'010 LSF Supreme Tournament of Suffering: Part Five.

Welcome back to the tournament on this beautiful Memorial Day!

Let's get started on the All American Bracket's First Round:

(2) Clippers v (9) Lakers:

Clippers-

Why they should win: The former Buffalo Braves have never won a title in their franchise history. Once they moved to San Diego and became the Clippers, they had a 43-39 season, which was a great year but not great enough to make the playoffs. It would end up being their last winning season for 13 years. It was all downhill after that. While the '05/'06 season presented some hope, they have been a laughing stock in Los Angeles as long as memory serves...according to Laker fans.

Why they shouldn't win: 2005/2006 wasn't that long ago. I'm sure Brandon remembers it well. After ripping the Nuggs in the opening round, the Clippers took the Phoenix Suns all the way to a game 7 in the Conference Semifinals. It was the fourth playoff appearance for the Clippers since I was born, and that's not completely awful. Also, they quite often snatch up high draft picks. If they pan out or not is a different matter.

Lakers-

Why they should win: Well, the period of time from 1989-1999 is well known as the "Post-Showtime Dry Spell" as the Lakers failed to make anything positive happen. That's about all I've got for these guys and their suffering.

Why they shouldn't win: They're matching up with my Celtics in the NBA finals starting later this week. They seem to have been in like 7 of the last 10 title series. They have 16 NBA titles, 31 Conference Titles, and 32 Division Titles. The Lakers have a regular season win percentage of .617 and a playoff winning percentage of .615. They have been in the playoffs every season since 2005, and have only missed the playoffs twice since 1976. There isn't much suffering on this side of Staples Center.

And the winner is... I know they're the trendy pick, but you've got to hand it to the Clip Show.

(3) Canucks v (8) Celtics

Canucks-

Why they should win: This is a matchup near and dear to my heart. Not a single Stanley Cup title since their inception in 1970. The team formerly known as the Vancouver Millionaires had a lean spell from 1994 (post Cup) to 2001, before becoming the resurgent team you all know now (since about 2001). The Canucks have given their fan base tons of bonus suffering as of late, by making the playoffs with huge expectations, only to have the same elimination result year in and year out. In '08/'09 and '09/'10 the Canucks were dropped by the Blackhawks in the semifinals. No playoffs in '07/'08, and a loss to the Ducks in the semifinals (of which I attended the knockout game) in '06/'07. From 2000-2004, the Canucks qualified for four straight playoffs, and got bounced out early in each. Making the playoffs seems to be their strong suit; winning once they are there is not.

Why they shouldn't win: Well, at least they've been making the playoffs all these years. It is kind of hard to argue that this team suffers too much based on their impressive regular season success. We're talking about winning the Northwest Division in 4 out of the last 6 seasons, including 3 out of the last 4. Plus, they keep the fans excited by continuously changing their logos.

Celtics-

Why they should win: Remember before the "Big 3," when my boys sucked? I really liked those days. Pierce, Walker, West...man that was fun. I guess from 1993-2007, the Celts were really a fairly poor team. They tried to rebuild in the early 2000's, but Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers just couldn't figure things out. Then, you get Allen and KG and all of the sudden Doc Rivers is the coach of the year? I've always hated that.

Why they shouldn't win: See argument for why the Lakers shouldn't win.

And the winner is... The Canucks. Way to go boys.

(4) Sabres v (7) Angels:

Sabres-

Why they should win: The cousins of the Canucks also have gone since their inception in 1970 without a championship. Their last Conference Championship came in 1999. Prior to this season, the Sabres hadn't made the playoffs in a couple of years, and prior to that dry spell, it was a hardcore suffering of losing back to back Conference Finals (to the Sens in 2007 and the Canes in 2006). Not many of us will forget the summer of 1999 when Buffalo lost to the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Finals. That series, and another 2-4 loss (to the Flyers in 1975 Cup Finals) mark the only times the Sabres have made it the distance.

Why they shouldn't win: Talk about a rabid fan base. These fans love this team, and well they should. While they may have missed the 2008 and 2009 playoffs, they haven't been bad for a long time. 45-27-10 this year, 41-32-9 and 39-31-12 in the years the missed the postseason, and 53-22-7 the season before that. The last time Buffalo had a sub-.500 season was 2002/2003 when they went 27-37-10-8. That was in the midst of finishing 5th in the Northwest for three straight years. Outside of that, it is hard to remember a streak when they were consistently bad.

Angels-

Why they should win: Talk about a suffering franchise. This was my sports franchise that made me know what suffering for your team was all about as a young child. From my birth until my 20th birthday, the Angels made the postseason just twice. From 1986-2004, they were without a division title. We're talking about 70-92, 75-87, 80-82, 72-90, 81-91, 47-68, 70-91, 70-92, 75-87. We're talking a long, bad streak. We're talking about Mo Vaughn, Jose Canseco, Steve Finley, Kevin Appier, Dallas McPherson, Hector Carrasco, Esteban Yan, Shea Hillenbrand, JC Romero, Jeff Weaver; the list goes on and on. Now we have Brandon Wood ready to join the likes of the aforementioned. Pathetic stuff.

Why they shouldn't win: Well, let's be honest, they sure have been good lately. Since that 2002 World Series victory, when they changed their uniforms and the team mindset, the Angels have been to the playoffs 6 times in 8 years. They have won the AL West 5 out of the last 6 years. Things have come together. We may be sub-.500 right now, but we're getting back on track, and most bandwagon Angel fans have no idea how these fan base used to suffer back in the day.

And the winner is... the Angels. This was a tough one. Sorry Brandon, but when you look at the franchise as a whole, I'm not sure how you could go against the Angels, even though we have one championship to none in Buffalo. If I'm wrong, you can blast me for it. Just don't call me a homer.

(5) Dodgers v (6) Blue Jays:

Dodgers-

Why they should win: Here is that 5/6 matchup again! The darlings of the LA Sports Media, the Doyers have not won a World Series since 1988. We were 6! Let it go! That was also the last NL pennant won by LA. From 1997-2004, the Dodgers failed to reach the post season, and they only made the playoffs 5 times from my birth to my 22nd birthday. I thought this was the dynasty of the '80s? Hm. While they may have had solid players and nice numbers, the outcomes certainly aren't there. We're talking about a team that used to be called such things as the Brooklyn Robins, the Brooklyn Superbas, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, and "The Bums." While they have somehow tricked the locals into believing that they are the "real LA" team, they have to try and live with the fact that they are nothing more than a New York transplant trying to pretend that they are California made. What a joke.

Why they shouldn't win: Well, for starters, they have been pretty good as of late. NL West division titles in 2009, 2008, and 2004 shows some pretty good play, not to mention their Wild Card win in 2006. They have some pretty amazing young players, helping to bolster the team for some time to come, and despite what some would have you believe, they play in a crappy division (which helps them to be on top more often than not). 6 World Championships, 21 NL Pennants, and 11 Division Titles, doesn't qualify you to be a team of suffering. Sorry, pals.

Blue Jays-

Why they should win: Anyone not names New York, Boston, and recently Tampa Bay that plays in the AL East (so the Jays and the O's) are a hugely suffering squad. The only Canadian team in the MLB, not to mention the "All American Bracket" has gone without a World Series win since 1993, and only has two in their history (the other being in 1992...the glory years). 1993 was also the last AL Pennant and last East division Title for the Jays, a team who continues to be a perennial golf nine-some in October these days. Not only have they continued to change their logo for the worse as time moves forward, but they just haven't been good lately. Their highest winning percentage since 1993 was .543 (their lowest being .389), and their best shot at winning a World Series would be moving the team to Vancouver and joining the AL West.

Why they shouldn't win: Since their World Series win, they have had 4 Cy Young winners, a rookie of the year winner, and even last year's comeback player of the year. While they aren't winning titles, they are giving their fans something to cheer about.

And the winner is... Toronto. They just have no chance in that division, let's be honest.

So, the matchups for the upcoming second round in the All American Bracket are:

(1) Blackhawks v (7) Angels

(3) Canucks v (6) Blue Jays

(2) Clippers (bye)

Join us as we continue to march toward a supreme champion of suffering. The second round of the Football Bracket highlights the next post. Don't forget to help me pick the winners by leaving a comment or a post to let me know what you think.

Adios amigos.

'010 LSF Supreme Tournament of Suffering: Part Four

Welcome back! Let's continue the Alumni Bracket.

(2) Rice v (9) UCSB:

Rice-

Why they should win: The Owlz are the second smallest school to compete at the top level of NCAA football. During their first 40 years, Rice was somewhat of a powerhourse, but never won it all. Since then, it's been difficult to compete with larger schools. Recently, the team had a 45 year bowl drought, which was the second longest in NCAA football history.

Why they shouldn't win: Their stadium is the location where JFK announced that the US would be working on getting to the moon. It was the site of Super Bowl VIII. The team was in the New Orleans Bowl in 2006 and finished with a 9-3 record and a Texas Bowl victory as recently as 2008.

UCSB-

Why they should win: Talk about heartbreak. The Gauchos have gone to the tournament after thrilling Big West tourneys twice since I went to the school. Once, during my Sophomore year, they lost thanks to the refs to Arizona. Last season, they beat the spread, but got messed up by Ohio State. In the history of all UCSB sports, we have won just 2 National Titles.

Why they shouldn't win: The much loved basketball team just won the Big West after an impressive second half of the year, and made it to the NCAA tournament, which is huge for the Gauchos. In 2006, the men's soccer team beat Wake Forest in the national championship. Rioting ensued in Isla Vista. How can you be suffering (unless from a hangover) in IV?

And the winner is... Rice. Despite having a solid baseball team, any fan base of a NCAA fooseball team with only 2 bowl games since the Vietnam war is seriously suffering.

(3) Providence v (8) Johns Hopkins

Providence-

Why they should win: Again, a topic I'm not qualified to write about. Any yet, we press on. The Friars of Rhode Island have only had two final four appearances in school history, with the most recent coming in 1987. The basketball team finished last season 12-19, and enjoy routinely being killed by LSF rival, Notre Dame.

Why they shouldn't win: The hardwood team has made it to 5 post season tournaments since the 2000/2001 season (NIT and NCAA combined), which is pretty impressive, and they went 19-14 in the ultra competetive Big East in 08/09. Last year's leading scorer, Jamine Peterson averaged just about 20 PPG, the second best mark for the team since 1999.

Johns Hopkins-

Why they should win: Well, evidently there was a rumor that Brandon played goalie for their LAX team, which produced mild to moderate suffering. No lacrosse title since 2007 is actually a big pain in the Jay's hearts.

Why they shouldn't win: 44 National Championships. Sorry, I really wanted to hand JHU the upset here, but a title crazy team like this doesn't deserve it.

And the winner is... Providence. Shocker. The only NCAA team called the Friars in the whole country takes the cake in round one.

(4) Notre Dame v (7) USC:

Notre Dame-

Why they should win: A bowl record of 14-15, no National title for the Nation's team since 1988, and the recent Charlie Weis era that made us look like fools? Weis' career, which was made to look much better ealry on thanks to Ty Willingham recruits finished 35-27. The Clausen experiment failed. The "smartest offense in college football" failed. It was a mess. The 5 season under Weis featured the worst winning percentage since '81-'85 for the Irish. And...we lost Golden Tate.

Why the shouldn't win: Much like the 49'ers in an earlier bracket, Notre Dame are a glory team of the days of yore. 11 National Titles, an all time winning percentage of .734, 7 Heisman winners, and 95 consensus All Americans. Add to that the hope and promise of new coach Brian Kelly and new QB Dayne Crist.

USC-

Why the should win: With all the love that these douchebags get, would you believe that SC hasn't won a National Championship since 2004? They only really have 2 titles from 1979-2010. Doesn't it seem like more? Last season, SC lost 4 games. It was their first season with 2+ losses since 2001. And now, they lost their Jesus-esque coach and have replaced him with a bum they're pretending to love.

Why the shouldn't win: They're anoying, stuck up, and think they are God's gift to football. Why hurt their egos with an award for suffering? 

And the winner is... Notre Dame, but I don't see them going too far in the tourney based on amazing historical success.

(5) FVHS v (6) UCLA

FVHS-

Why they should win: No CIF titles since 1988 for the football team, and constant defeats at the hands of rival Edison. It just gets old losing to the Chargers.

Why they shouldn't win: Kyle Middlebrooks. The star RB has turned the Barons team around, led the Barons to a playoff run last year, and completely changed the mindset around campus.

UCLA-

Why they should win: 1954. That was the last time the Bruins earned a national football title. They have floundered as of late, yo yo-ing around, completely overshadowed by the Trojans around town. 

Why they shouldn't win: The Bruins have won 125 National Championships across the board, more than any other college in the Nation. How can you claim suffering when you win titles like that?

And the winner is... UCLA. This fan base has been suffering at the hands of USC and the USC biased media in LA long enough. 

So, the second round matchups in the Alumni Bracket will be as follows:

(1) Wake Forest (bye)
(2) Rice v (6) UCLA
(3) Providence v (4) Notre Dame

Man, that 5/6 match is a bitch! Next post in the tournament will walk us through the All American bracket. Don't forget to add a post or comment to share why you think a certain team should win, or why you're mad about the choices so far. 

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

I'll declare the slump over.

I've got balls. I'll come out and say that yesterday afternoon was a turning point. Yes, I said that after a recent Oakland sweep and it didn't quite work out, but this time it's for real. The Halos looked like the Comeback Kids of old. Messing things up and then recovering for the win; that's Angels baseball. The foundation for the win came from La Piñata pitching 6 innings of three run ball, allowing just 2 hits (but 4 walks). He said the midday sun was blinding him during his windup, so that's not good, but it seemed to help. Maybe we should shine a flashlight in his face during night games! The offense was anchored by 2 RBI nights by Hideki Matsui and Bobby Abreu. Godzilla credited his father coming to Angel stadium for the first time with his 6th inning 2 run jack, and Abreu did just enough to atone for his 9th inning error. Torii Hunter, back from his son's graduation, was the lone starter to fail to reach base, while Erick Aybar continued to start stuff on the basepaths with 2 walks and a run scored.

It really all came down to the top of the 9th, though, when Brian Fuentes induced a lazy pop fly to shallow right. Abreu charged in, calling of Howie Kendrick, stopped running and did the Tim Salmon slide, only to biff the ball off his wrist and allow a runner on second with no outs. The next batter doubled in the game tying run, and we were doomed for extra innings. Napoli led off the bottom of the ninth with a double, inciting the fans. He took third on a ground out by Maicer. Then, amazingly, the Blue Jays intentionally walked Juan Rivera and Erick Aybar to load the bases with one out and HK-47 coming to the plate. Howie grounded into a force out at home, but beat the throw to first. That part of the 9th has been hugely underrated by the "real" media. With the bases stil juiced and 2 outs, El Comedulce came through with a giant game winning single to left to win the game. There was no Robb Quinlan to be in it, but there was still a dog pile on the infield, and the Angels looked happy for the first time in recent memory. Booyah, Andrew.

The 6-5 win and the series win over a solid AL East force, have combined to lead me to declare that the slumping from the first month and a half of the season is over. A comeback win like that changes a team. But wait, Mark Saxon of ESPN LA wrote a whole article today declaring that no one should start saying the slump is over. He says it's a fool's statement. Saxon says that the Halos may have had the right to be more confident about the bad play being over if they would have won in a more "conventional" way. The late inning comeback is a sign that the slump is probably continuing, says Saxon. You idiot. This is exactly the kind of win that turns a season around. A win is just a win, but a walk off win lights a fire under the team and the fan base. So, Mr. Saxon, this blogger is ready to declare that the slump is over! FACE!

At 23-26, you an almost smell .500. Or maybe that's the cookies my wife baked me. We're 4 games back of the Rangers, and we're staring a Thursday off before the huge weekend series with bottom of the division Seattle comes into down. Rivalry weekends are so much fun.

Bring it, Desmond Figgins.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

'010 Supreme Tournament of Suffering: Part Three.

Welcome back, as we continue the opening round of the Football Bracket:

(4) Rams v (7) Celtic FC

Rams-

Why they should win: Wow. My Ramies are flat out bad. Here are their records from most recent season to furthest away- 1-15, 2-14, 3-13, 8-8, 6-10, 8-8. That is a prett bad 6 season run. And the last three years has been almost laughable. Mix into that the history of being taken away from Los Angeles by the widow of our loving owner, her eventual death, and now the mystery of being sans ownership, and you have a nice long path of suffering.

Why the shouldn't win: It wasn't that long ago that the Rams were good, real good. In 2004, STL were 12-4 and lost in double OT to the Carolina Panthers in the divisonal playoffs. In '02, they went 14-2 and went all the way to the Super Bowl where they lost on my birthday to the fecking Pats. 10-6 the year before and then 13-3 in their Super Bowl season in 1999, and you have some great years for "The Greatest Show on Turf."

Celtic-

Why the should win: Champions League. Need I say more. The Hoops qualified for the Champions League to the delight of their estimated 9 million fans (1 million in North America, including me). Sadly, they played like a joke in the tournament of professional tournaments. FC Barcelona completely demolished my Bhoys in the knockout round, not to mention earlier crushings at the hands of AC Milan. Now, we have ben denied a SPL title by the Protties from Rangers, and the pain is being felt.

Why they shouldn't win: We finished second in the SPL the last two years, and while Celtic fans don't find that acceptable, it's still pretty darn good. We won the SPL title in '08 and have won it on 42 occasions. We were even the first Scottish team to ever win the European Cup in 1967. We're good, man.

And the winner is... The Rams. Was there any other option than a team with just 6 wins in 3 seasons?

(5) Ravens v (6) Chivas USA:

Ravens-

Why they should win: No Conference our Super Bowl titles for 10 years is a disappointment to Raven fans. It all started with a long logo controversy and law suit regarding the team stealing their design. Since then, the Ravens have been an up and down team that should be supported by real Browns fans. In '07 they went 5-11, in '05 they went 6-10, and in '02 they went 7-9. Add to that the fact that their most notable player is a knife wheeling murderer. What a team.

Why they shouldn't win: Come on, the Ravens are good. They made the playoffs thre out of the last four years, and six out of their thirteen seasons as a franchise in Maryland. They run the show in B'more.

Chivas USA-

Why they should win: In 2004, the franchise started with a 1-8-1 record. The Goats of the MLS have either been mising the playoffs or getting bounced out by the Wizards and Dynamo. We've just never been able to put it together, even when finishing first in the West in 2007. This season, Chivas have started out 3-6-1 and last place in the West. Disappointment even today, when Sacha Kljestan got cut from the World Cup roster.

Why they shouldn't win: We've had some success up there in Carson, winning the West just 3 years ago. Brad Guzan, our magical former goalie, is pioliting the US team in South African this year, along with former coach Bob Bradley. In addition, current Chivas back Jonathan Bornstein is going to be in the starting XI for the US. We're having fun!

And the winner is... Chivas USA with the first upset of the tournament! Just being in the MLS qualifies them for some serious suffering!

What a great first round to this tournament! Here are the second round matchups for the Football Bracket:

(1) Newcastle United (bye)
(2) Everton v (6) Chivas USA
(3) 49'ers v (4) St. Louis Rams

We move onward in the tournament to the Alumni Bracket's first round.

(1) Wake Forest v (10) Servite HS

Wake Forest-

Why they should win: Originally they were called the Fighting Baptists, which should be reason enough! While 4 of the school's 8 total national championships have come recently, their football is a baren wasteland. Started in 1888, the all time winning percentage is .412. They have won zero national titles and only 2 conference championships since 1888. 

Why they shouldn't win: They won the ACC title in 2006, and are the smallest school to ever compete in the BCS, earning a trip to the Orange Bowl in that season. Their head coach is in his 9th season, a nice mark nowadays, and they have a respectable .536 winning mark since he took over.

Servite-

Why they should win: I'm easily the least certified writer on this blog to be talking Servite football. Servite has won just 2 State Championships since the start of the program, and theirs was a 27 year drought in between. We all know their history with Matre Dei, the most hated team in Orange County, and clearly that has led to a great deal of suffering for the alumni of the Friars.

Why they shouldn't win: Come on, you guys are good right now. You guys just won! A 2009 title, a thrilling season, and you think you are going to win the first round of the suffering tournament? You should be proud that you won't.

And the winner is... The Deacons! Conrgats and apologies J. Wake Forest moves on in the tournament. 

That's it for today. The next post will hopefully wrap up the opening round of the Alumni Bracket. We'll see Rice v Gauchos, Providence against Johns Hopkins, the Fighting Irish against the Fighting Trojans, and FVHS going head to head with UCLA. Fun stuff.

Don't forget to drop a post or comment about why a team should win or lose, or blast me with comments if you think I've been wrong so far (you might just win an overturn!).

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Is Ervin kicking it old school?

What a game last night. The Blue Jays outhomered the Angels 3-1, and the Angels walked away with an 8-3 win and another complete game from Ervin Santana. Who would have thought? After Erick Aybar led the game off with an infield single, Bobby Abreu drove him home to start the game of right. See what I'm saying, Aybar? Then, the Halos had a hit parade in the second. Willits, Aybar, Kendrick, and Abreu drove in runs seemingly consecutively, making Ricky Romero's family so disappointed in him. Ha! The Jays fought back with three solo homeruns, but only had 4 total hits in the game, and a Napoli solo bomb led the charge to keep the Angels ahead for good. What got into Napoli?

The mound was where the real action was, though. El Rosario pitched his second complete game of the year, both against Toronto. He put in 9 innings of work, allowing 4 hits (3 of them solo jacks), and punching out an incredible 10. Way to keep a good lineup down. I was even more impressed by Mike Scioscia's decision to leave him in. Finally a quality call.

My favorite part of the game was either A) The fans dressed like garden gnomes even though they didn't get given out because they couldn't get them into the county or B) Juan Rivera getting out on a dropped third strike, where he couldn't run to first because of where the ball went and then he kind of danced with the Jays catcher in a "cat and mouse game," (Victor Rojas' words, not mine) before getting tagged out.

The best part of this game, and many of Ervin's good games this year is the fact that he seems to be kicking it old school! 2 complete games in 10 starts. Leading the team in innings pitched with 69. Throwing hard and holding down the second best K/9 among Halo starters at 8.09. And, rocking 6 quality starts over his 10 starts this year. He's looking more and more like a pitcher from the days of yore, and I like it. Wouldn't it be cool if the Angels answered their bullpen problems this season by just converting their starters into "back in the day" starters who just always went the distance? That would be a dream for me, and Ervin is leading the way.

At 22-26, the Angels go for a series win against Andrew's Blue Jays this afternoon at the Stadium, as Joel Piñero (3-5, 5.00) tries to keep the ball down against Brandon Morrow (3-4, 6.80). In Morrow's last game, he gave up 6 runs in 4 innings to Arizona, and hopefully Napoli and the Angels can pounce on him early and often. Meanwhile, La Piñata has been a complete bum lately, allowing 9 runs in 3 innings to the Cards (including the grand salami to Brad Penny). Why won't the sinker sink?! Maybe tonight.

Series win, on tap.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

'010 LSF Supreme Tournament of Suffering: Part Two.

Welcome to the opening round of the Football Bracket in our 1st annual Tournament of Suffering. Let's get started with our matchups.

(1) Newcastle United v (10) Chelsea FC:

Newcastle-

Why they should win: To start off with recent times, we were relegated out of the EPL just one short year ago. That season was one of constant losing, including a 5 goal blowout to Liverpool. The last time Newcastle won the EPL was (get ready for this) 1927! They are one of the top three suffering teams in this entire tournament. Not too long ago, in the 1980's, we were a second division team, and our fans ar so losely tied to our suffering.

Why they shouldn't win: We just had an amazing season in the ECL, earning promotion back up to play with the big boys. In this most recent season, we were undefeated at home, and thrilled fans onward to the lower division title.

Chelsea-

Why they should win: Early on, the Blues were seen as a team that signed big name players, but enjoyed very little success. I mean, this team isn't even from Chelsea, they play in Fulham. Isn't that suffering enough? Between the 70's and 80's, the Blues saw lean times, getting relegated thanks to huge financial problems leading to selling star players.

Why they shouldn't win: The just completed the double (EPL and FA) to the thrill of their fans, and are easily the most successful football team currently in our bracket. Brandon has been smiling wide with their recent victories.

And the winner is... Newcastle United. The Toon Army have been crying a lot lately, and I'm nervous that this recent promotion may bring the tears back.

(2) Everton v (9) Rangers FC

Everton-

Why they should win: The People's Club finished 8 in the EPL this year. In the early 30's, Everton were relegated and experienced some lean years, and despite regaining their foothold, they were dropped again after the team split up around WWII. Since 2002, the team has been yo yoing around the EPL, up and down, up and down.

Why they shouldn't win: How about this- Everton has competed in the top division 107 seasons, more than any other team in English football. They have the fourth most championships in league history and have been in the top division since 1954.

Rangers-

Why they should win: In a 1971 match with Celtic, the Bhoys scored in the final minutes to beat 'Gers, and panic insued in the 80,000+ stadium. The stadium collapsed and 66 fans died. 

Why the shouldn't win: Rangers, sometimes called "The Teddy Bears," have won 53 Domestic titles, more than any other team in the World. They beat Celtic to win the SPL this year, to top it all off.

And the winner is... Everton. The fans can't be happy with their bipolar finishes in the table in recent years, and their history is clearly more difficult to suffer through than that of Rangers.

(3) 49'ers v (8) Manchester United:

49'ers-

Why they should win: No playofs since 2002, no Super Bowl win since 1994. I know, Jon is getting anxious. The dynasty team of the '80's and early '90's has seen some lean years lately. In 2004, the Niners were shutout by Seattle, their first shutout loss in 27 years. 2 wins in '04, 4 wins in '05, 7 in '06, and then just 5 in '07. They got back to .500 last year, but fans are antsy.

Why they shouldn't win: It's tough to award the premier team from our childhood an award for supreme suffering. Joe Montana, Stever Young, Jerry Rice. They have 5 Super Bowl titles and 17 division titles.

Manchester United-

Why they should win: The team went bankrupt in 1902. Through the '20's and '30's they were a yo yo team getting relegated and promoted over and over again. In 1958, the team carrying the players to a match rashed, killing 8 players.

Why they shouldn't win: These guys are the Yankees of soccer, one of the most successful teams in English football history. And, they've been amazing lately, despite not winning it all this year. It is even said that they are "the wealthiest and most supported clubs in the world."

And the winner is... The 49'ers. The Niners have been flat bad lately, making their former super stars completely embarrassed to be associated with the franchise. What happened in SF?

So, Newcastle, Everton, and the 49'ers have won so far. Part Three of the post will finish up the first round of this bracket, with the Rams going head to head with Celtic and the Baltimore Ravens going against Chivas USA. We also might start the matchups in the Alumni Bracket.

Don't forget to leave your ideas about the matches in the comments to help determine the winner of our brand new annual tournament. Your thoughts are appreciated.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Angels get 3 hit, look like fools.

I underestimated two things in getting ready for last night's game against the Blue Jays. One was the talent of Brett Cecil on the mound, and the other was just how bad the Angels can play. It was a wasted effort from Joe Saunders (who despite the loss still pitched even better than the numbers will show), a truck load of poor defensive plays (including a horrible misread by Rivera in left that wasn't counted in the 2 errors), and a true weakness with the bats (6 starters went without a hit) that doomed us to a 0-6 to Toronto. It was a game that made me nostalgic for the Angels of old, by which I mean they looked like the crappy Halo teams of my youth that I adored.

Doesn't it hurt your feelings when a starter does well and his offense plays the role of a skunk out there? It kills me. Joey Joe Joe went 6.3 innings of 3 earned run ball, really only allowing 2 to cross the plate before a bullpen explosion in the 7th cost him another. Jason Bulger, usually a sort of rock in the pen, finished with an infinity ERA. 2 crossed the plate without Bulgie getting a single out. It was tough to watch. Cassevah and Gas Can shut the Jays out the rest of the way, but it was just pathetic. The defensive play was a joke. I'm talking about you, Aybar. Ball goes in the glove, ball falls out. Awful stuff. Joe falls to 3-6 on the year, poor guy.

Guess what? Brandon Wood is "dealing with a hip flexor issue." You know what I think of that. It's complete BS that guys get "hurt" when in reality they are just sucking. However, just to be nice, I'm giving Woody the benefit of the doubt. I will continue to believe he can turn it around, and that he has just ben hampered by the hip flexor, until he comes back from the injury. I hope that the Angels are telling the truth, and that he comes back better than we've seen.

The Angels only got 3 hits in the game last night, only putting two baserunners on the paths in the first seven innings of play. Partly that was the doing of Beenie Cecil, and partly it was the result of a lackluster offense. A .248 team batting average may be good enough for 7th in the AL, but it sure isn't good enough to grab a win against Cecil and the Jays.

You know who went 0 for 4 last night? Well, three different hitters did. But, I'm specifically talking about our dear leadoff hitter Erick Aybar. Oh, Erick. Everyone, including this guy typing right now believed that you would be able to replace Figgins as our speedy leadoff threat. Well, 47 games into things, we're getting a little nervous that we may have been wrong. Hitting .240 in 45 games on top of the lineup really doesn't look good. How about that OBP? .305 would be a nice average for a leadoff guy, but it certainly isn't a great OBP. Only 26 runs, just 6 steals, and getting caught stealing 5 times? Again, really poor start to the season.

Out of all 13 AL batters who have led off this season with at least 100 PAs, Erick Aybar is #12 in batting average and dead last in OBP. Please, we've been through this before. We need a leadoff solution. Do we have any options? What should we do??? Well, since the LSF is a solution machine for their team's problems, here is the answer:

Maicer Izturis.

To be honest, the Halos probably would have already moved to this option if he wouldn't have been hurt. However, all rumors are pointing to a Ma$e return later this week, and the LA Times is reporting that their are rumors that he'll play 4-5 games per day once he's back, mixing it up at 3B, SS, and 2B. To be honest, I think you can leave HK at second, and have Maicer rotate between replacing Aybar and the Wood/Frandsen combo at third. But, if you're smart, you'll always have Izzy at the leadoff spot, putting Aybar either at second or ninth in the order. You can't let Frandsen continue to hit .389 in the 9 hole, or expect Wood to produce "huge" numbers out of that bottom spot, and with HK settling into the two role, I think EA goes to 9 when Ma$e goes 1. Izzy has a .362 OBP this season, and he's the man to start the fire and set the table. 

Sorry Aybar. Problem solved.

Tonight, my 21-26 Angels, now 5 back of the Rangers, go in the second game against the Jays. Ervin Santana (3-3, 3.75) will try to replicate his last duel with Ricky Romero (4-1, 2.71). Romero gave up one run over eight innings, but was beat by a slightly better Ervin, who was one strike away from a complete game shutout (a bomb by Lind ending that). Erv has held an 1.38 ERA in his last 2 outings, and hopes that he can keep it rolling along. The latest ESPN preview says that there is an outside shot that Ma$e could come back to the lineup, which would give my boys a chance to try my leadoff solution, and hopefully do well enough to disappoint Ricky Romero's family and friends who are coming to the stadium to cheer him on. 

Revenge, Andrew.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

'010 LSF Supreme Tournament of Suffering: Part One.

Colbert reference appreciated? Maybe. Well, I've decided that we need a new tradition here at TLSF, and I've come up with th idea of "Memorial Day Madness." A knock down drag out tournament of suffering. You are here for the first annual "LSF Supreme Tournament of Suffering." This is the first of a multi-post multi-author (hopefully) tournament to determine which team featured on the LSF will be the champions of suffering here in 2010. Hopefully this will become a Memorial Day-ish tradition looked upon with more excitment than hot dogs!

What we've done with the First Annual Supreme Tournament of Suffering is break the teams covered on the LSF into three brackets and seeded each team within the bracket based on the amount of time it has been since they've tasted a title. This year's three brackets are:

1. The Football Bracket (featuring pig skin football and soccer)
2. The Alumni Bracket (feautring our most beloved centers of academia)
3. The All-American Bracket (which is funny because it includes the Blue Jays).

We will be sending teams at each other head to head to work our way down to one eventual "Supreme Champion of Suffering" when it is all said and done (hopefully some time around Memorial Day). The victories will be based on anecdotal evidence showing how much a team and their fan base have been suffering both historically and recently. The evidence will be submitted by the various LSF authors and by comments added by our loyal readers (pretty much just the authors...pretty much just me), and we will reseed after each round. Top seeded teams may end up getting a bye to help even the number of squads out (see Chicago as an example in the All American bracket, even though they have no chance of advacing. Keep in mind teams are seeded based on suffering, so the teams furthest away from a title are ranked higher than recent winners. Does this make any sense?

So, please to enjoy the seedings and opening round matchups in each bracket:

The Football Bracket (seedings)-

1. Newcastle United
2. Everton
3. San Francisco 49'ers
4. St. Louis Rams
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. Chivas USA
7. Celtic FC
8. Manchester United
9. Rangers FC
10. Chelsea FC

The Alumni Bracket (seedings)-
1. Wake Forest
2. Rice 
3. Providence
4. Notre Dame
5. Fountain Valley HS
6. UCLA
7. USC
8. Johns Hopkins University
9. UC Santa Barbara
10. Servite HS

The All American Bracket (seedings)-
1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. LA Clippers
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Buffalo Sabres
5. LA Dodgers
6. Toronto Blue Jays
7. LAA Angels
8. Boston Celtics
9. LA Lakers

The Football Bracket (1st round)-
(1) Newcastle v (10) Chelsea FC
(2) Everton v (9) Rangers FC
(3) SF 49'ers v (8) Manchester U
(4) Rams v (7) Celtic FC
(5) Ravens v (6) Chivas USA

The Alumni Bracket (1st round)-
(1) Wake Forest v (10) Servite
(2) Rice v (9) UCSB
(3) Providence v (8) JHU
(4) Notre Dame v (7) USC
(5) FVHS v (6) UCLA

The All American Bracket (1st round)-
(1) Chicago Blackhawks (bye)
(2) Clippers v (9) Lakers
(3) Canucks v (8) Celtics
(4) Sabres v (7) Angels
(5) Dodgers v (6) Blue Jays

Plenty of great matchups to be had in this exciting new tournament. The Part Two post will feature the first round of the Football Bracket. 

So, now it's your turn to help determine the winners. Drop either a post or a comment stating why a team should win or lose in the first round based on the suffering of the team and the fan base both historically and recently. This should be fun.

The tourney is on.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Weaver just waiting out his contract now.

Vintage Angels yesterday. Our head hauncho Jered Weaver pitched 6 innings of 2 run ball with 8 punchouts, leaving the game with a 5-3 lead over St. Louis. Fernando Rodney came in for the eighth and couldn't find the strike zone, walking three and allowing the Red Birds to tie it up on a Mr. Freese 2 run hit. Then, we flew into extra innings, only to see Scot Shields get down on his knees and blow the game. The Cards stormed the field to celebrate the walk off hit by Felipe Lopez, and the Angels lost 2 out of 3 in their first interleague series of 2010.

Jered Weaver now has 4 no decisions and 6 decisions (4-2) on the year, meaning he really has had the potential to go something like 8-2 so far. Knowing Weav, he's got to be pissed. He gets pissed like "every fecking time," so I figure he's pissed now. Will we see Weav go the way of Lackey if this keeps up? His 1 year deal ends at the end of this season, and I would honestly be surprised if he doesn't decide to test the free agent waters (even if it's just to drive the price up for the Halos). He's a young big time pitcher, and he believes that more than anyone else, and the way our squad is looking, he may start wanting to look elsewhere. 

I guess it's a little early to start getting worried about that. Despite dropping to 21-25 and 4.5 games back of Texas, there were a couple of positive to take from this losing series against the Cards:

You can keep a good Pujols down: Take that, Prince Albert (WWF reference!)! Pujols went 0 for 3 on Friday, 0 for 4 on Saturday, and 0 for 3 on Sunday. I'm sure that ifyou heard that STL scored 22 runs over the weekend against the Halos, you'd bet that AP played a huge role, but nay! Nay, I say to you. Albert was Mr. 0'fer this weekend, and it made me happy.

The Kazmanian Devil actually won: Would you believe it? Kaz pitched a great game 2, going 7 innings of  run ball with 5 Ks. He's now 3-4 on the year, with a 6.09 ERA, but you have to hold out hope that this interleague win will snap him out of his funk. He earned the loss in his last 3 outings, allowing 14 runs over those 16.3 innings. So this game was a pleasant surprise.

Mike Napoli is like a Guido possessed: I know, I know. All the Napoli loving Mathis haters are ready to brow beat me like the crumb bums they are. I'll give him love for his recent play, because I'm that kind of guy. Friday, Naps went 2 for 3 with a 2 run bomb. Saturday, Mr. Linguini went 1 for 5 with another 2 run ding dong. Then yesterday, the Ravioli Kid went 3 for 4 with a 3 run jack-rabbit. Mathis who? At .259 with 6 home runs and 16 RBI, Napoli is quickly turning his season around. You were right, and I was wrong.

Hunt-Mo-Mats was workin' it: If Big Game, Bam Bam, and Godzirra are doing well, then usually the whole team is doing well. Hunter and Morales combined to go 3 for 7 (.429) with 2 runs scored in the opener, the trio combined to go 5 for 12 (.417) with 6 RBI and 4 runs scored in the lone weekend win, and Morales got his 10th jack of the year on Sunday, with Hunter scoring a run as well. Matsui, of course, is getting rested thanks to the lack of a DH, but that was a pretty nice weekend for the middle of the order.

Despite all the positives, our 3-4 road trip wasn't all that great. Now we get to travel back to beautiful Orange County to engage in a bitter LSF rivalry series, as the Boo Jays fly into town. Sadly, the Jays are 26-20 and playing some decent ball. All the Maple Leaf fun ends tonight, though, as Joe Saunders (3-5, 4.42, and inventor of the KFC "Double Down") looks to continue his magical turnaround against Brett "Beany and" Cecil (3-2, 4.98). Joey Joe Joe is 2-0 with a 0.81 ERA over his last three starts, and his outing against the Jays was the only good thing to happen to him in the month of April (8 innings pitched with zero earned runs). Meanwhile, it's Cecil's first time going against the Red Hats, and while he's backed by a potent Jay offense (they put up 23 runs over the weekend), LSF predictions have him going down hard tonight.

Game on, Do.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Saunders shines, Register gives trade ideas.

What a game in the Windy City last night. Who would have bet Joey Joe Joe would have kept his good vibe alive?I'll be the first to admit that I surely didn't. Saunders follow up his complete game shutout against the A's with a 7.67 inning effort, allowing just 4 hits and 1 run, while punching out 4. He may not have been on the top of his game, but he sure pitched well. He was pissed in a Lackey-esque manner when he got the hook, but I guess it had to be. Fernando Rodney came back from vacation to get an easy punchout, and the Brian Fuentes and his mustache earned the save despite giving up a big jack to Paul Konerko (who is some kind of homerun machine these days). Tito survived what would have been a murder in the press, and the Angels walked away with a nice 3-2 win. 

It was Big Game Hunter, trying to respond to my previous post about finding our offensive leader, who ripped his third homerun in as many games, nailing a two run job to give us our push. The third run was scored with some solid baserunning leading to an error and a run. Napoli's speed is something to be feared! Notable notes from the game include the 0'fer nights from Aybar, HK, K-Mo, Brandon Wood, and Godzilla. Wood's highlight came when he was up on a count 3-0 and was somehow able to work himself a strikeout. The Halos were really able to squeak this one out, managing their three runs on just three hits. That won't do it every night, but it worked last night.

At 19-23, we're still 4.5 back of Texas, 1.5 back of the A's, and 4 up on the 2010 AL West Champs from Seattle. ESPN is so stupid. Game two of our second two game series this week kicks off in 3+ hours with El Rosario (2-3, 4.25) battling former Friar Jake Peavy (3-2, 5.37). Peavy is 3-0 in May after a slow start, so Erv better be on his game.

This time of year, and with this kind of record, we start getting into the idea of various trade rumors. Who better to give us such an article than the morons at the OC Register? This time it's Sam Miller and Dan Woike providing the dribble, and it makes no sense. For starters, the "article" is a back-and-forth conversation between the two beat writers. They argue about their best ideas for Angel deadline acquisitions to help this team win it all. Shall we disect a few?

Bobby Jenks (White Sox): The article argues that Brian Fuentes needs t be removed from the closer role, and the Halos should trade for Jenks, who was recently dumped from his team's closer role. Two issues with this one- 1) Bobby Jenks was an Angel. He came up in the system, and it would be weird after letting him go, if we gave up something to get him back and 2) I hate the idea that Fuentes needs to be dumped from the closer role. He already has 5 saves, his K/9 is still at 10, and he's still good. Get back to me at the end of the season and let me know how you like him. Besides, we'd clearly replace Fuentes with a closer from within (Rodney) if we did it. Which we won't.

Carlos Beltran (Mets): Really? Do we need an injury prone, old, overpaid outfielder to add to the lineup? This must be a joke, right guys?

Miguel Tejada (O's): Another injury magnet, adding up the birthdays (both reported and not reported) this doesn't seem like a good option either. Of course, Brandon Wood's failings make all "real" fans around Halo Nation yearn for a 3B deal. But Tejada? This has been one of those Paul Konerko type rumors for Angel fans. It just kind of floats around out there forever. We're not getting Tejada. If Woody gets blasted back to AAA, we'll be seeing Izzy back from the DL and hitting 2nd.

Hunter Pence (Astros): .255/.270 for a BA/OBP line, and this is who we should trade for? They even make the comment that we'd "have to give up quite a bit to get him." Then they go on to say he's an upgrade over Juan Rivera and Bobby Abreu. Um, can you prove it with the numbers? JR is hitting .252 with 5 jacks and 17 RBI. Abreu is hitting .271 with a grip of walks and a .352 OBP. And don't talk about age. We have Terry Evans and Peter Bourjos waiting in the wings in Salt Lake, ready to be the next big thing in the OF.

David DeJesus (Royals): They comment, "He's versatile, like Reggie Willits." So now you guys want us to trade players to pick up a glorified Reggie Willits, especially when his contract expires after this year. Give me a break. He's hitting .268 with 14 RBI and 2 stolen bases this year, and you think HE'S the guy to carry us forward. What do you give up for a lifetime .285 hitter with little power? Nothing, in my opinion. We don't need OF help. 

Grady Sizemore (Indians): Talk about a player who has collapsed off of his previous lofty pedestal. First off, we have Torii Hunter playing centerfield and don't need another GMJ type situation. Secondly, he's hitting .211 this year. Is this really a suggestion by these morons? I don't even need to address it more than that. 

Will Ohman (O's): The former Dodger has shutout the competition in 22 games this year, which is impressive to say the least. Especially considering allowing 10 walks and 9 hits over his 13.67 IP. That's a WHIP of 1.24. I know our bullpen needs help, but we have tons of guys who can't let 1 and 1/4 players reach base every inning, and then get help from other relievers to get out of jams. If he was a free agent for cheap, I'd say that's fine, but to actually trade for Ohman would be silly.

Juan Uribe (Giants): A soon to be 31 year old infielder with a career BA of .257? I agree that he's been resurgent with 24 RBI this season, but he also strikes out once in every five ABs. An older, slightly more contact making, Brandon Wood? I'll pass, my friends. 

Roy Oswalt (Astros): Man, this just keeps getting better and better. A highly paid righty starter with a 2-5 record this season? He's already punched out 52, but I'm pretty sure that the Angels aren't interested in adding a huge amount of money on the rotation, when they already feel they have 5 guys who should do well. Kaz may not be coming through, but blowing money (and players) on Oswalt would A) be a huge mistake and B) not be something the Angels would do.

So, I think I dispelled all the great trade ideas presented by the crumb bums from the Register. I hope you keep in mind that I'm generally against trades (I like to bring up the youth) and I generally disagree with anything the "real" media has to say about the Angels. That being said, I hope you think I'm right over these Register "experts."

Enjoy today's game. Let's get the short sweep!

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Tito's 'stache, another loss, and an offensive leader.

What was with Brian Fuentes' cookie duster last night? If he was driving around in Arizona and got pulled over, they'd ask for his papers. If you met him and guessed his occupation, you'd definitely say "cop." I guess I shouldn't call the soup strainer into question, since he pitched a perfect "just for fun" eighth inning. He, and his lip tickler, kept us in the game. In honor of his new found face furnitue, here is a list of a couple more nicknames:

Lip spinach
Muzzy
Misplaced eyebrow
Face Fungus
Nose Neighbour
Dr. Fuzzenstein
Ye ol' pushbroom

If you have a fav, you can leave it in the comments (I enjoy "Face Furniture," personally).

Now about that game last night; how many of us thought that we were in the clear up 7-3 after the top of the fifth. We were raking the ball, Weaver seemed to be pitching well enough to win. What happened?! Well, what happened is that a Torii 2 run jack, a JR 2 run jack, a 2 RBI night for El Comedulce, and a game where the offense only left 4 runners on base has gone to waste. Weaver allowed a Michael Young 2 run bomb in the 3rd before giving up a giant solo shot to Vladdy. In the 5th, Kinsler hit a 2 run bomb, and two more runners reached the bases before Weaver left. Bozo Bell gave up a deep 2 run double, charged to Weaver, and the rest is history. You get spotted a 7, and it all falls apart? Give me a break. Tough loss to take.

Now, after getting killed in this mini-series, we're 18-23 and an ever increasing 4.5 games back of the Rangers. Right after to loss, the Halos hopped on Jet Blue and traveled to Chicago while watching the pathetic highlights via DirecTV. This afternoon, we go head to head with the equally pathetic 16-22 White Sox. The Sox have won just 8 of their last 19, none of which are consecutive wins, and their going for consecutive wins tonight. John Danks (3-2, 2.25) is on the mound looking to avoid his third straight loss after a happy-fun-time start against Joey Joe Joe Saunders (2-5, 4.96, and a Simpsons reference). Big Joe Saundo hurled a complete game shutout to beat Dallas Braden in his last start, and we would all be happy to see his turnaround continue. Saunders is undefeated at US Cellular Field, holding down a 1.66 ERA. 

At this point in the year, can we separate the men from the boys and decide who is the offense leader of this club? Let's separate (based on yesterday's starters):

Definitely not the leader:

Aybar: .236/1/5 is no way for a leadoff man to be performing. Just to be nice, I'll point out his OBP of .306, but that's 12th on the team. Rough.

Wood: It would be nice, but he idea is laugable. Woody is still down in the dumps at .167/2/7. He has 19 hits this season, and 34 strikeout. I'm starting to lose hope here, buddy.

Napoli: .226/3/9 is just not what Napoli lovers have come to expect from the Italian Stallion. Most of his jacks have recently started rolling around, but he is clearly not anywhere close to being our offensive leader.

Matsui: Now here's a guy who seemed like the leader of the club early on. Remember back in the day when he was slugging? Good times. Now, Godzilla is going at .229/5/19. .229?!? What happened? Really, where did your bat go, and why did we have to come to Arlington and watch who we could have at DH doing so well? 

Maybe, could be, the leader:

JR: Good ol' JR is hitting .250/5/17, and while he has the stuff to be our offensive leader, he's not doing it quite yet. His 2 run bomb yesterday certainly inspired me.

Abreu: El Comedulce had surviveda little lineup shuffle lately, and is hitting .275/5/19. He is definitely the leader of working a count, which makes him a popular choice. His .349 OBP is tops among regular starters, and he leads the team in runs.

A good shot at being the leader:

Kendrick: I obviously lean this way, just because HK-47 is my favorite current player on the squad. He's hitting .281/2/19, off the BA lead by .001, and he could be leading again by tonight. He's a rake machine, and since he's been moved up to the 2 spot, he's been a table setter. I've been enjoying it.

Morales: Bam Bam has been just that, leading the Angels with his 9 HR and 29 RBI. Add to that his .277 BA and his .794 OPS, and you have yourself the credentials of a boneafied leader around these parts.

Hunter: Big Game is the obvious choice. He leads the team with his .282 batting average, and has contributed 6 jacks and 24 RBI. His OPS is a staggering .848 and 19 of his 40 hits have gone for extra bases. That's a pretty good resumé.

So there you haveyour options. Take your pick. I'm going with a tie between Hunter and Mo Mo.

Good luck tonight, boys.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Kaz's longest outing ends in loss.

One bad inning is all it took to take care of The Kazmanian Devil and his Halos last night in Arlington. A four run third inning cooked our goose. Some in Halo Nation are blaming the thick post-thunderstorm air for keeping our game winning homeruns in the park, but give me a break (specifically ESPN LA's "Angel Insider"). Seriously, give me a break. It was a total collapse of an inning, as far as the Angels are concerned, that cost us the game (that, and another nice outing by a Texas rookie). The third inning featured errors, infield hits, defensive lapses allowing runners to advance, and timely hitting for Texas. UCSB's Michael Young sac flied to start things, followed by a Kinsler RBI double and a Cruz two run double. There's a hit by Vlad mixed in there.

In case you're keeping score at home:

Hidek Matsui: 0 for 4, K

Vlad Guerrero: 2 for 4, R

T-Hunt and Naps went yard to keep us in it, which kind of kills the "heavy air" theory, but in the end it was another loss, 3-4 to Texas. Not a single Halo had a multi hit game, we left 5 on base, our 1 and 2 hitters went 0'fer, and we committed 2 errors. That would seem to sum up why we lost prett wel, eh? Don't forget the positives, though: Brandon Wood got a hit (.171), Scottie 2 Hottie had a no hit inning in relief, Napoli surged with 2 RBI, and Darren Oliver was stellar with 2 perfect innings out of the 'pen. Oh wait, DO plays for the Rangers. Damn.

The issue to explore today is rivalry. With the loss yesterday, the "r" word is buzzing around Halo Nation. Have we entered into a rivalry with Texas, or are they actually our friendliest team in the division? Let's explore my feelings, team-by-team, and let you make the all:

Seattle: 1995. October 2, 1995 to be more exact. All "real" Angels fans look to this season as maybe the most heartbreaking season in franchise history. Sure you have the multiple playoff losses to the Red Sox, the Donnie Moore game and aftermath, and the Josh Paul dropped third strike against the White Sox, but 1995 was like nothing else. The Angels had an 11 game lead in the division and squandered it. It all came down to a one game playoff to decide the postseason participant. Mark Langston fell to Randy Johnson that day, marking the end of one of the worst collapses in MLB history. Since that game, and that season for that matter, the Angels and M's have been in a heated rivalry. The M's getting Ichiro on boar seemed to renew the fire in Angel fans. I, personally, was also crushed when Jarod Washburn left and made Seattle his new home. The stealing of Chone Figgins and acquisition of Casey Kotchman only makes the rivalry more current, but it all goes back to 1995, a year that Angel fans hold in their hearts to remind them to never sit back and relax with a division lead.

Oakland: The A's are our natural rivals, being the AL team from Nor Cal, and are the team I most despise in the division. Has there ever been two teams more closely matched in all of baseball. The Angels and A's seem to play out 1 run games constantly, and their franchise scores against each other are within 5 runs. There is very few things more hate inspiring than the A's fans being all stuck up about "Moneyball," and the amazing talent that their GM seems to pull out of nowhere. How has that worked in the playoffs? Better yet, how is that working out this season? So what if Dallas Braden pitches a perfect game, we beat him 5 days later. You sign Kouzmanoff to play 3B, and you think you're cool? It makes the rivalry even worse that my current most hated A, Kurt Suzuki, went to CSFU. Everytime we meet these crumb bums we have to hear an interview with Kurt about coming back to the OC. Ahhhhh! I hate the A's.

Rangers: Hm. Nolan Ryan? Darren Oliver? Vladdy? ESPN LA's Mark Saxon is saying that this is THE rivalry in the division because the Rangers are in the spot that the Halos feel rightfully belongs to them. The Rangers won 9 of their first 12 meetings last year, inspiring the hate of Halo Nation. I didn't notice. I thought the feeling around Halo Nation was, "Don't worry, the Rangers will collapse soon enough." Guess what? They did! No offense to the doomsayers around Los Angeles of Anaheim this year, but I feel the same way yet again. The Angels will find their skills and right the ship, Vlad and the Rangers pitching will come back down to Earth (Sorry, Mr. Holland), and the Angels will surpass their "rivals" from Arlington. Whatever.

I think I made a pretty clear case that te Rangers are the anti-rivals for the Angels in the AL West, but you can be the judge (drop a comment, pal). Rivals or not, the series between the 18-22 Angels (3.5 GB) and the 21-18 Rangers continues this afternoon. Big Baby Weaver (4-2, 2.47) prays for good defense and timely hitting against CJ Wilson (3-1, 1.48). Weaver has a superior WHIP by 0.03, so I'm confident we'll get this series split. 

The official count on this version of the Brandon/Andrew/J post strike is 126. A record?

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Weekly football post #69.

The WFP used to be something of an institution around these parts. Then it became an institution on the LSF Twitter feed. Then it just kind of vanished, and more team specific soccer info was getting leaked out via the LSF Tweets. Now, I feel like talking WFP again. Despite, most likely, not coming back in it's weekly form, I'm keeping the title because it makes me laugh to have "weekly" in the title and just have it come randomly. So, whenever I get the urge to write about soccer, you'll get the WFP thrown up in your face like a horse stable. With the Euro leagues ending, the MLS starting, and the World Cup on the horizon, we need some updates!

Newcastle United: If you follow the blog, you know how sweet the ECL season was to NUFC. Earning promotion after just one season on the juinor circuit is pretty spot on. The Mags finished with 102 points in their 46 games, earning a +55 goal differential (which, I figured Brandon would like; props on the double for the Blue, by the way). An 11 point lead atop the table has most fans feeling oddly confident about a near the middle finish in the EPL next season. Kevin Nolan was the Tooner with the golden foot over the season, getting 17 goals and 5 assists over 44 games he played in. He earned ECL Player of the Year honors, and looks to play a prominent role in the '10/'11 campaign with the big boys. The Toon Army never lost at home this season, and that spells big things. Manager Chris Hughton, though, won't be bank rolled just for being promoted. No extra cash will come down, and our eager beaver manager will have to draw strength from within. Let's hope he can.

Celtic: My favorite Scots, the Sligo side, went down in second place for the second year in a row in the SPL. Despite 6 straight wins to close out the hear, including on against Rangers, my boys finished 6 points back of the hated Protties in the table. 81 points and a +36 goal differential wasn't enough to secure the trophy this time around. Robbie Keane ended up fitting it perfectly as our Irish savior, netting 12 goals and 3 assists in his 16 games after getting transferred. Now, with Celtic poised to get revenge in the SPL in '10/'11, the hunt for a new manager is on. Will Neil Lennon shake the interim role and stick around, or will former Ranger Billy Davies be giving a pass and a chance? I'm just waiting for redemption.

Lazio: A 12th place finish for Lazio wasn't great, but at least we're still Serie A. 46 points in 38 games with a -4 goal differential sounds like what got Newcastle relegated back in late '09. This year, it was Sergio Floccari's 8 goals and 2 assists that led the team. Pathetic. 8 goals leads the team? Our manager came out in the media last week and said he was "pleased" that the squad avoided relegation. That is a pretty low bar to set for the team that sports fans from most of the priests at the Vatican, right? F. At least we stole a 3-1 win from a 10 man Udinese this weekend to end things on a high note. What's up with Tommaso Rocchi's poor play?

Sligo Rovers: The Bit 'O Red's season rolls along more with the MLS schedule, and my boys from Sligo are holding down 16 points from their first 13 games with a +5 goal differential, good enough for 7th on the table. Coming off an amazing 6-0 drubbing of Drogheda United this weekend, with a hat trick from Amond, Sligo are feeling good things coming down the pipeline this year, after an exciting finish last season. First place Dundalk present a challenge on Friday.

Chivas de Guadalajara: My Mexican Goat side nabbed 32 points in 17 games to lead group 1 of the FMF this campaign. That was better than América's second place 25 point finish in group 2. Ha! Arriba las Chivas! Now, the Red & White are going head to head with Libertad, as they march through the Copa Libertados. Chivas are up 3-0 on aggs heading into the second game. This squad is like night and day since last tournament, with Superman Javier Hernández Balcazar continuing to shine with 10 goals and 2 assists in 11 games. March on, Guada!

Chivas USA: Finally, we reach the young MLS season, where our beloved Goats are not starting out so well. After falling 0-1 to Columbus this weekend, Chivas are dead last in the West with just 10 points in 9 games and a -2 goal differential. Meanwhile, the hated Galaxy have 23 points in their 9 and are flying high (un-freaking-defeated). Jesús Padilla Cisneros is leading the squad with 3 goals in the young season, but without our studs there to shine, we're nothing. Braun, Kljestan, and Chijindu have 4 goals between the three of them, and that's not good enough. ZTB hasn't earned a win between the pipes, either. Who is this squad?

There you go. You're all caught up on the beautiful game. 

The World Cup starts June 11 with South Africa and Mexico, and the US starts on June 12 against the Lobsterbacks from England. I think that we'll have some great coverage here at TLSF, and I hope you'll enjoy it.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Los Halos de barrer a Los Atléticos.

That's right, my fellow AP Spanish 5 alumni; the Angels came away with a huge series sweep over the hated Oakland A's this weekend. The three wins seem to have totally turned the feeling around among the citizens of Halo Nation, as the pitching was strong, the bats were mighty, and the Red Hats were winning. A Toronto sweep of the Rangers (thank you, Andrew) added to the weekend joy, as the 18-21 Angels are now just 2.5 games back of the AL West lead. We are so lucky our division sucks.

Here are the reasons why I think this series will be seen as the turning point in the Angels season when it is all said and done:

1. The Angels outscored the A's 20-3 over the three game set. The offense was explosive in game 2, with Kendry Morales leading the charge with two jacks and a 5 RBI evening. He finished with 6 runs batted in in the series. The pitching was on point as well, getting a complete game shutout from La Piñata yesterday (9 IP, 4 H, 5 K) and a complete game shutout on Friday from the revitalized Joe Saunders (9 IP, 4 H, 6 K). That's not even taking Ervin's Saturday night into account 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 K). Good stuff all around.

2. The bullpen got some much needed rest. The starters have always been the part of the team that was supposed to carry us to victory, and this weekend they did just that. The only bullpen effort was on Saturday, when Bozo Bell and Bobby Cassevah combined for 3 innings of shutout ball. Letting the most suspect part of our squad take the weekend off is bound to help us in the upcoming non-stop week of ball.

3. Howie Kendrick hitting second works again! My boy has been moved up to the 2 hole, and is working it out. Despite going 0 for 3 on Friday, HK went 1 for 5 with an RBI on Saturday and 3 for 4 with an RBI on Sunday. Add to that some sparkling middle infield defense (showing some ultra-range on a play yesterday), and you've got a solid 2B. He's really helping out with Aybar still struggling at the top (.236).

4. It's a confidence booster beating your rival. There is rarely a better feeling than smashing the A's. Maybe beating NYY or BOS in the playoffs, but as far as the regular season goes, it's all about beating up on Oakland. When you are down in the dumps, the Angels were 3-9 in May before the sweep, this kind of all around good series can shift your whole season. This upcoming week will be a way to see if it really is going to have that impact. I sure hope so, because you don't want to be sub-.500 into June.

Now, we've got a crazy week ahead. Things start tonight against "The Best in the West," from Arlington. We play a quick two game set with Los Guardaparques before getting another quick two games against the struggling White Sox. The weekend finishes up the seven day run against the Cardinals, as Interleague Play gets under way. The next day off is May 27th for the Angels, which is fun for the fans, but taxing on the players.

Keeping with the present, though, we see if the recent turnaround will continue, as Scott Kazmir (2-3, 6.82) keeps his fingers crossed against Derek Holland (1-0, 0.00). The rookie, Holland, held the A's to 6 scoreless innings in his debut, and looks to be the Rangers stopper. Meanwhile, rumors are swirling that Kaz may be pitching for his big league life this afternoon. Pitch well and you'll be back on the mound at Busch Stadium in 5 days. Pitch poorly, and you'll be wearing the Yellow & Black of the SLC Bees as early as tomorrow.

Texas may have lost their last 3, but thet have the not-so-secret weapon of Vlad Guerrero ready to prove his former team wrong. The Impaler is hitting .336/7/31. Now blink, rub your eyes, and read that again. Our "Vladdy Replacement Player," Hideki Matsui, is hitting .241/5/19. Please don't point out that we're paying Godzilla $6 million, while the Rangers are paying Vlad a cool $5.5 million. Paying $500,000 less, and getting .095/2/12 more sounds like a good deal. Good grief.

So, let's go Kazmir. I believe the expression is, "Don't be a didn't."

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Who dat: Angels edition.

If you're like me, you've been neglecting baseball a little bit because of the thrilling hockey postseason. But, now that the Canucks have bowed out to the hated Blackhawks, I'm able to focus most of my sports attention to Los Halos (I save about 10 percent for the C's and there potential upset of the Cavs). With last night's 3-4 loss to the Rays, despite Jered Weaver's career high 12 K gem, my Angels are 15-21 and 5.5 games back of division leading Texas. One thing I've been noticing lately is that a couple of the players gracing the lineup card these days aren't so well known. So, that inspired me to do a new feature called "Who Dat?!" Angels edition.

Trevor Bell: Most probably remember Bell from last season. He earned the nickname "Bozo" Bell around this blog because his grandfather was the original Bozo the Clown back on WGN in Chicago. Bell made his MLB debute in August on '09, going 5.3 innings of 4 run ball against the Rays (no decision). This year he replaced Quinny on the roster and has allowed 2 runs in 1.3 innings (13.50 ERA). We're always wondering if he'll live up to the hype.

Bobby Cassevah: A 34th round pick in 2004, BC has worked his way up through the Angels organization. He had a 3.68 ERA in 57 relief outing for AA Arkansas, was drafted in the Rule 5 by the A's in 2009, and then given back to us on the Ides of March 2010. Welcome back, Bobby. So far, in 6.3 innings pitched he's allowed 7 runs (7.11), with 6 Ks. Sad to see you go, Quinny. Andrew was right: the extra B is for Bees.

Ryan Budde: A lot of Angel fans will remember Budde for a walk off double he nailed in 2007 against the Yankees in the 10th inning. He's been with the Halos since 2001, not counting a brief tour with the Phils thanks to Rule 5 again, and has career numbers of .167/1/4 over 30 games. This year, however, he's clubbing .444/1/3 with Mathis on the DL. While he may not be best friends with J Weav after 2 passed balls yesterday, he's still starting off well.

Kevin Frandsen: Born in Los Gatos, Franny is a former SF Giant who went to the Servite of San Jose (Bellarmine Prep) and played a little in the bigs before rupturing his Achille's. He was then sent to the Red Sox, who released him on April 28 of this year, leading to the Halos getting him off waivers the very next day. The San Jose State grad replaced the injured Izzy (off to the DL) and is already 3 for 6 on the Angels (1 walk and 0 Ks). He's a true second baseman shifting to third and he's even been playing in place of Brandon Wood. Uh oh. 

Michael Ryan: Drafted in the 5th round of the '96 draft by the Twins, our "elder" outfielder (33 in July) was signed this February and given a Spring Training invite. So far, this year, he's 2 for 8 (.250) with 1 double and absolutely no other stats. No offense, but shouldn't Terry Evans be up? I mean, you an even ask Michael!

So, the next time you are watching a game with some "real fans" and one of the aforementioned players gets in the game, be sure to thank the LSF for giving you the 411 on the lesser knowns on the 25 man roster.

If we can win the weekend series with the A's, I will easily forget the poor start.

Go Angels Go.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

The 2010/2011 offseason preview.

Just like that, we're already getting focused on what the Canucks are going to do to prepare for their next attempted Cup run. It is really a time honored tradition that helps fans get over the heartache of a premature playoff exit. So, let's get down to business!

Still under contract:

G- Roberto Luongo

D- Kevin Bieksa, Sami Salo, Alex Edler, Christian Ehrhoff, and Andrew Alberts.

LW- Daniel Sedin, Michael Grabner, and Darcy Hordichuk.

C- Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler, and Rick Rypien.

RW- Mikael Samuelsson, Alex Burrows, and Steve Bernier.

Restricted free agents (Canucks can match offers from other teams):

G- Cory Schneider

D- Shane O'Brien and Aaron Rome

F- Ma$on Raymond, Tanner Glass, Jannik Hansen

Unrestricted free agents (free to fly away):

G- Andrew Raycroft

D- Willie Mitchell

F- Pavol Demitra, Kyle Wellwood, and Ryan Johnson.

A couple of things stand out when looking at the three categories:

1) We only have one goalie again.

2) We only have 3 lines worth of forwards.

3) We only have 5 defensive players, and really only 4 who deserve to be on the ice this October.

4) Raymond, O'Brien, and Schneider are most likely to be matched and kept around from the restricted category, with Jannik Hansen as a hopeful.

5) Will the Canucks sign any of their unrestricted free agents? Demitra was all injured and has become a scapegoat, Welly has always only had me as a fan due to his size and poor defense, Mitchell may be done with hockey due to his age and concussion history, and Raycroft is likely to be the next in a long line of one year backup goalies. But, can we possibly let the shot blocking heart of Ryan Johnson walk away? I hope not.

My best guess would be that Schneider gets to backup Bobby Lu next year. Partly to save cash and partly because he's shown he's ready. Mason Raymond is in for a big pay day, because the 'Nucks will not let him walk. O'Brien is probably going to be back by default, but his discipline continues to be a concern. And, I hope Jannik "Great Dane" Hansen is brought back, because I believe his upside flies above what we saw this year. Despite really liking Wellwood, I'm sure that he and Po Po will be off to another squad after they botched the power play late in Game 6 that led to the "nail in the coffin" goal against the Hawks. Rayzor is definitely gone because we can grab a backup if we need to pretty easily. I'll go out on a limb and say Gillis will offer Ryan Johnson another spin on the Orca wheel.

'10/'11 should also be an opportunity for some young guns to get a chance. Will it finally be the year when Hodgson gets on the ice. Will Shirokov come back and impress like he did last preseason? So many exciting question to be answered before October. As for now, here is my projected Vannie lineup for next year's opening day, barring any trades/outside the org signings:

G- Luongo & Schneider

D 1- Salo & Ehrhoff
D 2- Bieksa & Edler
D 3- O'Brien & Alberts (ugh)

F 1- Sedin, Sedin, Burrows
F 2- Raymond, Kesler, Samuelsson
F 3- Grabner, Hodgson, Bernier
F 4- Hordichuk, Rypein, Hansen

Sounds like fun. Let's get to it.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

The 2010 Canucks playoff exit post.

Another in a long line of the most difficult posts to make. Thanks to being a fan of the 'Nucks, though, I'm getting kind of used to it. There really isn't much need to delve into a recap of last night's match, so instead I will quickly make a couple of points and then talk about how you still love and support your team even in hard times.

It was a 5-1 final in Game 6 of the 'Nucks/Hawks series, eliminating the Orca, and sending the Hawks into an exciting Western Finals match up with San Jose. I was in San Jose this weekend, by the way, and the town is buzzing with hockey excitment. Here is what I think after letting the frustration settle down over the last 12 or so hours:

-- This was so like the Canucks: Memories of last year, first and foremost, but now my boys have been eliminated in the second round 3 out of the last 4 years. In fact, my boys haven't advance past the Western Conference Semifinals since 1994, when A) I became a fan thanks to my cousin and B) The Canucks lost to the Rangers in the Stanley Cup Finals. Same song, different year.

-- This was so not like the Canucks: Going 0-3 at home in the series, and winning 2 out of 3 on the road is really bizarre for this team. Even more unlike this team was the complete lack of keeping their heads on straight. I have never seen the 'Nucks play less disciplined hockey. Cross checks where you're breaking your stick across another player after the whistle? Come on guys.

-- But, the defense was all busted up: I guess this would be excuse #1, if I was that kind of guy. Big Willie style was obviously gone after missing a lot of the season, Sami Salo played last night despite getting a reptured testicle in Game 5, and Alex Edler went down on a dirty hit in the first period. We were playing with a patchwork blue line all series long, and it was clearly exposed by the grip of breakaways Chicago had all night/series long.

-- Luongo let 'em in, and let 'em in, and let 'em in: Look, I'm not a goalie blaming guy. However, it was obvious that our Captain was off his game after the first period. Luongo was standing on his head in the first period, giving the Canucks faithful hope that he'd take us by the hand and single handidly lead us to Game 7. He broke down, though, and here we are eliminated. 

-- The shortie broke my spirits: Down 0-2 late in the second, the Vannied got a power play for a high stick. All of the sudden, my sullen attitude was lifted. Then, at 19:15 of the middle frame, Dave "Canuck Killer" Bolland got the puck away from a moronic Demitra-Wellwood exchange and broke in alone on Lu, scoring the heart breaking shorthanded goal. In my opinion, that was the end of the game. It hurt.

Whatever. We march on. Canucks fans have high hopes and high expectations for this team, year in and year out. While we failed to meet those goals this year, I'm still proud of my boys. We suffered through "The Road Trip From Hell," and came out on top. We produced the leading scorer in the entire NHL, and (in my opinion) had one of the most successful seasons in recent memory. So, hold your heads high, Canuckleheads. Be proud of your boys...and root for the Sharks.

Best of luck, J. You are the LSF's only hope.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Suckfest '10: Angels v Dodgers.

It has officially been 114 days since someone other than myself has posted here on TLSF, and that's a little sad. Mostly because I feel like everything coming out of me has been negative, and I feel like some LSF bloggers could have something positive to bring to the table, namely my current archrival, J. Despite the lack of "teamness" in this team blog, I press on...with another negative post.

Last night, Los Halos dropped one of the most anticipated games of the year, 1-3. As a fan, I've been waiting for "Lackey Bowl" ever since the crumb bum left for Boston and an extra $1.5 million per year. We had our chance to bust him, thanks to some strong pitching from La Piñata, but our bats (other than Brandon Wood, oddly enough) failed us when it counted. Lack went 7 innings of 1 run ball, allowing just 2 hits. It's weird that the previous sentence doesn't get followed by others about Big John leading us to victory. Instead, it's about him straight shutting us down. Despite 6 innings of 2 run ball from Joel, the offense couldn't get anything going. Kendry Morales had a single, Brandon Wood drilled his second jack of the year, and Ma$e and El Comedulce drew walks. That's it. Silence from Aybar, Hunter, Matsui, Kendrick, and Napoli. Silence that leads to a 12-17 record, 6 straight losses, and a 3 game deficit to first place Texas. Silence that now has us on the verge of getting swept in back to back series and possible starting off our 10 game roadie with 7 losses. Did anyone else notice that the Red Sox suck so far this year too? And they're just crushing us.

Luckily for the Angels, we're not the only team from the greater Los Angeles area going through a tough time. Los Doyers are helping to take some of the media spotlight off of the Angels poor start with their own bad opening to the year. The Azul are 11-16 and 5.5 games back of the division leading SF/SD combo. Coming off a 3-11 loss to the Brewers yesterday, the Dodgers are 3-7 over their last 10 games, and join in the feeling of pain from a rough April and first week of May.

So, it's time to settle the debate. As of May 6, 2010, which team sucks the most? Which fan base is going through the most suffering? Which squad is least likely to turn things around and win their division? Let's get it on:

LAA: At 17, my boys have more losses than the Dodgers.

LAD: With just 11 wins in 27 games, the Doyers have less wins than the Angels and have a 0.006 worse winning percentage.

LAA: The Angels starting third baseman is hiting a lowly .185, and they have 6 regular starters hitting below .250.

LAD: My boy Garret Anderson, who has played in some 23 odd games is hitting a pathetic .136, and 5 regular starters are hitting under .250.

LAA: The Halos are 11th out of 14 AL teams in runs scored, while the Dodgers are 4th in the NL.

LAD: The Dodgers are 13th in the NL in team ERA with a staggering 5.05.

LAA: The Angels 5.19 ERA is the absolute worst in the AL.

LAD: The Blue Crew have 1 mesely save in the entire 2010 season, which is by far the worst in the NL. By contrast, the Angels have amassed 8 saves in their 12 wins.

LAA: The Angels ground into double plays like nuts, 7th best in the AL. The Dodgers are the 2nd best at avoiding the GIDP.

LAD: At 119, Los Doyers issue the third most free passes in the National League. And their K/BB ratio is a tough to swallow 199/119. At 113, the Angels only issue the fourth most walks and have a ratio of 201/113 (that one is pretty darn close).

LAA: For a team that has always prided itself as a defensive force, being 7th in the AL in errors with 19 in 29 games.

LAD: Of course, the Azul are ranked 3rd in the NL in errors with 24. 

LAA: The Angels have fans like myself, my 4 month old son, and Bradon's friend Stephanie.

LAD: Dodger fans include Brandon, J, my cousin Daniel, and Chris Holmes.

So, who wins Suckfest '10? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Own goals, Byfuglien hatred, and a 1-2 hole.

On a night when John Lackey turned my Angels aside like a cheap crappy Cinco de Mayo Mexican take out meal (thank you, Albatross), I looked to my Mighty Canucks game 3 against the hated Chicago Blackhawks to cheer me up. Instead, I watched 60 minutes of bull shit. From an own goal by Kevin Bieksa to Enemy #1 (Dustin Byfuglien) earning a hat trick on a goal so dirty it has Pig Pen looking like fancy hotel sheets, this 2-5 Vancouver loss had everything I needed to send me straight to a bottle of Newcastle Brown looking for comfort. Of course, no comfort was to be found (even in the sub-par carne asada fries I ordered), and now I'm left wondering if this game is the game where you know the end is near, and you kind of try an make peace with the fact that this series could be over on Mother's Day. Nearly 12 hours later, here's a quick rundown of why my finger is nervously shaking near the panic button:

Top line woes continue: Much like game 2, the Sedins and Samuelsson were held without a point in this game. That partly rolls onto the next problem of the Canucks going 0 for 4 on the man advantage. Um, I'm not sure if anyone has told the Swedes, but we don't win if you guys don't step it the feck up.

Bobby Lu is like a brick wall with tennis balls being thrown at him: The rebounds were yards long after the initial saves Roberto was making last night. A couple of the goals made me just sigh because I know there was no way to make the save after the huge rebound. Easy to push a puck into a wide open net, eh? 30 saves on 35 shots, and I understand that he was jacked around with no calls, but either he needs to hang on to the saves better, or have some D back to scoop up the boards.

Have you even seen the Sedins get so physical?: I think this was a sign of just how bad the night was going. Daniel and Henrik seemed routinely to get riled up, seemingly looking for a fight. That really isn't like them, and it kind of shows how the likes of Dave Bollan are getting under their skin the last two games. The Twins are frustrated.

Get the fecking puck up on Niemi: Am I the only one who seems to notice this? Niemi seems to be an amazing keeper with pucks down low. A couple of times last night, the 'Nucks had chances where a lifted puck easily would have scored, and instead they just slid the rubber into his leg pad (cough, Daniel, cough cough). Come on, you guys are professionals, not Laguna Hills Hockey League players. Get some lift on those backhands.

Dustin Byfuglien represents everything I hate about the Chicago Blackhawks: Feck anyone who is celebrating "Bufflin's" hat trick last night as a solid offensive outing. You crumb bums put this meat head on your top line, he rushes the net and pushes Luongo into the goal with no call, and Lu (who save the puck, by the way) is left sitting in the net with the puck, and it's called a goal? Give me a fecking break. Maybe the Canucks should move Shane O'Brien to right wing on the Sedin line, and just have him body slam Niemi a couple of times right before a shot, so we can "earn" a goal. Luongo was flat laid out a couple of times last night, and the refs simply left their whistles in their panties. It was a joke, and it's been happening the last two games. Is the NHL going to actually stand up and protect our Captain, or are we just content to let the 1974 Flyers dressed up as the Hawks cheat their way to victory in this series? 

My Canucks trail 1-2 in their series, and now feature the pressure ad infinitum for Game 4 at the Garage on Friday. We tried to be more fighty in game 3, and it just turned into bad penalties and a bad night. Me thinks it's time to return to the "ignore the meat heads" style of play from Game 1 and most of Game 2, and get back to our style of the sport. The beautiful game, with beautiful Swedish scoring from beautiful Swedish twins. 

Game 4 is a game we really, really need to win.

Go Canucks Go.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Getting ready for the Lackey Bowl.

You'll have to excuse me if this post starts to ramble on because A) I didn't get much sleep last night (thank you, James) and B) My distaste for John Lackey since his bitter departure clouds my thinking at times. After last night's 1-5 loss to Boston, it isn't any easier to focus. The Angels managed to take a gem from Ervin Santana (7 innings of 1 run ball with 7 Ks), and implode all over themselves. 4 Boston runners crossed the plate in the eighth, all charged to the usually solid Kevin Jepsen. He basically walked the bases loaded before Hermida blasted a long fly ball that one hopped the monster to break the game open. Sure, we can argue about how Juan Rivera should have made the catch, but I only think people are saying that because of Torii's gold glove grab earlier in the night. Either way, we go through 7.5 innings hanging tough (even loading the bases with one out, only to see Abreu ground into a double play), and the bullpen can't hang. 5-1 loss.

Luckily, for Angel fans, we can cast this loss aside and focus on this afternoon's big battle. Sure, we're 12-16 and 2.5 games back of division leading Texas (maybe it was Vlad and Darren Oliver all along), but tonight we go against John Lackey. Ol' "Wife Puke" himself. Mr. "This is my game, Scioscia!" The Bulldog. Big John from deep in the heart of Texas. Or, as one Halo blog calls him, "Benedict Lackey." Lackey is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in his first season away from the Big A. Now, mired in a five game losing streak, we go head to head with Big John, who is top 5 is starts, innings pitched, Ks, and wins. But tonight, we're going to bash him. And in case you weren't motivated before, Lackey is talking shit.

"The way the Angels preach the game, the way you are supposed to give it up for the team, that's a little suspect. You're supposed to give it up for the team, but when the time comes, they aren't willing to give it up for you. Their track record speaks for itself. I lost so many teammates while I was there (Frankie, GA, Bengie, Percy, Glaus, etc), that I was prepared for what they do."

In the LA Times article, Lackey went on to complain about being taken out of Game 5 of the ALCS (which I also complained about), but said he doesn't really think that it influenced his decision to leave (insert fake cough while saying, "Bullshit!").

As for what Lackey said, maybe if he was really into giving his all for the team, he would have accepted the 4 year/$60 million offer the Halos tossed his way to keep him around. Increased injuries to start his previous 2 seasons made Reagins reluctant to go more that 4 years, and Lackey decided he was worth more than 15 bills a season, going to Boston for 5 years/$82.5 million. Not that much of a difference. Now, he's a #3 starter with a slight chip on his shoulder about his former team. He signed with a hated rival for an extra $1.5 million per year. We made you a legit offer, you "gave it all up for you," and you are the one who turned your back on us for 1) the money and 2) to feel like some East Coast MLB big shot. Well, now you have drunk Sox fans puking on your wife's jacket, and you're a semi-after thought on the national stage as the #3 hurlee on a sub-.500 squad. Hope you still feel happy with your choice.

Best of luck to Piñata's sinker, and the Angels bats. Can we drum up more than 1 run tonight, boys?

Predictions: Angels chase Lack from the game in the 5th with 4 runs. Bitch, please.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Drastic times call for crazy measures?

The Angels send Erv Daddy to the mound against Lester in about 30 minutes, and after last night's game, I'm not expecting a whole hell of a lot. Going down 17-8 against Boston, falling to 12-15, and seeing Joe Saunders (4 innings of 7 run ball), Matt Palmer (1.67 innings of 6 run ball), and Brian Stokes (1.3 innings of 4 run ball) suffer on the mound, made me decide it's time to suggest a crazy solution to the Angels pitching problems. After all, making crazy suggestions is what attracts people to the blog, right?

Let's start with a run down of the Halo starters and their simplest stats so far:

Jered Weaver (3-1, 3.19)

Scott Kazmir (2-1, 5.57)

Ervin Santana (1-2, 4.59)

Joel Piñero (2-3, 5.76)

Joe Saunders (1-5, 7.04)

Clearly, Weav is the "ace" on this staff. Despite being 1-2, Ervin has the most promise after that, with Kaz, Piñata, and Joe Joe rounding out the rankings. My feeling is this: Why should we watch a Major League starting pitching get jacked around severely game in and game out (Joe), when we could have an up and coming minor leaguer come up and do the same thing (or slightly better maybe) while gaining MLB experience and giving us a taste of the young talent waiting in the wings. If Howie can get sent down last year for not hitting well, why can't a pitcher (or three) get sent to SLC to "figure things out" and give a young baller a chance?

Down in SLC, our up and coming starters are looking like so:

Trevor Reckling (2-1, 4.85 in 5 starts)

Sean O'Sullivan (2-2, 4.91 in 5 starts)

Daniel Davidsn (2-0, 6.55 in 4 starts)

Trevor Bell (1-0, 2.13 in 2 starts)

That's just with taking a quick glance at AAA. We're not even delving into the lower levels, where the Halos have proven to be even more stacked on the mound this year. In low-A Cedar Rapids, Fabio Mesa pitched 5 innings of no hit ball in a game where three Kernels pitchers combined to no hit the A's affiliate (booyah!). Pil Joon Jang is the latest hit in Rancho after going 5 innings of shutout/3 hit ball in his latest outing. He's joined in the 909 by the likes of Manuarys Correa who went 7 innings of 1 run ball in his last outing to continue things. In AA Arkansas, Ryan Brasier threw a complete game no hitter last week with 3 Ks and 2 BBs. He seems to be the real deal (Angels in 2012?). Brasier is just 19 years of age. Not impressed? Read it again, it's pretty good stuff.

Back to my wacky solution. Rather than sending Joe Saunders and Joel Piñero to the DL (which you should be on the lookout for based on their recent crappy pitching, right?), I suggest we send them both down to AAA to "find their stuff again." Joe's 1-5 start is obviously cause for concern, and Piñata's slider can surely be found in the Yellow & Black of a Bees uni against some AAA bats, right. Call up two of our Bee pitchers to replace them for a couple of starts each. The most likely combo would be Sully and Bozo Bell, just based on the fact that they've been prominantly called up in the past, but maybe I'd like to see SOS and Reckling instead for now.

So, Mr. Reagins, what do you think? Do you feel like we should continue to watch Major League talent pitch like the Mission Viejo Dirt Puppies girl's softball team? Or, can we put them on a plane to Utah for 10 days and give a shot to some Minor League homies who have been doing well enough to get another chance?

Option two sounds fun.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē