Left Coast Sports Babe

NFL suspends several players from six games through the entire 2023 season over betting. They say it’s about the integrity of the game. No argument. But Jaguars LT Cam Robinson was suspended four games by league for PEDs. Four games. So integrity is just a bit relative.

–

3rd time this spring-summer as travel agent I found hotels either sky high in a city or sold out and/or nonrefundable rates. Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, LA (Inglewood) Common denominator. Taylor Swift concerts. Forget football & baseball teams. Swift on her own is economic stimulus.

–

Chris Christie may do to Ron DeSantis in the 2024 campaign what Elizabeth Warren did to Michael Bloomberg on that debate stage. And I am here for it.

No, I’m not voting for Christie. Ever. But he’s on the right side in this case. DeSantis should be nowhere near the White House.

–

Claire McCaskill “We’ve never had a Supreme Court who seems so focused on taking things away.” Nailed it. (*Unless you’re a rich white man.)

–

Wait until all these racist white people cheering today’s SCOTUS decision discover many of their kids are going to be kept out of their preferred colleges by Asian-Americans.

–

If race really WERE a big advantage in getting into elite colleges then those rich parents who hired a counselor to pretend their kids were athletes would have probably paid someone to pretend their kids had Black heritage.

–

Scot Peterson is a coward who did nothing while children were slaughtered at their high school in Parkland, Florida. But he was found not guilty on all counts. “Siri, what is white male privilege?”

–

So if an armed school resource officer doesn’t do a darn thing to save lives, would someone like Ted Cruz or Ron DeSantis like to explain how he thinks arming teachers is going to help? I’ll wait.

–

As Scot Peterson’s lawyer talks about his client, what he’s “endured”, how it’s been “four years of heartache and misery, no one should have to go through that…” You know some other heartache and misery,no one should have to go through.. ? Burying a murdered child

–

Dishonest & despicable. Big tech lobbied to get Amy Klobuchar & John Kennedy’s bipartisan Journalism & Competition Act killed in Senate in Dec 22. CCIA calling a similar California of bill a “Link Tax.”

ICYMI – CCIA funded by Big Tech companies -Amazon, Apple, Facebook & Google.

–

Does a perfect game against the 2023 Athletics have an asterisk?

With historic sporting events many more people always say they attended than fans who were actually in attendance. Tonight Yankees’ Domingo German pitched a perfect game against Oakland A’s. No doubt years from now at least 1,000 people will claim they were at the Coliseum.

–

For all this discussion of MLB expansion, imagine possibilities for new teams if baseball operated like soccer’s Premier League. Both the A’s and Rockies would probably have been relegated by now.

–

Mets owner Steve Cohen “All is not lost yet, but it’s getting late. If they don’t get better, we have decisions to make at the trade deadline….we’re preparing all contingencies.” Translation, NY might dump everyone & spend another small fortune on free agents in the offseason.

–

President Biden gave substantive speech today about “Bidenomics” & how his adminstration has helped & will help Americans. Seems to have gotten about as much attention from many in media as town hall from anti-vaxxer whose main claim to fame is his last name.

Apparently Ron Deathsantis says if elected President he’ll, among other Departments, get rid of the Department of Commerce. Which includes the National Weather Service.

So instead of sharpie-ing away hurricanes he’ll just pretend they don’t exist?

Now it’s big story President Biden using CPAP machine for sleep apnea? WTF? I’m in early 60s & sometimes think half my friends, some younger, use CPAPs. It’s a common device that fixes a problem affecting perhaps 10% of Americans. Wonder how many members of Congress use CPAPs. Hey media, try asking.

And important non-political PSA as a travel agent since CPAPs are in news. FAA doesn’t allow airlines to count CPAP machines packed in their own cases, so you can bring it in addition to your regular carry-ons & don’t have to check bags if the machine alone would put you over.

–

CNN talking about President Biden’s low approval ratings on the economy. Same CNN that has made most negative economic stories “Breaking news,” and slants good jobs and housing numbers as inflationary. Can’t remember their last story on falling prices.

–

Wait, now Trump says that audio tape was just “bravado.” So just “Bedminster locker room banter?”

–

Apparently even many Republican Senators are furious over Tommy Tuberville’s blanket holds on military appointees. So uh, since age has become a talking point, why is no one saying that Mitch McConnell, 80, is too old to rein in dangerously extreme members of his GOP caucus?

Victor Wembanyama posted a picture with some San Antonio Spurs legends saying “couldn’t ask for better role models.”

Now, I’m a short person so I’m used to looking up at other people.

Guessing David Robinson and Tim Duncan, not so much.

Weird baseball stat tonight. Many interleague games on a full MLB schedule. And yet only four National League teams lost: Cubs, Pirates, Brewers, Rockies – all of them playing other NL teams. All seven NL teams playing interleague games.won.

–

Went to Washington Post website just now and saw “Breaking news” banner. BREAKING: Ryan Seacrest to replace Pat Sajak as host of ‘Wheel of Fortune Sigh. #priorities

–

Meanwhile, Moore v. Harper SCOTUS decision today. 6-3 against letting state legislatures throw out election results. Might be the biggest decision many Americans will never hear of…. But democracy lives to fight another day.

–

Trump responding to CNN audio of him talking about classified documents claiming he did “nothing wrong.” At this point if Velveeta Voldemort did shoot someone in the middle of 5th Avenue he’d find a way to make it the victim’s fault.

–

Who’d a thunk we’d (almost) miss Nixon?

–

Florida is having an epidemic of beach drownings. Per NWS, when it comes to U.S. states and territories, Florida leads all others by a wide margin in surf-related fatalities with 27 this year, followed by Puerto Rico with 13, according to the NWS. California, Louisiana and Alabama all have three, as of Tuesday.

Maybe instead of using taxpayer $$ to ship migrants out of state or to send law enforcement to Texas-Mexico border, Ron DeSantis should use Florida resources on additional signs & lifeguards.

–

–

Almost 20 years ago that George W Bush nominated Harriet Miers for SCOTUS. She faced opposition from both sides for many reasons.

But only after Miers withdrew did W. pick Alito. Had we only known… Harriet might have had unanimous Democratic support.

–

There’s a tweet of Rick Scott going around where he tells Communists and Socialists not to come to Florida. Thought it was an AI fake. It’s not Does that mean he doesn’t want anyone to come to the state who’s on Social Security?

–

Tommy Tuberville posted a tweet “Broadband is vital- for the success of our rural communities and for our entire economy. Great to see Alabama receive crucial funds to boost ongoing broadband efforts.”

Uh, ex-coach Tuberville

1. You voted against it..

2 Speaking of vital, how about our nation’s military which you are damaging with a stunt?.

3. Auburn paid you over $5 million to go away and not coach anymore. How much would Americans have to pay to get you to resign from the Senate? I’ll chip in.

Game one of the College World Series final was a dramatic 4-3 extra innings win for the LSU Tigers over the Florida Gators:

Who knew that would be the last exciting game of the college season?

Game 2- -24-4 Florida

Game 3 – 18-4 LSU

–

–

NY Mets – 2023 Payroll – $344,167,636 – record 35-43.

Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles 2023 payroll, combined – $144,331,969 ($76,932,532 + $67,399,437)

Rays and Orioles combined records, 102-56 (54-27, 48-29.)

I thought New Yorkers knew how to shop?

–

–

Kevin McCarthy today described Russian President Vladimir Putin as “much weaker” and said he “seems like a different person” after the Wagner group’s attempted rebellion last weekend.

–

So would Kevin say Vladimir has “learned his lesson?”

–

Tommy Tuberville, holding up alll military appointments over his little anti-reproductive rights tantrum, has done the impossible. Almost made us miss Jeff Sessions.

–

So if Chris Licht were still CEO of CNN how would the network have spun the tape of Trump’s 2021 conversation about classified documents as being bad for Joe Biden?

–

Trivial but amusing sidebar from that recording of Trump talking about classified documents: He asks for “some Cokes.” Now we ALL know, Donald only drinks Diet Coke. But he’s too vain to refer to them as “Diet.”

–

So now we’re finding out Donald Trump could show classified documents to his friends in the middle of Fifth Avenue and not lose many supporters.

–

Fox News’ Jesse Watters attacked Pres. Obama for comments constrasting coverage of 5 rich people dead on sub, vs. 700 migrant deaths in Med. “He spent a lot of time in Hawaii.. last state to get star on flag.” WTF? Jesse cares about flags? Why doesn’t he condemn Confederate & Nazi ones?

–

Same folks in GOP who lie nonstop about LGBTQ community, and claim to care about young people being abused, are awfully quiet about Supreme Court saying lawsuits can go forward against Gym Jordan.

College World Series update LSU 4, Florida 24. Who did the Gators think they were, the Los Angeles Angels playing the Colorado Rockies?

–

If not for the Tigers managing to get that extra run, 24-3 would have convinced many fans it was a spring football scrimmage.

–

Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals just played a two game series in London.

Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong on their visit to the Tower of London.

“It was remarkable. That’s where Anne Boleyn was beheaded. … And we were standing right there today….”

Okay, I admit it, Shocked that a random baseball player now knows who Anne Boleyn was.

(But I looked him up – In 2015, DeJong graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in biochemistry, 3.74 GPA and thought of going to med school if baseball didn’t work out.)

–

Four biggest payrolls in MLB – Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Padres.

If the season ended tonight only the Yankees would make the playoffs. As the second wild card barely ahead of the Angels and Astros.

–

–

Can anyone, even a Republican, imagine what it would be like if Donald Trump was the President being briefed on the situation in Russia this weekend?

–

But okay, who expected that Russia might decide they’d had enough of Putin before the Republican party decides they’ve had enough of Trump?

–

Maury Povich says he is launching a company for at-home DNA paternity test kits. If these tests work wonder how MEN will feel about tech companies not promising to guard the privacy of their location, purchases and associated health data.

–

A year after Dobbs took away women’s reproductive rights in many states, has a single Republican member of Congress done ANYTHING in terms of helping pregnant women get healthcare, mothers get childcare or families with children get welfare assistance? I’ll wait.

–

GOP is not only ridiculously upset with Joe Biden having a working weekend at Camp David but also they didn’t mind at all when Donald Trump wanted to bring the Taliban there.

–

Republicans who like to quote and sometime twist the Bible whenever it suits their agenda, somehow in their nonstop attacks on President Biden and Hunter seem to have forgotten Luke 15:11-32, the story of the prodigal son…

–

Amy Klobuchar on Meet the Press, asked if she has concerns on Biden’s age.

“No I don’t. Our party is united behind him We work in a result oriented business, He has gotten results, 13 million jobs, economy moving forward, manufacturing,,made in America, veterans health, united our allies supporting Ukraine, finally taken on pharmaceutical companies, passed version of my bill to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices for seniors, those aren’t small accomplishments those are big deal things.”

It doesn’t get press when Dems SUPPORT Biden.

Not a particularly big story when the #2 team in an MLB division beats the #1 team in June.

But when that #2 team and #1 team in 2023 in the NL West are the Giants and Diamodbacks?

And yes, the San Francisco Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-5.

–

Whatever happens going forward, Victor Wembanyama has proven he is a smart young man who understands what matters in the city he’s going to play for. And now I am also craving breakfast tacos.

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/06/23/spurs-victor-wembanyama-receives-bunch-of-breakfast-tacos-after-arriving-in-sa/

–

Anti-choice advocate Ralph Reed, pushing for nationwide abortion ban “Going to do everything we can to give our candidates a little bit of a testosterone booster shot.”

“Testosterone booster shot” Yeah, he said it. For men to tell women what to do with their bodies.”

–

Meanwhile in Russia.

–

Many if not most of us have had moments of wanting to quit Twitter since Muskrat took over. And yes, there’s a lot of disinformation being tweeted. But nights like tonight are where Twitter shines.

Still, in spite of Elon.

–

Why is ANYONE surprised Donald Trump hasn’t come out publicly in support of Putin? We all know Velveeta Voldemort has zero loyalty to anyone who is no longer useful to him. Including his boss.

–

–

Have any Republicans come out with expressions of support for Vladimir Putin yet?

–

Can we start a rumor Putin is trying to escape in a submersible vessel and then maybe CNN will start covering the Russia situation?

–

In Pennsylvania, Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro oversaw a repair of collapsed I-95 freeway months ahead of schedule. In Texas, Republican Governor banned water breaks for workers & people are dying Democrats get things done! Democrats are the party that is actually pro-life.

Gregg Popovich might be the most woke white man in the NBA if not all sports. He’s #1 reason I’m a San Antonio Spurs fan.

So if you believe God cares about sports, well that ping pong ball having a divine hand involved, works for me tonight. #GoSpursGo

Watching people arrive for the state dinner tonight was like the Oscars red carpet for political geeks. And yes, I am one…

–

Short version,, a lot of women look amazing. And a lot of men look like they were forced to pull suits and tuxedos out of their closets.

–

Moms for Liberty is an oxymoron.

–

So Hunter Biden apparently thought at one time he could avoid paying taxes. Shouldn’t that make him a GOP hero?

–

1998 – Republicans impeached Bill Clinton for lying about a consensual sexual relationship. 2023 – Republicans trying to impeach Joe Biden for being a Democrat.

–

So apparently this Titantic submersible imploded before people even reported it missing

But Dan Crenshaw, attacking President Biden’s rescue operation, thinks Joe should have had ESP to send a rescue mission before it even went underwater.

Got it.

Am a fan of Dark Brandon, but even he has his limits.

ESPN top baseball headline

“Reds’ win streak at 11, team’s best in 66 years”

ESPN’s second baseball headline.

“Overturned call at plate costs Padres a night after Rangers.”

No mention that the game final score, 4-2 SF, gave the Giants a 10 game win streak.

#norespect

–

Have the Oakland A’s won since the Nevada legislature approved the funding for their move to Las Vegas?

–

President Biden is in California, talking about climate change, investing $2 billion to modernize electric grid, meeting with experts on AI… etc.

National media is barely mentioning the trip. But if Joe had tripped or messed up a name, you know it would be front page news.

–

Senator Tammy Duckworth: “Let’s be honest, it’s not about protecting life, it’s about controlling women & our bodies. “If GOP really wanted to protect life they’d stop trying to strip away our healthcare, or stand up to the NRA…: Nailed it!

Gov. Wrong DeSantis’ Disney World oversight district is adopting a whistleblower policy which provides protections for whistleblowers. So what happens if someone blows the whistle on something involving money and DeSantis?

–

Those of us who said birth control would be next in GOP sights after Dobbs were told we were being like Chicken Little.

Democrats right now are the only thing keeping our sky from falling.

–

We’re all hoping for the best with that Titanic submersible. But thinking that Republicans who rant nonstop about the cost of trying to deal with asylum seekers at the border haven’t said a word about the tax dollars being spent on trying to rescue billionaires.

–

Chuck Grassley attacks California’s law requiring pork sold within state borders to come from pigs not housed in confined spaces.

He railed against those making pork laws who’ve never been on a pork farm. How about those making laws about women’s bodies who’ve never had a uterus?

–

Cindy Hyde-Smith claims 1873 law should prohibit mifepristone from being sent in 2023 through US mail.

Amy Klobuchar points out in 1873, we treated pneumonia by blood letting.

Maybe Amy would get more of her Senatet male colleagues’ attention if she added in 1873 only treatment for ED was prayer.

Before Joc Pederson’s game winning walk, Casey Schmitt with the third walk of his MLB career. If you don’t think there’s some magic with this SF Giants team lately.

Thinking right now stations airing the SF Giants need to charge a premium for ads in the last three innings

–

Not only are all teams in AL East above .500, the last place 39-35 Boston Red Sox are now 3 games ahead of the 1st place AL Central 36-38 Minnesota Twins.

–

Texas Governor Greg Abbott just signed bill that, as of Sept 1, prohibits businesses from hosting “sexually oriented” performances in which someone appeals to the “prurient interest in sex” in presence of minors. So he’s outlawing child beauty pageants?

–

Actually for that matter did Greg Abbott just outlaw the Dallas Cowboys Cheeleaders?

–

As many states deal with disasters caused by extreme weather, President Biden’s visit to Palo Alto & speech about $600 million to address climate change gets little press. Now, had Joe tripped walking around the Baylands, (EASY to do on windy day), would have been headline news.

–

Pres. Biden & Demicrats had to scale back Inflation Reduction Act to get it through divided Senate, but yesterday Joe also announced over $2 billion to modernize US electric grid. If Ted Cruz etc weren’t so busy Biden bashing they might have worked to raise that amount. Texas needs help.

–

For all that media considers it breaking news when President Joe Biden, a former stutterer, makes a verbal gaffe or stumble, they’re strangely quiet over Donald Trump talking about Joe’s primary opponent “JFK Jr, I know him very well.” Yes, he said it.

–

Politico reports “Marianne Williamson has lost her 2nd campaign manager in as many months in her 2024 presidential bid.” Not that Biden is perfect, but he’s doing a fine job. With all due respect, who would sign on as Williamson’s 2024 campaign manager now in the first place?

–

Didn’t care who Bill Clinton slept with. Also don’t care who Lauren Boebert sleeps with.

But I do care that Bill Clinton was a good President.

And I care that Boebert is a bad joke who is spending energy & taxpayer $$ on stunt claiming she wants to impeach another good President.

–

Hunter Biden works out a plea deal on misdemeanor tax charges and apoplectic Republicans want him in prison for life. Whereas the former President and frontrunner for GOP nomination in 2024 says he didn’t pay taxes and “that makes me smart.”

–

So Hunter Biden admits when he was an addict he violated federal law in buying a gun as “an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance.” As much as GOP loves 2nd amendment if Hunter were only the son of a Republican leader, he’d be a conservative hero.

–

Someone addicted to controlled substance in US legally can’t buy firearm. But no one was injured or killed with Hunter Biden’s gun. Someone under 18 yrs of age in WI legally can’t be armed with firearm. 2 people were killed by Kyle Rittenhouse’s gun.

–

As Tuberville’s dangerous stunt of holding up military appointments continues, imagine if some Senator tried to hold up Pentagon appointments because they thought easy access to Viagra for men in military was causing too many unwanted pregnancies and thus abortions.

I was this many years old when I became a Tom Watson fan

ICYMI “Golf Legend Tom Watson Calls Out Saudi Deal in Letter to PGA Tour Commish: Explain This In a Way We Can ‘Look 9/11 Families in the Eye’

–

Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski asked about his walk-off splash hit. tonight against the Padres. What was that moment like? Yaz – “it was fun.”

–

I’m so old that that I remember when disavowing Nazis in the US was one thing Republican and Democratic candidates could agree on.

–

Hoping for the best in search for tourist submersible missing near or in Titanic wreckage.

But if/when they do find the submersible, where tourists on board paid $250,000 each for the trip, trust these billionaires will reimburse Coast Guard, US & Canada etc for cost of rescue.

–

Increasingly this Trump documents case is turning into the weirdest episode of Hoarders ever.

–

JFK Jr has a better chance of becoming President than RFK Jr.

–

CNN pundit wondering about why President’s approval ratings aren’t higher on the economy & saying Biden is frustrated he can’t get his message out. Also, CNN, let’s do another GOP Town Hall and talk about RFK Jr. instead of talking about say, job numbers and falling prices,

–

NY Times headline: “Why Robert Kennedy Jr.’s 2024 Bid Is a Headache for Biden.” 1st sentence of story should be “& if it’s not headache yet NY Times will do everything we can to promote this nutjob’s right-wing funded campaign because Biden’s competence is boring.” #NotTheOnion

Mets, Yankees, Padres, Phillies, Dodgers, Angels. Blue Jays, Braves

The eight teams with payrolls over $200 million in 2023.

If the season ended today, only 4 of them might even make playoffs as a wild card (Yankees are tied with Astros for the 3rd AL spot) , and only the Braves are leading their division.

–

SF Giants just swept Dodgers in Los Angeles. Who saw that coming? Now all you liars put your hands down.

–

This probably won’t last, if for no other reason than the Dodgers can spend another $100-200 million at the trade deadline.

But it’s nice now.

San Francisco	39	32	.549	3.5	W7
LA Dodgers	39	33	.542	4	L3

–

Buried in Washington Post today in a story about forces trying to scuttle President Biden’s accomplisments. .. Per OpenSecrets – Nation’s largest companies & lobbying groups spent combined $2.3 billion in 2022 to shape or scuttle key components” of Inflation Reduction Act. Especially on climate and prescription drug issues

Hint, they aren’t doing this to help average Americans.

=

For all that GOP likes to talk about family values, President Biden has had to prove more than most Fathers that he loves his son unconditionally. For which Joe should be celebrated . Thinking he makes a lot of Republicans feel guilty.

–

Inspired by autocorrect I am going to start calling him Wrong DeSantis.

–

Fox News headling praises Texas Rangers for being only MLB team without Pride Right. While I hope Bochy changes this, headline doesn’t mention Rangers do support LGBTQ causes, including sponsoring NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series & have “an inclusion & community impact council.”

–

Wait, now some conservative media is outraged at John Fetterman because he wore shorts and a hoodie to meet President Biden on the tarmac? Good to see that focus on the serious issues affecting our country.

Father’s Day thought. A favorite dad memory was during his post-doc when we were in Brighton (Boston suburb) . Some Saturday nights he’d take me, age 6, to Harvard Square to pick up NY Times early Sunday edition.

I love newspapers. PSA, tell your Senators to support Journalism Preservation & Competition Act. It matters.

One of weirdest SF Giants LA Dodgers games ever. Still not quite sure how SF won. But if you believe God has a hand in baseball, well, SF Giants, led by avowed ally Gabe Kapler (he’s straight) are one of the most supportive teams in baseball of the LGBTQ community.

And God created rainbows. Just saying

(On Pride Night in Los Angeles, where the Dodgers were all over the place with inviting then rescinding an invitiation to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. LA eventually invited them back.)

–

Btw, from the last inning. Little leaguers, don’t try this at home.

WHAT IN THE BAD NEWS BEARS JUST HAPPENED!?!? pic.twitter.com/YwbjjEr6Le

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 17, 2023

Bally’s plans to demolish Tropicana hotel to put new A’s ballpark on site. They claim stadium would seat “nearly 30,000 & bring in 2.5 million fans a year.”

Uh, 30,000 X 81 (number of home games) equals 2,430,000. They’d have to more than sell out nightly to get 2.4 million.

–

Republicans are more concerned that children might get free school lunches they might not really need, than that billionaires are getting tax cuts they don’t need at all.

So is Trump just addicted to all caps or does he mistake “caps lock” for the shift key?

–

So who is God rooting for in the College World Series between Texas Christian University and Oral Roberts?

·

Thousands of residents in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi are without power Friday morning after deadly tornadoes & severe weather. At least Joe Biden will send help, without recriminations, even if those states didn’t vote for him. It’s so nice having a President.

–

Amy Klobuchar in spirited speech in markup of Journalism Competition & Protection Act this week pointed out that’s it’s not just journalism. Whether it’s fentanyl sold online, protecting kids on social media, standing up for democracy.. “If legislation doesn’t help dominant platforms,, EVERY SINGLE TIME!”

If the answer is always “my way or the highway and the answer is going to be whatever Big Tech wants they get… let’s be honest, the world is moving without us.”

She’s right.

(Btw, about 2 minutes on google showed that Meta’s litigation firm donated $16,000 to California Senator Alex Padilla, and he flipped from a yes to a no vote on the journalism bill.)

One thing I don’t get. All this ranting by Trump & his supporters about possible pardon for what they claim is politically motivated case. Case will go to a jury. 12 Americans. If he’s found guilty, will they claim every person in county is somehow part of the deep state?

–

Ron DeSantis just called the Rainbow Pride Flag a “transgender banner.” Actually the Pride Flag was created in 1978 at the request of Harvey Milk. To me as a straight woman it represents joy, diversity and humanity. None of which DeSantis knows anything about.

–

GOP won the Congressional Baseball Game tonight. Maybe just as well.

Had the Democrats won Republicans would have spent most of next year saying the game was stolen.

–

Athletics stadium deal won final legislative approval in Nevada. Figure state feels pretty good about sports now with WNBA Aces & NHL Golden Knights winning championships. Only thing for Oakland to smile about. Wait until Vegas discovers what it’s like to deal with John Fisher.

–

Mets pitcher Drew Smith is the latest to be suspended 10 games for sticky substance. Like the other pitchers, he says he is innocent, saying in this case it was just sweat and rosin. How long until we hear the “tainted rosin” defense?

–

Mike Yastrzemski, today with a 2 strike, 2 run game tying home run in the bottom of the 9th, is doing to the St. Louis Cardinals what Paul Goldschmidt has been doing for years to the SF Giants.

(Per ESPN, Cardinals, up 5-3, had a 97.9% chance of winning before that pitch.)

–

Meanwhile, what went on in the world yesterday?

Well, on Fox News the headline is about a transgender activist who went topless at the White House Pride Event. Pay no attention to that man in Florida being arraigned in Florida who put boxes of documents behind a bathroom curtain.

So how long until Trump starts telling the story of how the people who arraigned him in Miami yesterday all had tears in their eyes, big strong men calling him Sir?

–

Later Fox did add the headline “Trump released from court on several conditions, prays with supporters after arraignment.:” What was his prayer?

“So help me, me?”

Garth Brooks isn’t backing down on his decision to sell all beers at his Nashville honky tonk, and his comment “plenty of other places to be an a**hole,” saying now “I love diversity.”

Already impressed with his talent. But beginning to really love Garth Brooks.

–

As Lindsey Graham rants about prosecutorial overreach etc in defending Donald Trump your reminder that Graham voted to impeach Bill Clinton over a sexual relationship between consenting adults.

–

Oh please oh please can someone make a video comparing Donald Trump referring to “my Presidential Papers” to Golum referring to “my precious?”

–

Marsha Blackburn actually involved in something good this time – working with Richard Blumenthal & Jon Ossof to get Uber and Lyft to toughen protections against transporting human trafficking victims.

Senators love being in headlines. Maybe if media covered more bipartisan efforts we’d see more bipartisanship?-

Inflation & unemployment are down, stock market is up. Even if the Former Guy wasn’t man who has been indicted twice… so far, our current President is doing very good job.

So why isn’t anyone in media writing Joe Biden deserves re-election even if his opponent wasn’t a crook?

“It was designed to break your heart…”

As a Stanford alum am thrilled for the Cardinal. As a former baseball mom I feel for the right fielder, and his mother.

–

A WILD WALK-OFF SENDS STANFORD TO OMAHA 🤯 pic.twitter.com/bhwufpAcbb

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 13, 2023

–

Meanwhile, did they have an NBA final?

–

After his scoreless inning on the mound last night, Brandon Crawford is likely to retire not only as the SF Giants all-time best shortstop, but also as the pitcher with the team’s all-time lowest ERA.

–

Am not a beer fan. But I support people’s right to drink whatever beer they want. And to love who they want. And I stand with Garth Brooks.

If you want to know why so much of the country still supports Trump & has a negative view of President Biden, despite Joe’s many successes… As Donald’s arraignment is tomorrow and the indictment has been released, TOP headline on Fox News website tonight is about Hunter Biden.

–
And it also seems pretty much acknowledged Gavin Newsom wiped the floor with Sean Hannity & strongly defended Biden. Fox website headline on the story is one out-of-context comment Gavin said about Trump indictment “It was sad.”

–

But not just Fox. Again, another day, another town hall on CNN, this time with Chris Christie.

Going to keep saying this, why not regular Town Halls with President Biden’s surrogates with questions about why Joe deserves a second term?

–

–

Seems like it was headlines every day over sky-high egg prices. But now

“The average wholesale price of a dozen eggs is currently between $0.99 and $1.39, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average consumer price was about $3.27 per dozen in April. That’s the lowest price for a carton since last September.”

Not exactly front page news.

And it’s a bull market for stocks! Anyone seen THAT headline?

Simple illustration on monopolies:

Lowest business fares from San Fran to Geneva at least $600 less than to Zurich. Why?

Because United & Swiss have monopoly on nonstops to Zurich. To Geneva many airlines have connections. True for monopoly nonstops between US cities too.

–

Gov. Ron DeSantis now vowing to restore the name of a U.S. Army base in North Carolina to that of a Confederate general. What’s next? DeSantis talking about the benefits for women and African Americans when they didn’t have the stress of voting?

–

All these people questioning if Donald Trump was planning to sell some of the classified documents he took illegally from the White House. What makes anyone think he hasn’t already done so?

–

Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr. has posted – “US confirms China has had a spy base in Cuba since at least 2019.” So that means we should impeach the Democratic president who was in office in 2019? Oh, wait, never mind.

And it’s a bull market for stocks! Anyone seen THAT headline?

SF Giants scored 15 runs in three games against the Chicago Cubs.

13 of them in the third game. That’s baseball.

From former Giants beat writer Hank Schulman “I texted Belt and asked for his reaction to Crawford’s scoreless inning, and getting the first shot among the two to pitch in a big-league game. “Yeah, that’s great,” Belt said. “But I would have pitched an immaculate inning.”

–

–

Over 4000 people for weekend games at Sunken Diamond for the Stanford-Texas Super-Regional.

4,000! Well, maybe the As should consider playing a few home games there. Beautiful stadium, in nicer shape than the Coliseum and better crowds.

–

Meanwhile Stanford senior lefty Quinn Matthews throws 156 pitches (not a typo) with 16 strikeouts in a complete game win for the Cardinal tonight to set up a winner goes to the College World Series game vs Texas tomorrow Somewhere Madison Bumgarner is smiling.

–

Nice paraphrase of the legendary Shirley Chisholm by Belmont winning trainer Jena Antonucci. the first woman trainer to have a horse, Archangelo, win a Triple Crown event “If you can’t find a seat at the table, make your own table.”

–

GOP House just was compared to grandchildren “They love attention & and they behave well when you’re giving them a lot of it. Then as soon as you’re done giving them attention, they get mad & you’ve got to give them more attention.” Liberal media?

Nope, GOP North Dakota Senator Cramer

–

Not a Ro Khanna fan.

Latest reason “I welcome Cornel West entering the (Presidential) race to make this country more just for all. I believe he will bring more people into the process and push for progressive policies.” Like Ralph Nader and Jill Stein did?

–

Wait until MAGAs realize that every major US Bank embraces diversity and supports the LGBTQ community. Are they gonna throw away their credit cards and put their money under mattresses?

–

MAGAs say a lot of things about the Bible and the Trump indictment and pretty clear most of them haven’t read either.

Beginning to think Alan Dershowitz is never getting invited back to Martha’s Vineyard.

–

Hey Ted Cruz – gonna boycott United Airlines now too? (Picture from their United Club lounge tonight.) Good luck flying out of Houston.

Leeds United was just relegated from the Premier League. Now the team has been sold to 49ers Enterprises. (Yes, as in SF 49ers.)

I see a potental Ted Lasso sequel coming on..

–

Meanwhile, the Nevada Senate adjourned Thursday without voting on a financing bill $1.5 billion Las Vegas Strip stadium for the Oakland Athletics. The special legislative session will continue next week.

Maybe $1.5 billion feels excessive when the city already has a minor league team? (The Las Vegas Aviators)

–

Here’s what I don’t get. IF Republicans really believe Joe Biden is a weak President, then presumably they think any of their stable of candidates can beat him? Then why make these increasingly divorced from reality statements defending a man they KNOW is a crook?

–

OTOH, we assume that many Republican leaders are defending Trump now because they are either cowards or cult members. But they also could be a third potential C word explanation – culpable.

–

Ron Deathsantis really is questioning why the DOJ went after Donald Trump instead of Hunter Biden. Just a bit too much to unpack in a blog post. But for starters, Hunter never has had access to classified documents including nuclear secrets.

–

Your reminder Democrats didn’t lose their minds and scream partisan politics in 2012 when Jack Smith was the DOJ person who prosecuted former VP and Presidential candidate John Edwards.

–

So has Susan Collins said yet that NOW Donald will have finally learned his lesson.

Hey media. If ANY Republican member of Congress tries to claim Jack Smith’s investigation is partisan politics or a witch hunt you need to ask them one question. Have you read the indictments? Thank you. Americans tired of lies.

ICYMI, Oklahoma’s women’s softball team won their third straight College World Series, closing out the year on a 53 game winning streak.

oh, was there other news today?

–

All MLB teams have talent and momentum in baseball is only as good as your starting pitcher.

But, about the Miami Marlins and their six straight. wins.

Three against the 12-49 A’s and now three against 18-44 Royals….

–

Meanwhile, thinking many SF Giants fans would have been pleased if they were told in early June their team would have a better record than the Phillies, Mets and Padres.

–

So one of the non political questions of the night – which Florida team will last longer in the finals… the Panthers or the Heat?

–

So while the SCOTUS ruling about Alabama is good news, did the four dissenting judges really believe Alabama’s voting maps are NOT unfair to Black residents? Or do they know they’re unfair and they’re good with that?

–

July 27, 1974: House Judiciary Committee approved articles of Impeachment. Seven of the committee’s 17 GOP joined all 21 Dems to approve the Articles. (Nixon resigned before he was actually impeached.) In case you forgot that GOP USED to care about criminal behavior,

–

Yes, it’s too soon to pop champagne. But perhaps a nice wine would go with that “I have been indicted” whine?

I like Presidents who don’t get indicted.

–

If you weren’t already a Garth Brooks fan. He’s opening a  Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky Tonk in downtown Nashville and “We’re going to serve every brand of beer. We just are. It’s not our decision to make. Our thing is this: If you come into this house, love one another. If you’re an a–hole, there are plenty of other places on lower Broadway.”

The Oakland A’s, currently the worst team in baseball with the worst attendance to match.

Some think they will somehow draw 30,000 a game in Las Vegas during the summer, even with a roof….

Uh, the Miami Marlins, who have a roof on their newish stadium, currently have the 4th best record in the National League and are almost even with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They have the SECOND worst home attendance in the league, averaging 11,600.

–

Meanwhile, – Pac-12 schools per ESPN “still are playing the waiting game for a new television contract.”

–

At this point is there going to be enough schools in the Pac 12 worth watching?

–

So just how many journalists would the Saudis have had to murder for the PGA to draw the line at a merger?

–

So #ETTD applies even to now-former TV executives. Bye bye Chris Licht.

–

So far have seen Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders condemn Merck’s lawsuit over Medicare being able to negotiate drug prices. Has a SINGLE GOP Senator who claims to be pro-life and anti-inflation complained about Merck’s efforts to keep price fixing? I’ll wait.

–

Orlando Sentinel headline: 2 groups cancel Orlando conventions as worries over political climate grow.

Hey, Florida Governor Desantis. It’s the economy, stupid.

–

For those in the back

GOP controls House.

GOP took US economy hostage over debt ceiling President Biden negotiated a deal that somehow passed House & Senate on a bipartisan basis.

And it’s GOP who are now so upset they have basically shut down the House.

Can’t make this up.

If Trump is indicted, that may not be a reason to uncork champagne. Yet.

But perhaps a good time to pop a bottle of a nice reasonably priced California sparkling wine? Buy American!

–

Donald Trump has recently moved to Bedminster for the summer. And today he can’t even go outside to golf. Thinking his resort may soon have a ketchup shortage.

–

Dear GOP: Had you just done the right thing and impeached Donald Trump after January 6, you wouldn’t have to deal with the leader of your party facing multiple indictments.

Thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, America

–

—

Tiger Woods’s becoming less of a star player meant many people lost interest in watching golf. The PGA – LIV merger just did the same for many of the rest. WTF?

–

Horse racing has been under a cloud with recent horse deaths in training and on the track, to the point that some feel they can’t watch anymore. PGA Tour – hold our overpriced beer.

–

So much for that brief shining moment when the PGA had the moral high road.

–

Weird stat tonight.

A tale of two MLB divisions:

AL East. Last place Boston Red Sox. 31-30 – .508

AL Central First place Minnesota Twins: 31- 30 – .508

–

Rough news for the Texas Rangers and indeed fans of baseball with Jacob DeGrom needing Tommy John surgery. In the offseason, thinking most people assumed DeGrom wouldn’t be injured and out for the season until the All-Star Break.

–

“The game of golf is better for what we’ve done here today.”

So is PGA commissioner Jay Monahan just a lying money-grubbing hypocrite?

Or how much did LIV pay him for his soul?

–

Would never vote for Chris Christie…but he was warning today about those who claim they never lose and are never wrong, adding……

“A lonely, self-consumed, self-serving mirror hog is not a leader.” Okay, when Christie’s right, he’s right.

–

Hard line GOP conservatives, angry at Kevin McCarthy for the debt deal, blocked a procedural vote – known as a House rule – for the first time since 2002.

And the rule was to protect gas stoves?! What a way to “torch” their speaker.

–

On the 79th Anniversary of D-Day who thought in America we’d have politicians of a major party refusing to condemn their supporters who are Nazis?

–

Don’t take my word for it that President Biden negotiated a great deal on the debt ceiling: AP Headline “House conservatives block GOP bills, voice frustration in response to last week’s debt ceiling vote.” Why isn’t media giving Dark Brandon more credit?

–

Have thought about some of nicknames going around about Casey Desantis- “Walmart Melania” & “Tackie-O.”

Yes, family members normally are not fair game. But Casey is proudly her husband’s top advisor

And yes, guess it’s beneath us to mock someone’s looks. But so much of her & Ron’s platform is to attack people who just LOOK different, ie possibly gay or trans. (Not to mention allowing police to stop someone who LOOKS like they might be undocumented.)

So i’m fine with it.

–

Hey media.

You seem to love stories that question if politicians are too old. May I suggest you listen to Chuck Grassley working hard to read from his notes and rambling on about the FBI on the Senate Floor?

I don’t want them, you take them.

Apparently over 70% of Nevadans don’t want the Oakland A’s with the current proposed stadium.

Maybe with the NHL Golden Knights doing so well, Las Vegas is thinking….we don’t need a minor league baseball team .

–

The Miami Heat came back and beat the Denver Nuggets Sunday night to tie the NBA Finals 1-1

And now game three is… Wednesday?

Maybe it’s just me, and of course the league (and ABC/ESPN) were wishing for Celtics-Lakers. But three days between games? Seems like even people who suddenly started paying attention to the Finals may lose interest again by then.

–

Stanford baseball made it through the loser’s bracket, again, and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional, with 3 wins in about 3 hours, the last two against Texas A&M. #CardiacCar

–

Meanwhile the Stanford women’s softball team fell just short, losing in extra innings to Oklahoma

The Sooners have won 51 games in a row. 51 games in a row?!! If they were a men’s team with that kind of dominance they’d be regular front page headlines.

–

Tim Scott says systemic racism is not a thing?

Has he listened to his friend Cory Booker? Remember an interview where Cory said if Senate works late he stays in his suit to walk home from US Capitol, even in hot Washington summers.

Because he doesn’t feel comfortable as big black man walking in T-shirt and shorts on DC streets late at night

–

A flooded computer server room with where surveillance videos were kept? If President Biden just said a single classified document had been rendered illegible by melted ice cream GOP would call it an impeachable offense.

–

So Ron Deathsantis is now running a campaign in which he is trying to convince Americans that the COVID virus was no big deal, but the “woke mind” virus is dangerous. Over 1.1 million Americans would beg to differ. If they could.

–

When the next big hurricane hits Florida (and statistically the state gets over 40% of all US hurricane), imagine if FEMA responded with reduced aid because of all the money DeathSantis has wasted on flying asylum seekers to other states.

–

Tonight it’s Ty Cobb. Someday there will be a special DSM page devoted to the psychosis that people still have thinking THEY will be the one person Donald Trump won’t throw under the bus.

Seriously at this point why would anyone agree to be his lawyer?

–

Apparently Casey Desantis doesn’t like the term “Walmart Melania.” So none of us should use it.

–

Media rant time.

Simply put, most big businesses from beverage companies, to retail, to restaurants -even banks, care about diversity & support LGBTQ community. Companies like Disney & Anheuser-Busch & Target are mainstream now. Not outliers. But media won’t say that. Fear or chasing clicks?

Meanwhile, in 2019-20 as Dems competed to be nominee, Trump’s outrageousness was still dominating headlines. Now as Donald has competition for GOP title of most outrageous, President Biden quietly does his job well… & gets few headlines. Unless Joe trips or misspeaks.