Alberto VO-5 will resign this morning!

From the WaPo: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will announce his resignation today at 10:30 am. An ally of President Bush since their days together in Texas, Alberto-“VO5”-Gonzales has been at the apex of the firing of U.S. attorneys and wire-tapping controversies. (Photo courtesy of FDL)
With news of Gonzales departure, BushCo needs to find someone who can be embraced (confirmed) by Congress, without linkage to any scandal or prosecution. The name at the top of the list is Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff (link to Think Progress). President Bush will make an announcement (read: “Heck-of-a-job” speech) this morning (from Waco, TX) in regards to Gonzales’ departure. Until Gonzales replacement can be found, US Solicitor General Paul Clement (resume: worked for Kenneth Star at Kirlkland, Ellis; staffed for John Ashcroft and helped pen two of the amicus curie briefs in Bush v. Gore while working with the American Center for Law & Justice) will be acting Attorney General.

Other names such as Larry Thompson, Bud Cummins and Clay Johnson (from the OMB) are also being tossed around as potential Atty General Nominations. If President Bush does announce that Secretary Chertoff will be nominated from Waco this morning, the significance in the circular relationship will be that Chertoff will have the ugliest mug to hang on DOJ offices around the country since Janet Reno (who had her own “incident” in Waco, Texas). Photo of Sec. Chertoff courtesy of The White House. Whomever the President nominates, I just hope he keeps a daily journal, calendar or perhaps has a better memory to recall things than Alberto-VO5 did.
Posted by The Bushido

The Gamecocks Yin & Yang: Brinkley-good news, Blake-bad news

If you are like me, you like to hear good news first:


Jasper Brinkley makes the Walter Camp Football Foundation Watch-List
The Gamecocks middle-linebacker, Jasper Brinkley was nominated by the Walter Camp Football Foundation for its prestigious Player of the Year award, out of the 35 nominees, the field will be cut to 10 finalists in November and the winner will be voted on by the NCAA Bowl Subdivision head-coaches with the announcement in December. The Walter Camp Award (link to official site) created in 1967 is the nation's fourth-oldest individual college football accolade. For those of you keeping score at home, last year’s recipient was Ohio State QB, Troy Smith. Brinkley is also a pre-season selection for the All-SEC 1st Team as well as a pre-season All-American.


Depending on if you like Blake Mitchell, here is the bad news:


Fifth year senior and starting quarterback for the USC Gamecocks, Blake Mitchell was suspended by Coach Steve Spurrier today for missing class during summer school. For those of you keeping score, that is Blake’s third suspension: one for punching a bouncer at a bar in Five-Points and his second for not attending class, albeit the first class-cuts suspension was only for the first two fall practices last season. (Photo credit: Juan Blas)



Advice to Blake Mitchell
Look Blake, I know you think you are “BMOC” and that you don’t have to go to class, but as you can see Coach Spurrier won’t put up with that sort of "lackadaisical attitude". If I were in your shoes, I’d hit the books and play my butt off in your first start. Watch your six Mitchie’, because I have a feeling that Chris Smelley will use the start against Louisiana-Lafayette (September 1st) to showcase his talents for the “Old Ball Coach” and he just might take your job as QB.

CCDP: Night At The Joe

The Charleston County Democratic Party is hosting a picnic gathering during the Riverdogs game at the Joe Riley Ballpark on Thursday, August 23rd – 6:00pm picnic, 7:00pm first pitch.
We will be joined at the gathering by our very own Charleston Mayor Joe Riley! Look for the DEMOCRAT Table at the entrance to Riley Park.

Tickets for the game and picnic will be available for $8.00.

Your $8 ticket includes hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, lemonade, and a general admission ticket into the ballgame. Also, it will be THIRSTY THURSDAY, which means beer is only $1.00!
Tickets for this kind of event are normally $20 – The Charleston County Democratic Party is paying the difference as a gift to Charleston Democrats! Join us as we eat and cheer on the Riverdogs!

Wednesday's WTF? A Bizarre Lesson From Mastodon...

WTF is going on in this video, “Sleeping Giant” by Mastodon?I am assuming this is some form of bizarre, artistic lecture of the abusive nature of the evil of mankind and the effects on our planet and the cosmos, as the two what would be Obi-Wan Kenobi-esque students, taught by, a guy dressed as Dr. Doom from the Fantastic Four (WTF? Obi-Wan Kenobi is in my spell-check?) I digress; the students watch as the life given provides a very primitive group of organisms, incubation occurs and now man is on the micro-planet-building huts, killing dinosaurs etc; incubate again for a growing city-let the pollution begin, incubate one more time, add two-tablespoons of nuclear power, three missiles, a nasty guitar rift, stir and watch as the planet is turned to ash. "Get it people? Quit f'in up the planet or this is what will happen", seems to be the message from Mastodon-now watch this nasty guitar rift, byaah!

After watching this video, après WTF? I got their massage as wacky as the video was and came to appreciate the band’s creativity. I'll even go as far as to wish the band members were high school science teachers; wait they would never make the cut--too much “Evolution” going on in this video. Sorry guys.
Posted by The Bushido

Wednesday's WTF? President Bush makes a dire comparison

As you know the President loves the taste of leather, that is why of course, he should probably fire a speech writer today. Why? Because in his speach to a VFW group in Kansas City, MO, the President made the comparison of the pull-out in Southeast Asia to the growing call for a pull-out in Iraq, stating:

"Will today's generation of Americans resist the deceptive
allure of retreat and do in the Middle East what veterans in this room did in
Asia?"

Further more the President made the wrong inference that Pol Pot was able to enforce a genocide on his own people in Cambodia on the Khmer Rouge, because the United States pulled-out to early, not that we stayed too late. I know, sure he doesn't know his history and that of course, President Bush (through GHW Bush's sting-pulling) never served in Vietnam, but many people of his generation did. It seems like a lot of Monday-morning-arm-chair-quarterbacking to make this parallel, especially when Bush was too busy protecting the Rio Grande from a V.C. flank in the Texas Air National Guard (read: Yuppie/Child of Entitlement wasn't there and shouldn't open his mouth, except to obviously insert foot.)

If Ann Coulter wants to label Clinton as a draft-dodger, then George W Bush should get the man-of-privilege badge of dishonor as well. It's sad really that it has come to this kind of grasping at straws by the Administration. There's no excuse really for even making this parallel, especially when so many men still have still have the fear and loathing from this era and most men (ask your Dad, if he was lucky enough to not go) know their Draft Card Number. WTF Mr. President? WTF indeed?

Hurricane Dean Came Rolling In At 4:30 This Morning

Ain't that a kick in the head
According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Dean hit landfall this morning near Chetumal, the capital of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. For those of you who've partied in Cancun and Cozumel on the Yucatan Peninsula, Chetumal is just south of these locales. The Category 5 Hurricane is as large as the state of Texas and is the strongest storm to hit landfall since Hurricane Andrew hit Florida. Hurricane Dean is expected to effect the entire Yucatan Peninsula from Belize to Cancun. (Photo courtesy of Broadway to Vegas)

Like the Sailor Said quote, Ain't that a hole in the boat
Luckily, despite the size of this storm most people evacuated for the storm after the government's warnings. Only seven deaths are attributed to Hurricane Dean so far-hopefully, there will only be seven. And hopefully, after crossing the Yucatan Peninsula this storm will not regain strength in the warm waters of the Gulf as Hurricane Katrina did. (Photo courtesy of CNN.com).

Mexico's state owned oil company, Petróleos Mexicanos, aka PEMEX shut down their refineries in the Gulf, but this should not effect prices here in the States as the storm will miss the Gulf refineries that the US gets a third of US Crude production. Oil is dropping for the 2nd consecutive day, (down $1.63, closing at $70.35) trading right now at $70.67.
Posted by The Bushido

Remembering Eddie Gaedel and Blackie rides the Santana-Smoltz train

On this date in 1951, Eddie Gaedel became the first dwarf to play in a major league baseball game. Do I mention this because a FOB just 6-inches shorter than the Bushido had an amazing day with his fantasy team and I am expressing my discontent of being relished back to third place in our league? Of course not, it just happened to be the sequence of the days were the same and I thought what better way to remember Eddie Gaedel than to tell his story. And as a story within a story, we can also honor the recent passing of Yankees' short-stop, Phil Rizzuto.

Fun is so good that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree
On Friday, August 17th, 1951, maverick owner of the St. Louis Browns, Bill Veeck signed all 3 feet, 7-inches and 65 pounds of a young man named Eddie Gaedel. Quite the strategist Veeck was, as even today we find that our government will take a page out of his book: if you want to slide something past the people, announce it at ten till five on Friday, most people won't notice until Monday morning. And that is what Veeck did. Knowing that the Commissioner's office would probably not agree with the contract of a dwarf in the major leagues, Veeck sent Gaedel's contract in on Friday afternoon. And practically nobody did notice Gaedel's name on the roster except for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat sports writer, Harry Mitauer, who found a tight-lipped Browns' PR department.

That Sunday as the Detroit Tigers were in town for a double-header, Veeck sent Gaedel out in between games to jump out of a paper-mache cake in tribute to the American League's 50th Anniversary and as a promo for Falstaff Brewery. The crowd had a laugh, but the folks at Falstaff weren't impressed, that was until the 3rd inning of the second game.

Wearing the number "1/8", Eddie Gaedel was sent in to pinch-hit for Frank Saucier in the 3rd inning. Despite objections, Veeck and his manager had a copy of Gaedel's contract and Eddie was allowed to "step-up" to the plate. With a strike-zone of only one and one-half inch, Gaedel was walked with four straight balls from Tiger's pitcher Bob Cain. Eddie made it to first where he was subbed for a pinch-runner, thus unable to re-enter the game. A.L. President Will Harridge voided Gaedel's contract on Monday, August 20, 1951, on grounds that Veeck was making a mockery of the game. To which Veeck responded that perhaps, Yankees' short-stop, "Phil Rizzuto was just a tall-midget and that Eddie should be allowed to play". Veeck's defense fell on deaf ears and Eddie Gaedel's MLB career was over, with an 0-0 batting average, a 1.000 SLG% and the league minimum of $100 for playing in the game.

Eddie Gaedel died of a heart attack after being mugged in Chicago in 1961. Currently, his autograph is worth more than Babe Ruth's (mainly because Gaedel didn't sign many items of memorabilia) and his number "1/8" jersey is hanging in Cooperstown. At Gaedel's funeral there was only one representative from Major League Baseball, Mr. Bob Cain, the only pitcher he faced during his career.

Even in Fantasy, you've got to be kidding me
The Blackmon Braves lost this week to the Bushido Braves in 7 categories. We tied in 1-category (Wins by a pitcher) but Blackmon's Braves won in two categories: Strike-Outs and Batting average (.245 to the Bushido's .244). You might ask, how did Blackie pull out the strike-outs after trailing by 6 Ks? Two words: Smoltz and Santana.

John Smoltz passed Phil Niekro as the all-time leader of strike-outs as a Braves' pitcher, fanning Mark Reynolds of the D-Backs in the third-inning for Smoltz' 2,913 th K, as he retired 12 batters and walked 3 for his first win since July.

Johan Santana broke the Twinkies' franchise record, previously held by Bert Blyleven's 15 Ks (August 1, 1986) against the Oakland A's with 17-strike-outs in 8-innings as the Twins beat the Rangers 1-0.

Posted by The Bushido

Fantasy Football Leagues: Which One Is Best?

I know, variety is the spice of life and with all of the Fantasy Football sites available our league is having trouble finding a home. Our friend the Google won't tell you, because every site thinks their's is the best. But the guys and I have a draft kit and we want to do a live draft. We tried CBS Sportsline for our baseball fantasy league, but realized that we all had to be logged into different computers to make it happen, which since we were all in the same room, we had to switch to Yahoo. The problem with Yahoo was that they don't update the information quickly and you sometimes are off in a lurch wondering what your standings are. (Photo of Cassie, yes another fantasy, from the Chargers cheerleading team courtesy of Chargers.com)

Need your input
Of the following which one of these do you all like the best? We want to do a live draft with up to date information of the players' stats and team stats. Also, we want to go head-to-head against one another each week. I'd like to do a salary-cap, but the others are not that hot about it. If you know of other sites (preferably free of charge) that I have missed feel free to add them in the comments section. Please leave your responses in the comments section at the bottom of the post or feel free to e-mail me at thebushidoway@gmail.com

• CBS Sportsline has football fantasy
• Sporting News has football fantasy
• ESPN has football fantasy
• Yahoo has football fantasy

Remembering the darkest day in Red Sox history

As a Red Sox fan, one know's heart-break: numerous times of being so close to winning the big game only to fall on their face and this year is no different as the Bombers continue to gain on the AL-leaders, Boston continues to slide. But in life as in baseball, and Boston nothing pulls on the heart-strings as much as when the good die young or when a youngster full of hope for the future is side-lined with a major injury, cut short from their attaining their full-potential. The darkest day the Red Sox Nation had was 40-years ago today, when Red Sox slugger Tony C's career was finished by what retrosheet.org refers to as "The Beaning". (Photo credits: Boston Dirt Dogs)

At age 21, Tony Conigliario was the youngest player in the American League to reach 100-home-runs, leading the AL in 1965 with 32 home-runs and tapped for the All-Star team in 1967. Anthony Richard Conigliario was a home-grown talent, born in Revere, Mass and reared in East Boston; the local kid who made it put rumps in the seats at Fenway ending a previous (dwindling) 9,000 attendance average. The Red Sox signed Tony C at the age of 17 for $20,000 and their investment paid off in droves as the Red Sox Nation tuned in and came to the games.

Fitting For A Greek Tragedy
The Red Sox hosted the California Angels at Fenway on August 18, 1967 facing the Angels' pitcher Jack Hamilton who was known as an aggressive pitcher who would throw inside on batters to brush them off the plate. Besides the aggressive nature of Hamilton, he was also known to throw the spit-ball, viewed as somewhat of an under-handed pitch and out-lawed in today's game.

In the bottom of the fourth-inning, with two outs, Tony C came to the plate. The first offering from Hamilton was high and inside, brushing Tony C back from the plate. As if it was fore-shadowing to the tragedy that was about to take place, someone threw a smoke-bomb onto the field. With the smoke lingering across the in-field, Hamilton's next pitch came in on Conigliario hitting the young 22-year old below the left eye, shattering his cheek bones and the orbital-bones around the eye socket, an injury that darkened Conigliario's vision later ending his career and darkened that sad day at Fenway.
Posted by The Bushido

Dice-K and Bedard Riding For The Bushido Braves!

I joined a Fantasy Baseball League this year and one of my first draft picks was the newly acquired (keeping with my Red Sox loyalty) and much hyped pitcher from Japan Daisuke Matsuzaka, aka "Dice-K". I have to say, he's lived up to the hype setting a new record by a Red Sox pitcher with 159 strike-outs. After Curt Schilling went down with injuries near the All-Star break, I picked up Eric Bedard from Baltimore. I was a bit hesitant at first because the O's had just fired their manager and weren't doing so hot. But once again, my instincts proved correct as Bedard is a strike-out machine! Photo credits of Andrew "Dice-K" from Moyamedia.com)

Breakdown:
Matsuzaka --- Bedard
13-8 --- W/L --- 12-4
3.59 --- ERA --- 3.11
159 --- K's --- 199
.240 --- Opp. BA --- .212

Stats as of August 11, 2007
Posted by The Bushido

Feed Your iPod: Breaking Benjamin's "Breath"

The Beav wanted me to share the new Breaking Benjamin video for their song, “Breath”. Here is his e-mail to the Bushido: I'm about to take a ridiculous exam. I'm getting pumped by listening to Chevelle's new one, "I Get It." Followed up with Breaking Benjamin's latest album PHOBIA, which is second to none. I just thought I'd share this with you, being as the Bushido is apparently written by a 13 year-old non-rocking, little J.T. pop music loving little girl. Here's the You-tube link for Breath by Breaking Benjamin
Pretend you bought that cup to actually protect something, p***y! --The mo'-fo’ Beav.

Glavine joins the 300 wins club

Late last night, Tom Glavine became the 23rd player in MLB to earn his 300th career win. From his first win against the Pittsburgh Pirates back in 1987, a game where he pegged a young Barry Bonds for (his signature) crouching in on the plate, to tonight's victory at Wrigley Field, Tom Glavine has demonstrated that great pitchers don't just throw 95 mph; they throw smart pitches, with lots of movement and precision placement. For Tom Terrific pitching is an art, much like the beautiful dance of a bull-fight; treating the poised batter as a worthy and respected adversary instead of a man with a stick that a pitcher needs to sneak a ball past at very high speeds. Much like other greats of the baseball, Glavine is a student of the game, but now we celebrate as the student as become a master. Congratulations Tom!

Baseball Trivia:
Not only is Glavine the 23rd pitcher to reach 300-career wins, he also joins a more elite club, becoming one of five left-handed pitchers who have reached 300-career wins.

1. Warren Spahn (Braves) 363 wins
2. Steve Carlton (Phillies) 329
3. Eddie Plank (Athletics) 326
4. Lefty Grove 300-who is most known for going 31-4 in a season during a hitter's reign of the game.
   

Posted by The Bushido. (Photo credits: Metslifers.blogspot.com)

Here is the video of Contestants #2 & #3 from the Miss September Contest Posted on You-Tube

Which was better quality? You Tube or the Imbedded version?

Big Tex Comes Home

The Atlanta Braves' GM John Schueholz announced Tuesday a seven-player trade with the Rangers that will have Southpaw pitcher Ron Mahay and Georgia Tech alum, 1st baseman Mark Teixeira (that's Tah-share-ahh, Brad & Blackie) would be doing the tomahawk chop this week; in exchange for catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and four minor league players, including infielder Elvis Andrus, right-handed pitcher Neftali Feliz, left-handed pitcher Matt Harrison and left-handed pitcher Beau Jones.

Big Tex
With two-consecutive Gold-Glove Awards, Mark Teixeira is not only an extra (switch-hitting) bat in the line-up for Atlanta; he fills a solid hole at first-base and strengthens the line-up quite possibly making this Braves batting order the most formidable line-up in baseball. Teixeira is durable as well, playing all 162 games in 2005 and 2006 and despite having missed a little more than a month this season, due to a strained left quadriceps, (I know because I have him on my Fantasy Team) Big Tex has played in 81 games. Currently batting .333 for the month, Teixeira has 90 hits in 301 at-bats, 16HRs 56 RBIs, combined with 47 walks for a .398 on-base-percentage, .548 slugging-percentage and a .299 batting-average for 2007. Big Tex went 1-4, with a home-run and 4 RBIs in his Braves debut on Wednesday (see video). Well worth his $9-million salary.

Down on the Farm
If there is one thing the Atlanta Braves have is an incredible front-office and Farm-system. As you Braves fans known, when someone is hurt "and can't work" the AFLAC of baseball fills those holes with players from Richmond (the Triple-A team for the Braves). When Brian McCann was out with injuries we saw rookie, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, advance to the Big Leagues and smack a .284 average with four homers and 12 RBIs in just 47 games for the Atlanta. Which makes the Rangers front-office the "smart-money" for catching on and picking up some players from the Braves' farm system.

Hard Decisions
I hate to see "Salty" leave the Braves and I hate to see the Braves release Julio as well, but as Brian McCann said after the addition of Teixeira, "This Team now has the makings of a National Championship season" and to get there you have to make the tough decisions. Which had I not joined a Fantasy Baseball League this year and realized you have to put aside your "team and player sympathies" and pick the best player for the spot; I would be screaming "foul" at John Schueholz for dropping Salty and Julio. And with that lesson learned, I went from last place to third, two-back from B-Rad and 12-games out of first, but Big Tex just so you know, I drafted you.
Posted by The Bushido

It's A Very Surreal Moment When You Are Just Chillin' And All Of The Sudden A Bikini Contest Begins

I swear it was the wildest thing, we're just chillin' in the back-bar at Lights (On East Bay) meeting B-Rad's new "interest" when all of the sudden they cleared the dance-floor for a Miss September contest and around the corner came some babes in bikinis. So, I said, WTF? I'll throw it on my phone and Brick's new "interest" wanted me to cheer for No. 3-which I was all about supporting. So here you go!

(Btw, I am trying out this new Blogger video here, instead of posting to You-Tube.)

Posted by The Bushido

Miss September Contest: Take 2

And here is where things got interesting...The DJ asked everyone off the dance floor (1-tyme-Fugee style) and here comes all three of the contestants for one more pass in their bikinis before the judges made their decisions. They walked off stage and the DJ played "Rump-Shaker" and we still didn't really know what was going on (i.e. who it was for, who sponsored it, etc) with this contest.

Miss September Contest in Charleston: Take 1

This is how it all began...

Contestant No. 1

Contestant No. 1 was easy on the eyes as well. She must have been at least 6' tall-6'3" with heels.

BSR: Peach Blossom Diner

If you find yourself wanting to get off the beaten path for a home-styled meal, check out the Peach Blossom Diner at the intersection of Hwy-9 and I-85, on Hospitality Road (a frontage road) just outside of Spartanburg. Blackie and I were looking for a place for lunch on Sunday before heading to the Panthers' training camp and the big man spotted tons of cars surrounding a little diner. This of course, peaked our interests.

The full-parking lot was a sign from the Gods that we were about to have stomachs just as full. The Peach Blossom Diner offers a meat and three, with a drink and dessert for a little over $8. If you are ever near Sparkle City and feel the urge, I suggest you stop at the Peach Blossom Diner.