole movie.

3. Paris Je T' Aime - I really like Paris and I really like films by the Coen brothers and Alexander Payne. Let's see if this interwoven collection of short films doesn't disappoint.

4. Eleven Men Out - A coming out story of a gay soccer team from Iceland. Nah, I'm just f'in with you. I'll wait for the DVD.

4. Sicko - I admit that I drink Michael Moore's kool-aid. While I am pretty feverish about gun control (Bowling for Columbine) and my anti-war stance (Farenheit 9/11) I'm a fence sitter on HMO's. We'll see if he moves me change the "Love Not War" on the back of the Love Missle to "Meds for All" .

5. Stardust - The word on the movie lot is that this is in the same vein as The Princess Bride. I am confident enough in my heterosexuality to state the The Princess Bride is one of the best movies ever made. I just hope Stardust has someone as dreamy as Cary Ewles in the lead.

I know there will be those who say, "but BS, what about Shrek the Third, Spiderman III, Ratatouille and Harry Potter?" Don't you worry, I think those movies will do just fine without my recommendation. I'm sure I'll see them and so will most of y'all.

Oh - and if you can't wait until one of these to come out and need to see a movie this weekend - check out Hot Fuzz. It's by the same bloke's who brought us my favorite Halloween time movie, Shaun of the Dead.

Bad Gnus Pwned!

The Bad Gnus were owned so hard they were lapped by the alphabet. Or they were owned so much it grew a tail. I don't really know the origin of this new slang word, I just know now how it feels. It hurt so bad it even spawned the last sentence with three consecutive "OW" words.

I'm not going to delve into the details. Long after the football score of 21-3 is forgotten (actually, that might be hard to forget), we will remember the comical line drive that not only bounced off Doug W's head but hit him on the head a second time on the way down. It's only comical because he was not hurt. Well, it eventually would have been comical over time anyway.

The Bad Gnus are off to their worst start in their lengthy history. They get two chances to turn that around next week with games on Monday and Tuesday.

The Sam Adams Summer Brew play of the game goes to Sean McDaniel's sliding catch in the outfield of a sinking line drive. Great catch. It didn't even lose any of it's shine after Sean admitted after the game while enjoying a frosty Summer Brew (Mike Maves Beer of the Year - 2006), that he complemented Kathy Nixon on their dog, Tedford. Not sure he was impressed by how cute Tedford was or how well he can type. I'm not going to confuse Sean with facts, just keep making nice catches the outfield and maybe you can have a beer some night with Bill's fish Goldie.

Opening Night - 2007

There was some talk that the Bad Gnus actually began their season last week. I contend that was simply an exhibition game. Missing 7 regulars and certainly without a blog correspondent, could it actually take place? Many philosophers have pondered this and many young monks have traversed mountains in Tibet to ask this very question... If a game happens at a park and the Big Sexy misses it, does it really happen at all? I think nay. Therefore, opening night 2007 took place on the cutest and best set of twins birthday underneath fair skies on a glorious spring evening.

The night started off as beautifully as it could for the Bad Gnus. The official announcement from season-long MVP, Bill Appleton that his sister was sending a check to cover league fees, he had hats for the guys and visors for the ladies and a ice chest packed with frosty Samuel Adams started the night off right. "Brewer. Patriot. Bad Gnu." (copyright 2007). Despite the numerous visors on the field making the Bad Gnus appear like a co-ed team, Greg laid in strike after strike, mowing the Long Islanders down in order in the first. In fact, through 3 innings, the Long Islanders had only one baserunner. When the Gnus came to bat in the first, it was clear they meant business. Taking a historical number of walks (3) in the first inning, they jumped out to a 3-0 lead. After 3 innings, the slought was on. A 7-0 lead that felt like 17-0.

Longtime Bad Gnus, people who may read this blog or just the occasional dude that hangs out in the park mumbling to himself all know that no lead is too big for the Bad Gnus. They can come from ahead with the best of them. The Gnus did not disappoint. Behind some shaky fielding, some good hits and an atrocious call at the plate, the Islanders had come all the way back to take a 9-7 lead after 5. Not sure what the deal was with the umpire and the call at the plate. He looked like a cross between Droopy Dog and the corpse of Rosemary Clooney who had been crying ever since Matlock was taken off the air. Apparently the 24 consecutive hours of visine this guy was pouring into his eyes made it very difficult for him to see that Keith's throw from the outfield and Kevin's scoop beat the Islander's pivotal run by two steps. (I always have the feeling that Kirk expects me to be ejected any time I talk to the umpires, be it softball, little league, basketball or mud wrestling - but I never have.) Following that call, a booming triple off the glove of Seanny McD gave the Islanders the lead.

As the home team, the Bad Gnus were in prime position for a typical pull-it-out-of-our-hatses victory. In the bottom of the six, Mike hit the first infield home run in Bad Gnus history. After his hard hit ball bounced off the third baseman's noggin and into left field, Mike raced (two words I don't often type next to each other) to second. Seeing the third baseman still on the ground and the ball slightly over thrown, Mike took third with a dive. That ridiculous sight, created another overthrow. Mike popped up and scored. The resulting momentmum from that exciting play that cut the lead to 9-8 was just a couple of outs to end the inning. Yawn.

In the 7th, the Bad Gnus only trailed by one. Weisy led off with a sharp single and Howard followed with the same. After Kevin loaded the bases with one out, the Gnus were in the drivers' seat as the heart of the order was coming up to end the game. I didn't have a very good view of exactly what happened next, but I've been told we lost the game 9-8. A pretty good effort for week 1!

Notables:

Sam Adams Player of the Game: I don't remember him making any defensive plays. I do think he got a hit. But it didn't matter what happened on the field. Bill Appleton brought beer, hats and a $30 break to all the Gnus (which they will likely just turn around and spend on more beer). Huzzah!

Sam Adams Summer Brew Defensive Play of the Game: A key 6th inning double play on a ground ball to Pete to Moebs to Appleton looked like something from the middle of the season. He may have been safe, but Blinky McPinkeye didn't have the heart to get us on another close call.

First blood of the year: Mike thought he had this wrapped up when he bled diving into third. Though he did bleed from four different places, he was not the winner. Mike had the second best odds to bleed first on the season, just after Kevin. The third favorite to bleed first was Bill Moebs. The oddsmakers specifically thought Bill was endanger around glass bottles and uneven ground after the ballgame. However, Bill skinned his knee earlier in the game at a play at second base and took home the coveted first blood award.

Next Game: Monday, April 16 at 6:45 vs. the Silver Bullets. Coors Light... nigga, please.

Revised Spring Schedule

The joy of playing at a small league, nothing is written in stone! Here's the latest schedule:

Mon 4/02 6:30 v. Long Islanders
Mon 4/09 6:30 v. Long Islanders
Mon 4/16 6:45 v. Silver Bullets
Mon 4/23 5:45 v. Hanks
TUE 4/24 6:45 v. Ahern Construction
TUE 5/01 6:00 v. Don't Panic
TUE 5/08 7:00 v. T-Sox
Mon 5/14 7:00 v. T-Sox
Mon 5/21 7:00 v. Silver Bullets
Mon 6/04 6:00 v. Hanks
TUE 6/05 7:00 v. Ahern Construction
TUE 6/12 6:00 v. Don't Panic

Notice that some of those Tuesday games are the day after we play on Monday. Also notice we got a couple more games for free!