Left Coast Sports Babe

Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings in the second half of a doubleheader,, and the Rays beat the Indians 4-0. So a complete game with no-hits.

Uh, Rob Manfred, you changed the rule to make doubleheaders 7 innings games. Time to change the rules to call them no-hitters. (You can list them with an asterisk… HOF has plenty of those.)

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With the Olympics due to start in a couple weeks, Tokyo has declared a COVID state of emergency. It’s now quite likely NO fans will be able to attend, even locals.

Of all the stupid decisions the IOC has made over the years, will the stupidest turn out to be the decision to have these games at all?

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Uh oh, Jacob DeGrom is slipping. The Mets star allowed two solo home runs against the Brewers today. And his ERA rose to 1.08.

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Okay, I get he wants to rest his arm, but Jacob deGrom said Wednesday that he will not be attending the All-Star Game at Coors Field. Asked about showing up and not pitching DeGrom said he thought about it but he didn’t “think it’s beneficial for me to fly back to Colorado and back.”(In First Class…. )

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Putting people like Gym Jordan on the January 6 commission is like putting Mrs. O’Leary’s cow on the Chicago Fire commission.

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Thinking Alan Dershowitz didn’t get an invitation again this year to Martha’s Vineyard.

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If Ashli Babbitt had tried to sneak past security at Mar-A-Lago, the Former Guy would be lauding anyone who shot her as a hero

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How many Republicans downplaying Jan 6 insurrection are trying to tell themselves mob wouldn’t have hurt them if Capitol Police officer hadn’t shot that domestic terrorist. (I am TIRED of using her name. If we want to remember a name from Jan 6 it should be Brian Sicknick.)

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Its July 2021, 16 months after the crisis started in New York and Rachel Maddow is pointing out that parts of the US are again dealing with…. ventilator shortages? I missed GOP leaders taking credit.

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Wait, why is Velveeta Voldemort suing Twitter and Facebook for banning him because his new GETTR social media platform was going to be much better? This is SO confusing.

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So as these stories keep emerging in books about horrible things Velveeta Voldemort said and did, have to assume if he were re-elected all these people would have just stayed silent and enabled him?

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GOP wants to criminalize abortion. But what happens if a pregnant woman refuses a vaccine, gets COVID-19, then delivers a baby born too prematurely that dies? Asking for a friend who is tired of this so-called “pro-life” crap.

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Dear media: If you ask most Americans to name the first member of Congress who comes to mind, guessing a whole lot of them would say an ineffectual Representative from Georgia who has been removed from her committee assignments. This is on you. Do better.

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So how does a man who never pays people who work for him AND throws former employees under the bus still find lawyers to file lawsuits for him

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You know who hasn’t been banned on Twitter or Facebook and isn’t facing indictment? Hillary Clinton.

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So let me get this straight, GOP believes private businesses have a right to refuse customers who want cakes for weddings they don’t approve of, but a private social media platform has no right to refuse users who engage in behavior that incites violence?

So do NBA star players who are on the US Olympics team get regularly tested for marijuana?

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Not sure how long they’ll play. But someday SF Giants are going to throw the biggest retirement parties ever for Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado

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LA manager Dave Roberts doesn’t expect Trevor Bauer to immediately return when his 7-day paid administrative leave ends. Bauer makes $38 million in 2021 -more than 1/2 Rays payroll. But hey, Dodgers already have $249 million payroll, what’s another $30 mill or so to replace him?

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DC man is suing Orlando Airport over mask mandate “I can’t wear a mask because of my anxiety. I will not wear a mask. I cannot wear a mask because of my breathing difficulties.” Uh, there’re masks designed for exercise. & doesn’t it cause anxiety to give regular media interviews?

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Watching GOP members of Congress try to take credit for American Rescue Plan and Child Tax Credit at the same time they try to sabotage everything Biden does is a modern day version of the old Twister game.

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Two women were arrested in Texas after stealing $10,000 French bulldog puppy from pet store. And the puppy was returned safely.

Glad it worked out…. but a $!0,000 puppy???!

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So if GOP is so convinced January 6 insurrectionists were tourists, perhaps they can do a Republican only “Open House” at the US Capitol for their supporters? Am sure Democrats and Capitol Police will be happy to give them the run of the place for a day.

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Many in GOP pretending Ashli Babbitt, who was shot climbing on a window trying to break into House chambers, was a Patriot. Many of GOP also support “Stand Your Ground” laws that give permission to shoot someone who so much as sets foot on your property if they make you nervous.

Just wondering, so why would Russian need to hack RNC when they probably have so many GOP members of Congress already on payroll?

As someone who lives in California, I didn’t really care who won the NYC Mayor’s race. But do o want to scream at the 74% of Democrats in New York City who didn’t bother to vote in Primary: “Many of us are working SO hard for voting rights Republicans are trying to take away in USA – & you all couldn’t be bothered to take time to make your choice for city’s next mayor?

One more grumpy thought after seeing that only 26% of Democrats voted in New York City mayoral primary. If you have time to go on social media and bitch, you have time to vote in ALL local and state elections. Period.

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Yes, we liberals are more tolerant. You hear stories about conservatives who don’t want to do flowers for gay weddings. Have you ever heard a story about a liberal florist who refused to do flowers for a COVID-deniers’ funeral?

NBA Finals start Tuesday night, best of seven.

With four wins the Phoenix Suns can not only win a championship – they could again end up with more wins in July than the Diamondbacks.

(The Suns already won more games against the Clippers than the Dbacks did in June.)

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Look, Sha’Carri Richardson admitted she knew the rules and owned her mistake with marijuana. But underage drinking is also illegal in many countries, so should athletes under 21 be tested for that too?

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As SF Giants fan, good seeing Dave Stewart criticize LA for originally doing nothing about Trevor Bauer “Dodgers should have stepped up & they didn’t. You’ve got to have character standards.”

But espec. after 1989, seems really weird to have former Oakland A’s star Dave Stewart described as “Former Dodger,”

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Joe West would be a lot more infamous were it not for Angel Hernandez. Just saying.

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Georgia, now Arizona… well, at least in California we know Velveeta Voldemort didn’t bother to call our Secretary of State after the election.

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As COVID cases start rising in red states what’s the GOP going to do? Downplay the numbers? Or try to figure out a way to blame it on Biden?

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Florida has 6.5% of the US population. Florida has about 17% REPORTED of all COVID new cases in the US. Thank you, Governor Ron DeSantis. #DeathSantis

And it’s got to be much worse than that. DeSantis says COVID is basically harmless so if you’re a cult member and if you feel mildly sick there is no way you’ll go get tested…

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Not thinking you need to get the COVID vaccine because most other people are vaccinated is as stupid as deciding you don’t need to obey traffic laws on the highway because most other people are driving safely.

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Before seatbelt laws in California, my doctor warned us patients – you might survive auto-accident but if your face goes through windshield you’ll be scarred for life. It was effective. Wonder if we tell anti-vaxxers COVID may not kill them but will give them longterm ED?

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West Virginia has COVID vaccine lottery – prizes range from cash to pickup trucks to guns to hunting licenses, even hunting rifles .

Gov. Jim Justice to vaccine hesitant “if you’re vaccinated, we’re going to give you stuff… well you’ve got another lottery going on. And it’s the death lottery.”

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Store I was in today had sign “Masks required for unvaccinated people.” Except unvaccinated people are often the same people who don’t think they need to wear masks. I’m vaxxed AND keeping my mask on in stores.

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Another suggestion for Biden to increase vaccine rates would be to remind Americans of very common long term side effect – lost of sense of taste & smell. Has happened to 2 younger people I know-

Possible PSA “Get the vaccine or all beer will taste like Bud Light?”

I’d like Montreal Canadiens to win this Stanley Cup. (I know, very unlikely down 3-0)

But as a woman, who has frequently been dismissed with with “women don’t get sports” – this is one of the more cringe-worthy comments I have heard. Tampa mayor Jane Castor actually said it “”What we would like is for the Lightning to take it a little bit easy, to give the Canadiens just the smallest break, allow them to win one at home, and then bring it back to the Amalie Arena for the final and the winning of the Stanley Cup,”

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Our Vice President gets a lot of racist and misogynistic criticism.However, as SF Chronicle points out “Harris was busted once wearing a Dodgers cap, though her spokeswoman was quick to defuse the controversy by confirming, “She’s a Giants fan. She had to borrow a hat today because she didn’t bring one.” But does a Giants fan ever wear a Dodgers cap?”

#BeatLA

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How many baseball fans of teams potentially in the hunt for NL Wild Card are rooting for the Mets to win the NL East? Because NO ONE wants their season to come down to a potential one-game playoff with Jacob DeGrom.

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Beach Boys doing “God only knows” for “The Fourth in America” reminds me again how good the “Love Actually” soundtrack is.

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Aroldis Chapman with 4.71 ERA in 32 games is an All-Star.

Tyler Rogers, with 1.38 ERA in 39 innings is not And that’s before he got a save tonight. Player ballots have something to do with it, maybe MLB hitters can’t stand the fact a soft-tossing submarine righty gets them out?

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Foreigner, a popular band in my high school, tonight on CNN’s “The Fourth in America” doing “Feels like the First Time.” Not saying these guys are old. But it might be “Feels like the First Time” because they can’t remember any of the others.

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Isn’t “Defund NPR” cancel culture?

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Wonder again how much overlap there is between the anti-abortion crowd and the anti-vaxxers screaming “my body my choice?

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Something to be thankful for on July 4. The Former Guy no longer had the power today to demand fireworks be set off in a place at serious risk of wildfires.

Have to wonder, are many in GOP secretly trying to discourage Americans from getting their COVID vaccine, because they don’t want to give President Biden the “win” of 70% vaccinated?

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As even bribes and lotteries don’t work to get people willing to get their COVID vaccines with some Republicans…. Wonder if we could get the narrative out that liberals don’t want conservatives to get vaccinated because we are trying to reduce their numbers?

As we are at basically halfway point of the MLB season, didn’t we all have the SF Giants with the best record in baseball on July 4?

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“Siri, are unwanted bobbleheads recyclable?”

From LA Dodgers ticketing site:

Thursday Aug 19 7:10 PM New York Mets Promotion: Trevor Bauer Bobblehead Presented by Budweiser

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Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul says extra rest before NBA Finals has helped ailing right hand. And presumably given him time to figure how any medical bills could be paid by Medicare?

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Do I care who wins in the Bezos, Branson, Musk space race, no. Do I care how much in tax breaks the Former Guy gave them all, yes.

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9 states have fully vaccinated more than 1/2 residents: Calif, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Mass., Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, NY, Oregon, Penn, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington plus DC. Wonder what these states have in common?

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Ron DeSantis’s press secretary denied reports Gov. asked Velveeta Voldemort to cancel Florida rally while over 100 still missing at Surfside. “There was never, at any time, a ‘plea’ from Gov. DeSantis to cancel or postpone the rally.” Translation Ron is still afraid of Donald

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The Former Guy at his vanity rally in Sarasota Florida “You didn’t pay tax on the company car or a company apartment. You didn’t pay tax. Or education for your grandchildren. I don’t even know. Do you have to? Does anybody know answer to that stuff?” Uh, yes, IRS, Manhattan DA & NY AG know the answer. For starters.

And to be honest, I didn’t watch the rally, and I had no idea what Velveeta Voldemort would say at his vanity rally in Florida tonight. And I don’t really care. But one thing I’d bet he wouldn;t say “I’ve been vaccinated and you all should go get your shots as soon as possible too.”-

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Apparently the Former Guy claimed at his vanity rally tonight in Florida to be soliciting donations for the Surfside victims. Does anyone think the victims will actually get that money?

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Will no doubt post this again, but as we approach 2022 elections, this quote – “This demand for purity, this looking down your nose at people who want to compromise, is a recipe for disaster for the Democrats.”

Claire McCaskill, often criticized by left of party, after losing Senate seat in 2018 to Josh Hawley.

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Happy Fourth of July. And whatever our worries today as Americans, at least we’re not worried that our President might be starting a major wildfire at Mount Rushmore just for a vanity fireworks show.

There is a reason the 2021 Diamondbacks are approaching 1962 Mets numbers. They just pitched to Thairo Estrada , making his SF Giants debut, with a runner on 2nd, 2 outs and pitcher Alex Wood on deck. Wood was 0-20 with 17 strikeouts. And yes, Estrada got the RBI.

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But to anyone who thinks Thairo Estrada, 25, might be nervous in his first SF Giants start: In Jan 2018 Estrada, was shot in the hip during a robbery attempt in Venezuela. Bullet wasn’t removed until 6 months later in Tampa. Yeah, that might make you redefine pressure.

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Josh Gordon still on indefinite suspension from NFL since Dec. 2019 for violating substance abuse & PED policies- the wide receiver’s 6th suspension since 2013.. But Gordon has asked Roger Goodell for reinstatement for 2021 season. Part of league’s 10 strikes & you’re out policy?

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Will ANYONE explain to me how marijuana does anything for your performance in a race except slow you down? If Sha’Carri Richardson had only done something less serious, like vandalized a gas station and lied about it. #RyanLochte

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The Former Guy isn’t President anymore. But if he simply made an announcement – or gave an interview — saying that he has been vaccinated and all his supporters should follow suit he would save many lives. Just saying – “Failure to render aid” is a crime.

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New search request update tonight from USPS

“Your package has not yet been recovered, but every effort being made to locate your item(s). Search Request Details: Request Date: 01/04/2021 -(This was a Christmas gift mailed to Chicago)

Did Biden fire DeJoy by mail & Louis doesn’t know it yet?

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Stanford Football announced they are planning to allow fans at full capacity this fall. Uh, I’m an alum and a fan. But to be honest, how often lately pre-pandemic was the stadium filled to full capacity?

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Some conservatives angry w/ Kavanaugh & Barrett for siding w/ SCOTUS liberals in declining case of Southern Baptist florist who refused to sell flowers for a gay wedding. Wonder why none of these florists ever refuse to sell to a straight couple living together before marriage?

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New Kaiser Family Foundation poll found 67% of Democrats say their entire household is vaccinated compared to only 39% of Republicans. Dying to own the libs.

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Another poll found two-thirds of Americans believe democracy in the United States is under threat. Wonder how many of that other one-third are doing the threatening?

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Claire McCaskill being attacked for her comments comparing the attack on the US Capitol to Benghazi.

But Claire was right. January 6 WAS worse than Benghazi. More deaths – and a death toll that but for the Capitol Police would have been far worse. And at least with Benghazi we didn’t worry afterwards that terrorists were working with accomplices in the US government.

So glad the SF Giants are one of those teams who are at 85% vaccinated with COVID. Because otherwise these days I’d hear “Johnny Cueto has a bad cold” and feel a lot more nervous.

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American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who won the US 100 meter sprint trials, reportedly tested positive for cannabis & might thus be kept off Olympic team. Uh, shouldn’t if anything using pot have made Richardson SLOWER?

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Hey I’m a Stanford alum who saw him play in Maples Pavilion but even I didn’t have “Brook Lopez leads Bucks to game 5 win against Hawks” in my top ten (or 1000) possible headlines tonight.

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Wonder how Dodgers players, most of them married, many with daughters, feel about Dave Roberts treating Trevor Bauer right now as if everything is normal.

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Dave Roberts says “it’s out of our hands,” as far as Trevor Bauer’s scheduled start on Sunday. Uh, give me a bleeping break. In MAY 2021, Dodgers pushed back Bauer’s start just so he could pitch against the SF Giants. No joke.

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It’s been a week of unspeakable horror for those with friends and family members unaccounted in the Surfside condo collapse. Can you imagine if they had had to meet with the Former Guy on top of it?

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It’s so good to have a Comforter-in-chief again.

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If you’re paying sky-high rental car rates this holiday week… AvisBudget Group owns Avis, Budget & Payless. Enterprise Holdings owns Alamo, Enterprise & National. Hertz Global Holdings owns Dollar, Hertz & Thrifty. Competition policy & antitrust is NOT just about Big Tech.

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As Rachel Maddow covers today’s indictment of Trump Organization & CFO for tax crimes, your reminder that in a 2016 debate with Hillary Clinton, Velveeta Voldemort BRAGGED about not paying taxes and said “That makes me smart.”-

Maybe Royal Caribbean didn’t cave as much to Florida Governor De Santis as we thought. They’ve posted a list of places you can’t go if you’re not vaccinated on their ships. One of them is the Casino. So much for feeling lucky.

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Never watch the View, but to those who say liberals don’t want to hear different views – uh, my issue with Meghan McCain has not been that she says things that are conservative, but that she says things that are stupid.

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I understand loyalty. Susan McDougal went to jail rather than testify against Bill Clinton. Velveeta Voldemort is NOT Bill Clinton.

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Kevin McCarthy insisted he’s “not threatening” GOP members of Congress who agree to serve on Jan 6 select committee, but said it was “unprecedented” for Cheney to accept a spot on the panel. Uh, is McCarthy stupid, or does he think we are?

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Stephen Colbert tonight, after House GOP, most of who cowered in terror on Jan 6, mostly now cowered in terror at thought of joining Pelosi’s commission – “So we’ll now have 7 Democrats to grill seditionists. And if that doesn’t work we have 1 Cheney to shoot them in the face.

Well, that’s why they play the game. After NC State had to play one game with 13 players, and forfeit an elimination game due to eight players testing positve for COVID-19, Vanderbilt was set up with two first round draft choice pitchers to have plenty of rest for a 2 of 3 CWS final.

And then Vandy won game 1. So it was over, right? (Well I thought so.) But Mississippi State ran away with game 2, knocked out one of the Commodores’ stars tonight, and won a 9-0 one hitter.

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Somewhere, former Mississippi State and SF Giants star Will Clark is screaming at the television! Yes, I’m old enough I remember those F-bombs in 1987 on live TV when the Giants clinched the West. “I’ve been waiting for this since I was a bleeping amateur.”

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Wonder how many advertisers signed up expecting an NBA finals with the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets? Oops.

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Trevor Bauer is enough of a star that I hesitate to predict what MLB may do if he’s not arrested for the alleged sexual assault. I will, however, say tonight that I think here is zero chance he will pitch for the LA Dodgers against the SF Giants at Oracle Park in late July.

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So will Bill Cosby now write a book called “If I raped them?”

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There were young WOMEN in that celebratory crowd of Bill Cosby’s team outside his home today. Seriously what were they thinking?

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Velveeta Voldemort rejecting pleas from Florida GOP to postpone weekend rally in Sarasota while first responders are still combing through collapsed Miami condo looking for bodies. An unnamed Republican said Trump needs to “read the room.” Uh, does anyone think he reads ANYTHING?

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Only TWO Republicans, Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, joined all Democrats in voting to establish a Jan. 6 select committee. For comparison, seven Democrats actually joined Republicans in 2014 in voting to investigate Benghazi.

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Do we think GOP would be more likely to go along with a January 6 investigation if the commission promised to spend one day on Benghazi?

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So the GOP plan is basically just to stall out the investigation of January 6 forever or until it’s followed by a worst insurrection?

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Donald Rumsfeld has died.

If you can’t say anything nice….

So, no comment.

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Open note to all television interviewers to any politician they have on their show. Ask them two questions. 1. “Who won the 2020 Presidential election? 2. “Have you been vaccinated?

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Don’t think monopolies matter? There are now only 3 major car companies in US – Hertz owns Dollar & Thrifty, Avis owns Budget, Enterprise owns National. Client had car booked tonight w/ Hertz, he showed up to find the location closed 1 hour early.

When I called the Hertz 800-number to make sure the booking would be held overnight, the recording while on hold said “Please make changes online. There will be a 5% surcharge to modify a reservation via a reservation agent.”