Left Coast Sports Babe

Apparently Panda Pablo Sandoval is still being booed in Boston after the Red Sox let him go midway through a 5-year $95 million contract. Uh, shouldn’t they be booing the guy who gave him the contract?

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Former SF Giants Randy Winn just talked about “going through your mental rolodex” on a pitcher. Great image. Google it, children.

Former MLB pitcher and veteran pitching coach Mickey Callaway was suspended by MLB through end of 2022 season & fired by Angels over sexual misconduct allegations by 5 women in the media industry over 5 years.

Callaway can be rehired after 2022. Since he’s a white guy, assume the question will be not “is he rehabilitated,” but “can he help us win?”

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Adam Vinatieri, 48, has announced he is retiring from the Senate. So soon? Looking at Biden winning the Presidency, Brady winning the Super Bowl and Mickelson winning the PGA, have to figure Vinatieri might be a favorite for 2021 NFL scoring title.

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Republicans taking a fair amount of heat and looking suspicious for opposing the January 6 commission. So what part of the truth can’t they handle?

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I understand Majority Leader Schumer has his reasons for things: But Kristen Gillibrand and Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley and 64(!) co-sponsors on the Military Sexual Assault bill? C’mon Chuck, bring the damn bill to the floor.

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Have no idea how long this NY Grand Jury is going to take to do its work. But expect panicked media handwringing starting in about a week.

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Biden has doubled to $1 billion FEMA fund that helps communities prepare for natural disasters. While wildfires do affect California, guessing most of this money will go to red states with tornados & hurricanes. Think GOP and conservative media will give Joe any credit at all?

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And now sadly to the mass shooting du jour.

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As at least eight people are victims of today’s mass shooting, your reminder that Texas wants to make it even easier to carry a gun than to vote.

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Saying “the shooter is no longer a threat,” is not exactly comforting to the families of at least eight people. #SanJose

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Fox News headline: “San Jose shooting leaves 8 dead, deceased suspect identified.” So yeah, that’s how I knew the “deceased suspect” was a white guy.

But seriously, white (alleged) mass shooter in San Jose, many of the eight victims were brown and/or foreign born.” For some reason reason conservative media like Fox News, who always make sure to put “immigrant” in their headlines when a shooter isn’t US born, are barely mentioning that.

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Not the Onion:

Bill passed by Texas legislature & expected to be signed by Gov. Abbott will REQUIRE all sports teams in Texas to play the national anthem before sporting events or risk losing millions of dollars in state & local tax subsidies. GOP #Priorities

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Sexual assault case against Deshaun Watson case has entered into discovery, but his 22 women accusers will be deposed first & Houston Texans star QB can’t be be deposed before Feb. 22, 2022.

The Super Bowl is Feb 13, 2022. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.

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Phil Mickelson yesterday on winning. “It’s very possible that this is the last tournament I ever win… But the point is that there’s no reason why I or anybody else can’t do it at a later age. It just takes a little bit more work.” Good rule to live by for more than golf.

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Watching Maddow cover the horrible story about a plane being forced down by a fighter jet to arrest a journalist Belarus’s dictator didn’t like. With the Former Guy and DeSantis both residents, I think we can all thank God Florida doesn’t have an Air Force.

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Rachel Maddow points out a recent poll showing 53% of Republicans believe the Former Guy is the “true president.” It happened in my college days but in all seriousness I thought Jonestown was the worst cult involving Americans I would see in my lifetime.

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While many call for resignation of Dianne Feinstein, 87, I challenge anyone to listen to Chuck Grassley, also 87, for more than a minute and tell me why a lack of similar calls for his resignation illustrates anything but misogyny?

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So will Gym Jordan’s forthcoming memoir include a blank chapter about his time as an Ohio State wrestling coach?

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I believe in common ground where possible but wondering where all these Republicans demanding Biden compromise now on legislation were when Democrats were begging McConnell to bring even the most uncontroversial legislation to the Senate Floor for a vote?

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If you missed “The West Wing,” and the incomparable Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg putting idiots in their place as White House Press Secretary, yeah, Jen Psaki with Peter Doocy is like that.

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Very few things put as consistent a smile on my face as Jen Psaki consistently dunking on Peter Doocy. “I think you’re misunderstanding how this process actually works.”

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How can Bob Dylan be 80? Still remember arguing with a college roommate whether his or Joan Baez’s version of “Simple Twist of Fate” was better. “People tell me it’s a sin, to know & feel too much within.” Or “People tell me it’s a crime, to feel too much at any one time.”

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Just because Liz Cheney correctly pegged the Former Guy as a dangerous liar doesn’t mean she’s become so radical as to support something like all citizens having the right to vote.

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Satan was trending on Twitter today. Did he endorse Marjorie Taylor Greene?

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Amy Klobuchar & John Cornyn have bipartisan bill to create new “resource centers” for ex-prisoners, providing assistance w/ housing, medical care, job searches & legal services to help them get a fresh start. Looking like this bill might be a bit of good news for the Former Guy.

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I remember a fair amount about Salem history. They didn’t convene grand juries for witch hunts.

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Some Republicans and conservative media still pretend there were liberals and “Antifa” in January 6 insurrection crowd. So uh, wouldn’t that be all the more reason to have a BIPARTISAN commission to investigate it?

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Royal Caribbean is doing some US “test cruise” in June with only volunteer passengers. But vaccines will NOT required. Volunteer passengers will be evaluated for symptoms before embarking & tested 3-5 days post cruise. If not vaccinated they need documentation from a health professional or must at least “self certify they aren’t at heightened risk for COVID-19.”

“Self-certify? What could go wrong?

CNN headline “House Republican leaders condemn Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Holocaust comparison after 5 days and a wave of outrage.” Uh, Kevin McCarthy issued a statement that briefly said “Marjorie is wrong” then attacked “Democrat” party and Nancy Pelosi. Do better, CNN!

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How many of us until recently never heard until the Tulsa Race Massacre? And how many Fox News viewers will never hear about it?

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Again for those in the back. I am not a big fan of Manchin or Sinema. But today on Kristen Clarke confirmation they voted yes. Murkowski voted no. It’s not about who we want to have beer or glass of wine with; for Biden’s agenda the worst Democrat is better than best Republican.

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