Fries and Ketchup

Last week Teach unveiled our new weekly column that tries to catch up with some of the stories we missed over the past couple of days. It's our way of satiating your thirst for our thoughts on a myriad of sports news and other topics. I guess thirst would be a little strong, but here it is anyway.

DC/Baltimore Baseball

The situation in both cities is pretty depressing, as both teams combined have a dismal record of 41-79 (They both lay claim to the worst records in their respective leagues; Baltimore 25-36, Washington 16-43). For comparisons sake, the two teams from Los Angeles combine for a record of 70-51. Both teams have more in common apart from their geographical location on the East Coast. They both have owners who consistently make mistakes with their franchises. They both have/had rotations filled with names most of us don't know or would like to forget (see Daniel Cabrera). However for both teams there is some reason to look toward the future with a little optimism.

For the Nationals that optimism comes from one name and one name alone; Stephen Strasburg. The number one pick of less than a week ago, the future of pitching in baseball, the next big thing, the future of Nationals baseball. With their dismal display of baseball, their declining ticket sales, their inability to sign last years number one pick, and their lack of any progress since their arrival to the District; the Nationals will need Strasburg to be everything he is expected to be to make this franchise a success. If not, it will not be surprising to see this franchise follow the same road as the Senators of 1960 and 1971.

For the Orioles, their future lays in the hand of the front office. Offensively they have a bunch of pieces in place. With the ever improving game of Adam Jones and his .325 avg, the emerging power of Luke Scott and his 14 home runs (he had a total of 23 in 2008 and 18 in 2007), and the consistency of Nick Markakis (hit over .300 and at least 20 HR in his first 2 seasons in the major leagues, and is on pace to do both again this season). The front office now needs to complete the puzzle by bringing in a pitching staff worthy of their division. Whether that is by opening up the checkbook, trading some pieces (maybe Brian Roberts or Aubrey Huff), or through the minor leagues; they need some pitching help to keep them in games. That is what I believe they will need to do, if they truly want to compete on a high level in the richest division in baseball.

It is highly unlikely both teams will do what is needed to take that next step to putting up a fight for their respective divisions. But for two cities that deserve good baseball from the home team; this hope for the future is all we have.

Favre, Favre, Favre..

For the third season in a row, the top story during the NFL offseason has been the annoying question of will he or won't he with Brett Favre. It has become a rite of passage for each blogger to share his or her perspective on what they think of the circus that surrounds the pride of Hattiesburg. But why do we do this to ourselves? Why does ESPN continue to shove this non-news breaking information to us? Sure he is one of the best of all-time, but it's not like their isn't more interesting stories out there. And I understand that by even talking about it, I am just as guilty. But I am over it. I don't want to know the flight plans of Viking representatives. I don't care that the Vikings issued a deadline towards Favre, just to learn that no deadline was ever given. This non-news is almost certainly taking up space in my mind that was once reserved for memories or stories I probably cared about. Like the first girl I kissed, I cannot remember her name now. Was is it Katie Kishner or Laura Owen? Was her hair brown or blond? Was it at the skating rink, the sock-hop or the movies? Wait what was I saying, sorry lost my train of thought... so do you think he's coming back? And if so are the Vikings a true Super Bowl contender?... Jesus Shuttlesworth, now I can't even keep my mind off of him for more than a minute.

Dodger Watch

40-22 on the year; 19-14 without Manny; 17 games left on suspension; 1 awesome beard

No Fries for You...

Nationwide crew chief Bryan Berry, will not be getting any love from us ever and he most certainly will not be sharing any fries with me anytime soon. I have a problem with his actions for two reasons; First of all racial slurs are hurtful to not only the person they are directed at but the entire race. Secondly, it shows a lack of responsibility. As a crew chief he is the manager of his team, could you imagine your boss going over to the competition and hurling racial slurs at them? No because he would be fired and maybe even arrested. Berry made a huge misstep here as he should be a leader with an understanding of what that means; You lead by example whether its in winning or losing. I wonder how Brett would have reacted... WWBFD?

Have as much as you like..

Jason Schwartzman. The actor who has been a big part in some of the funniest movies over the past decade (Rushmore, Slackers, I Heart Huckabees) is a talented musician, and that has never been more apparent than the most recent release from his band Coconut Records "Davy." The album was released in January, but somehow slipped past me until last week. Though I am sort of glad I didn't hear it until the summer, as this is perfect record to listen to on the porch with a beer to the left and your lady to the right.



Rent this movie

Defiance; this movie has it all. Great acting, action, a worthy villain, and most importantly someone worth rooting for. The story is about two Jewish brothers (played by Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber) who escape into the Belarusian forests, where they join Russian resistance fighters and endeavor to build a village in order to protect themselves and about 1,000 Jewish non-combatants from the Nazis. It is one of the most underrated films of the past year. While 2008 had a fair share of Holocaust movies released this is easily the best of the bunch, due in large part to this story of courage. And with the recent horrific events at the Holocaust museum, it gives us that much more reason to give stories like this the attention they deserve.

Go watch this movie


Anvil: The Story of Anvil. Watch the trailer, read this update, and then go see this movie. This is a story about family, redemption, and metal; Think Spinal Tap mixed with The Wrestler, except real. Hands down, the best documentary of the year.