A Wacky Walkoff Wild Card Wednesday

Noun. wild card - an unknown or unpredictable factor.


I have been watching the game of baseball all of my life.  Ever since I was five years old the majestic game consumed me.  I've watched countless games, some iconic and some just plain ordinary.  Some games left screaming and jumping up and down, while others resulted in a stoic persona, shocked with head in hands.  However, never in my life have I seen anything remotely close as to what transpired last night on the last day of the MLB regular season.


Going into the evening, the playoffs were set by the division winners, aside from the two wild card spots.  In baseball, the wild card goes to the team with the best record in each league that has not already qualified as a division winner.  Ordinarily its not too uncommon for the wild card spots to come close to, if not down to the last games of the season, but this time it was different.


First there is the Atlanta Braves, with a pitching staff headed by Tommy Hanson and anchored by 2010 Rookie of the Year contenders Johnny Ventors and Craig Kimbrel, not to mention the zip of Brian McCain and Dan Uggla sitting in the middle of the order.  All in all, Fredi Gonzalez's Braves were a solid ball club.  Going into the month of September they had an 8 1/2 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Wild Card standings.  However, the Braves proceeded to go 7-16 in the month of September, while losing their last 4 games down the stretch going into last night, squandering their lead. Chasing them was Tony Larussa's St. Louis Cardinals.  Albert Pujols and crew led the Cardinals to a 15-5 record over the final three weeks of the season, ultimately bringing the NL Wild Card situation to a dead standstill. So here we go. Both teams "control their own destiny." If they both win, they force a one game playoff. If one wins and one loses, the winner advances to play the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.  St. Louis took care of business defeating the lowly Houston Astros 8-0 early in the night before things got crazy.  Meanwhile in Atlanta, the Braves led the Phillies 3-2 going into the ninth with their golden arm Craig Kimbel coming in to lock down the win... or so they thought. Kimbrel proceeded to walk three batters and gave up the tying run before the ninth was over.  From there the Phillies didn't look back, ultimately winning the game on a Hunter Pence single in the top of the 13th, sending the Braves home and the Cardinals on to the playoffs.

(Now let me just preface this by saying I am a Yankee fan, so I was much more invested in the whole Red Sox collapse situation then the Braves)


Do you hear that? Do you? Oh thats just the sound of Jonathan Papelbon crying his way to the golf course. Isn't it music to your ears? On September 2, 2011, the Tampa Bay Rays sat 9 games out of the American League Wild Card behind the "1927 Yankee wannabes" Boston Red Sox.  At the onset of the season the Sox were said to possibly be the best ever on paper with the new acquisitions of slugger Adrian Gonzalez and speedster Carl Crawford.  Everything had to come into place for this epic collapse to occur, everything. Someway, somehow, the baseball gods made it happen. The Red Sox went an ungodly 6-20 in the month of September. To put this in prospective, one of the worst teams of all time, the 120 loss 1962 Mets, were able to throw together 7 wins in September... just sayin. To make this deal even sweeter, six of those losses were handed to them by non other then the Tampa Bay Rays.   Now while Boston was trying to figure out the difference between its ass and its head, the Rays charged through the month of September racking up 17 wins, the majority of which were against division winners (Yankees and Rangers). 


And then last night happened...


Here we are. Its roughly 11:00pm on the east coast and all seems lost for Tampa. Boston just took a 3-2 lead over the Orioles at Camden Yards while the Yankees are trouncing the Rays 7-0 after a Mark Teixeira grand slam. The Rays manage to piece together three runs to make it 7-3, but still, it looks like its going to be a wild card berth for Boston. Evan Longoria thinks otherwise. Longoria, who for three seasons has been the offensive (and defensive) lynch-pin to this Rays team, steps to the plate in the bottom of the 8th and hammers a three run jack over the left field wall to bring the score within one. Ok, they Rays are back in it, lets see what's going on in Baltimore...


For what seemed like three or four innings, Boston was able to dodge bullets every time the Os threatened. At one point Red Sox starter John Lester walked four batters in an inning without yeiding a run only for the tremendous double play turned by Marco Scutaro and Dustin Pedroia. Anyway, in the 7th the game went into a rain delya... now let the drama build. Back to Tampa.


Bottom of the ninth. Two outs. Two strikes. Its over. Have a nice winter Tampa. Try again next year. That would be true if not for Dan "The Red Sox Killer" Johnson. With Tampa down to its last strike Johnson (.108 BA) yanked one down the right field line that just snaked inside the foul pole forcing the game into extra innings. Do you know how many home runs Dan Johnson has this season prior to last night? ONE! Do you know when it was and who it was against? April 6, 2011 against the Red Sox in Boston off Jonathan Papelbon to win the game in the 9th. That's karma people. The baseball gods have spoken.

Back in Baltimore play resumed as the Boston relievers mowed down Orioles left and right. All signs pointed to a tie at the end of the night and a one game playoff to see who will take the AL Wild Card. Papelbon comes in, all fumed up and tight lipped, it all just seemed impossible. Before you knew it Baltimore was down to their last out. What do you think happened? The Orioles mounted a three hit rally by Chris Davis, Nolan Reimold, and Robert Andino and won the game 4-3 on a game winning single that Carl Crawfold failed to make a sliding catch on. The Red Sox are now down a half a game. If the Rays win, Boston's season is over. Camden Yards, packed with more Red Sox then Os fans fell silent. The faces on little children who just witnessed their beloved Red Sox perform the most historic collapse in baseball history where filled with tears and disbelief. It was beautiful.


Three minutes later... 11:45 pm...


Bottom of the 13th. None other then Evan freakin Longoria hits a game winning, walk off winning, wild card winning home run down the left field line to win the Tampa Bay Rays the American League Wild Card. Within three minutes of the Boston loss, Tampa put the nail in the coffin, completing a collapse not even the 2007 Mets can touch. The way the night was going around the league, you almost had to see it coming right? Of course Tampa would come from 7-0 down in two innings and take it into extras. Of course Longoria's homer would be just three minutes after good O'le Pap upchucked the save in Baltimore. Of course. 


As the great John Sterling says, "You can't figure baseball Suzyn." That sums up last night. I saw the Jeter flip play. I saw the Piazza 9/11 home run. I saw 2001 World Series for god sake. Last night may have topped it all.  If last night was any indication of how October baseball is going to be this year, watch out people, because we are going to be in for a real treat.


~ Shilz

Vampires + Meth Heads = Larry David

The expression "like a kid in a candy shop" is often misplaced in conversation, and I think its because people interpret it in different ways. The majority would say it means more of an all encompassing want and need for everything in sight. As a sugar addicted six year old walks into M&M World, he cant contain himself.  Only the threat of mom yelling restrains him from sitting upside down under the dispenser as M&Ms flow into his mouth like Niagra. Now thats one interpretation. However, I'd say its more about indecision. There are so many options! Which candy do I chose? How do I decide? I know I love this candy, but what about this one? Which do I go for first? Ultimately this how most people feel about the world of television today. There so many different shows on so many different channels, it is impossible to watch and sample everything to see what is good and what is bad. But with the advent of media sharing and online hosting, content is exponentially more accessible to us then it ever has been. Catching up on three seasons of a show can be done with a little dedication (and procrastination of other things) in mere days. So we already established that we cant watch everything, well here I am going to tell you what you should be watching. These are my top five shows out right now, and if your missing them, you will be out of the loop at the water cooler on Monday. 

(Keep in mind these are not "The Best Shows of All Time" or "The Best Series Out Now", but more what shows are doing extremely well and are at their peaks right now)

5. The League - Fantasy sports are one of the top five most enjoyable (and profitable) inventions of the past twenty years. It gives the ordinary fan an opportunity to live their dream and be a general manager of a sports franchise. Its your chance to prove to your friends that every time you sat and screamed at the TV when you heard Cashman and the Yankees signed another over the hump aging slugger to a ridiculous $100 million deal and you said to yourself, "I would never do that," you really meant it. Its your chance to evaluate talent, make trades, and be in the hypothetical, or "fantasy", world of whatever sport you want. Well "The League" takes the idea of fantasy sports and skyrockets it to a whole new ultra competitive level. The League is composed of a district attorney (Kevin MacArthur), a product liability attorney (Rodney Ruxin), a cubical worker/unemployed slacker (Pete Eckhart), a plastic surgeon (Andrew Nowzik), Kevin's wife (Jenny MacArthur), and an unemployed stoner musician (Taco). This cast of overly passionate football fanatics put everything from their careers to their relationships on the line to win their fantasy football league, of which the prize is called "The Shiva" (named after Kevin's first girlfriend from high school). This show has everything from child bribery and embarrassing politically incorrect situations to new phrases like "trade rape" and "the white knuckler." I can understand that this show may not be for everyone, but if you play fantasy sports, and you know the game of football, your going to laugh your ass off and love this show. The League's third season begins on October 6th on FX

4. Modern Family – The model of the dysfunctional family has been one abused by writers for decades. The funny thing about it is that a lot of the time it works and is very funny, but it has a very short life span.  Modern Family just finished its second season on ABC and is surging forth and the number one comedy sitcom on TV.  The show follows the Prichet family who lives in modern day L.A.  What sets the show apart from the others is the family dynamic that is created between the characters. The show is formulated around the families of Jay Pritchett, Claire Dunphy, and Mitchell Pritchett. Clare and Mitchell, Jays children, both have their respective families and from there… the comedy ensues. Jay is married to a Columbian bombshell named Gloria (Sofia Vergara) and has a step son named Manny. Mitchell and his homosexual partner Cameron add a certain borderline politically correct flair to the show and are accompanied by their adopted Asian baby Lily. Meanwhile Claire is married to Phil Dunphy, a goofball real estate agent, and has three kids; Haley, the gossip infused teen drama queen, Alex, the sharp witted brainiac, and Luke, the not so bright but wildly entertaining youngest child.  They all provide a personally relevant home dynamic that any viewer can relate to. Each of the characters is superbly written and through the ups and downs the always come back together to learn valuable lessons about the importance of family.  Modern Family is at a level right now very few shows reach in respect to comedy, relevance, and message. If after watching an episode you don’t want Phil as your dad and Cameron as your crazy gay uncle, there is something wrong with you. Modern Family’s third season begins on September 21 on ABC.

3. True Blood – Now I know what your thinking, “Vampires? Really? I hate that shiny lovey dovey Twilight crap!” But seriously, you have no idea what you are talking about.  Vampires are just the tip of the iceberg. True Blood has vampires, warewolves, warepanthers,  fairies, witches, and even shapeshifters (people who can change into animals).  This is the dream show for any science fiction fan. The show takes place in Bon Temps, Louisiana where the vampire populous is fighting to fit into society like normal citizens. Of course because they are different they are faced with total opposition to their social integration and are faced with many challenges along the way (In my opinion similar to the gay rights situation in America today). Sookie Stackhouse, who is played by Anna Paquin, is soon caught right in the middle of all the drama when she falls in love with prestigious vampire Bill Compton.  Not only is her association with a vampire seen as wrong but her relationship with him is seen as meddling and gets her into all sorts of trouble with more then just the humans.  By using sci-fi tools (aka vampires and warewolves) the show is able to address existing problems within the current social dynamic. At first glace the show might look juvenile, but do not be mistaken, it packs one hell of a punch.  True Blood is fights, guns, and sex scenes galore and a great view for the MA crowd on a lazy Sunday night. True Blood is currently on the tail end of its fourth season and has signed on for a fifth season, which will air summer 2012 on HBO.

2. Curb Your Enthusiasm – If you took a poll to find the most beloved sitcom of all time, I am fairly confident you would find “Seinfeld” to be the prevailing favorite. The show spanned an entire decade while harnessing the humor of current pop culture better then any show that has ever existed.  The shame of it is that 90% of people attribute its success to just Jerry Seinfeld. In fact the brainchild and chief executive the show is a man named Larry David (George in “Seinfeld” is actually a character based on Larry).  Now while “Seinfeld” scratched the surface to the capacity of George’s neurosis and hilarity, Curb is a weekly thirty-minute marathon solely based on Larry David and his daily encounters. Very much like “Seinfeld,” Curb is about nothing. Its Larry going through his daily life, but this time its through the eyes of Larry himself. If you could watch a program and the only inputs you got where from the mind of Larry David, you would come up with Curb. Things like not singing happy birthday at a party, accusing the weather man of giving bad forecasts so that he can go golfing himself with the courses empty, and making business decisions based on the attractiveness of peoples wives (the worse the better) are just a few of the wild things Larry sees fit to point out. I’d say a common theme of the show is “things a normal person might think, but not say… except Larry."  The appropriate integration of pop culture into the show also adds an extra comedy factor that most shows just cant harness.  Curb leaves us with catch phrases fans all know like “social assassin” and “chat and cut,” that we at first laugh about then routinely use in our daily lives, all thanks to Larry’s genius.  Curb Your Enthusiasm presses the limits of comedy into a new frontier that I think only Larry David is equipped to explore. In short, the show is “pretty…pretty…pretty…good” (if you don’t get that, start watching!) Curb Your Enthusiasm is currently in its seventh season on HBO

1. Breaking Bad – If there was ever a show that made you say “wow” when you heard its plot, this is it. Walter White, played by Brian Cranston, is an overqualified high school chemistry teacher with nothing going for him in his life.  He has a stressed relationship with his wife Skylar, a son Walt Jr. who was born with cerebral palsy, and a slue of financial strains to top it off. Just when Walter thinks things cant get any worse he finds out he has advanced inoperable brain cancer and has weeks if not months to live.  Shocked and depressed, Walter selflessly begins to worry about his families financial situation after he passes. This is where the heart of the show shines through. In a last resort effort, Walter joins forces with an ex-student and meth addict Jesse Pinkman, and uses his chemistry expertise to cook methamphetamine for boat loads of money.  So now the question is presented to the viewer, what is bad? We would all agree that cooking dangerous drugs and selling them is an illegal crime and not a good thing to do, but what if it’s the only way you can make sure your family is safe and provided for? What if it’s the only way you can afford to treat your disease? This is the problem Walter, a normally level headed regular guy must face throughout the series. Oh and one more thing. Walters brother in law is a task force leader for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). So not only is Walt breaking the law, but he has to do it in private without anyone, not even his wife Skylar knowing. It’s the ultimate double life. Over time Walter morphs into a character that suits his new life as a meth cook. His adventures with Jesse lead him down a path that he never thought he would go down, ultimately putting not only himself, but his family in danger. Breaking Bad is the perfect example of where the fine line between morality and the law exists… if it does at all. I really don’t want to give much more of the show away because it truly is the best show on television right now. Brain Cranston puts up an Emmy winning performance every episode while his supporting cast does just the same. Its not a stretch when I say Breaking Bad is contending for one of the best TV dramas of all time.  Breaking Bad is in its fourth season on AMC and has signed on for two more which will air in the following summers.

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Guilty Pleasure Show – Jersey Shore – I know, I know, I know. But if there was one show you could secretly watch or hide in your DVR and no one could ever know, wouldn’t it be the Shore? Of course it is!!! The KFC mashed potato bowl of disaster composed of The Situation, Snooki, Sammy, Ronnie, Vinny, JWoww, and Paulie is unmissable television. Yes I know its ridiculous and a shame on society, but then again its like a nasty car accident. We all know its going to be bad, but doesn’t everyone slow down to look anyway? The answer is a resounding “yes!” Over the past four seasons the binge drinking fist pumping guidos of Seaside Heights, NJ have provided not just me but all of America  a new kind of reality TV that we never thought could be so entertaining. And that’s just what it is, entertaining. Its not good or great like most fans exaggerate. Its garbage in fact, but entertaining nonetheless. So think what you want but the Jersey Shore is everything I hope for and more in a trashy reality show, and delivers it to me on an Italian silver platter each and every week.