Michael Baumann

at least they ditched the away goals rule

playing an interminable regular season, then rendering it pointless by allowing way too many teams into the playoffs appears to be ingrained in all levels of hockey

For some reason, checking and fighting in ice hockey feel like the most natural thing in the world, but checking and fighting in roller hockey feels more barbaric than animal bloodsport

Just found out about a new semipro roller hockey league with checking and fighting, with all games to be played in Toledo. That feels like a recession indicator to me.

It's OK if you don't like reading, you can say so. Don't expect us to believe you're just too smart for the concept of "books"

The gate is guarded by two brothers. One only says "What the hell are you talking about?" and the other only says "Do you really expect me to believe that?"

The last thing I want to do is discourage people from being their own weird selves, especially as they engage with art on a personal level.
That said, people in business and politics could probably stand to hear "What the fuck are you talking about, man?" more frequently than they do now

jay seems like an incurious idiot

Until or unless there's a travel embargo on Turkey, I think we've seen our last bald president

Furthermore, if he destructs in a time and manner that prevents me from working my bosses will become angry and fire me, and I will no longer be able to buy him food. He really needs to start thinking these things through, but he's too stupid to understand rational choice theory.

Gray and white cat laying on a carpet next to a sunbeam, with a string of yarn balls draped over him

I understand that my cat destructs things to get my attention so I will feed him. But what he needs to understand is that if he continues to destruct after I feed him he removes the incentive to feed him in the first place

When Chases and Whiffs Don’t Lead to Outs Even when a plan is executed well, the results are not entirely within the pitcher’s control.

When Chases and Whiffs Don’t Lead to Outs blogs.fangraphs.com/when-chases-...

in case you've never seen it, this is Roger Ebert on The Mummy

The war in Iran is a moral abomination on every level and will wreak untold political and economic havoc across the globe. Otoh, the chances of getting a big Hollywood movie about Millennium Challenge 2002 have increased by a factor of 10 in the past month.

I'm struggling to come up with an example from soccer/hockey/basketball of club teammates letting a conflict in international play get in the way of the day job

Incisive, original analysis, I know. I was just looking ahead at the schedule and did a little whoop

That Venezuela-DR game is gonna be a fuckin barnburner

Hospitalized with testicular contusion, so no cup. Fortunately no long-term injury

I remembered writing this; I did not remember citing Cecil Travis and ending with a warning that world war was one of the things that could derail Witt's career. I didn't mean to be *that* right.

They cursed me, for they were not ready to hear my teachings, but I was right

I remain unspeakably impressed by the fact that José Álvarez stayed on his feet long enough to record the out. I couldn't tell you how long it would've taken me to start breathing again after a nut shot like that

Harper was on the field for a pitcher taking 105 EV in the testicles. That looked like it hurt but it absolutely gets worse

Sweet Jesus, Paul Skenes, please do not try to field a comebacker with your throwing hand in the WBC

I agree he's got to prove it but the hype around McLean is *huge* atm. Also, Kelly was Team USA's best starter back then, and McLean is fourth at best on this team

Intending no undue disrespect to Nick Martinez, but Nick Martinez started this fixture for Team USA in 2023

Connecticut is two or three good cyclists from being the Slovenia of New England

Complete with the quote to Cornelius Ryan that surely informed A Bridge Too Far's depiction of the relationship

Battle for the Falklands is my favorite, but in Catastrophe: Europe at War 1914, he calls Field Marshal Sir John French "a poltroon"

No, Abyss: The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962. Which is why it's so funny that he took a big ol' dump on MacArthur!

The opening chapters of A Bridge Too Far give the impression that Eisenhower's challenge was to get to Berlin not before the Soviets, but before he strangled Montgomery and/or Patton to death with his bare hands