Things I Love

1. Fishing on Father’s Day with my dad in our pond and then having a fish fry for dinner. Mmmmm.

2. Tiger Woods. He had a RIDICULOUS two days at the U.S. Open. Saturday he had an amazing birdie and two amazing eagles to take the lead, then Sunday, after getting off to a rough start, he had a long putt on 18 to force an 18-hole playoff tomorrow. He sunk it, but he didn’t just sink it. It lipped around in the cup and fell. It was so dramatic.

If he hadn’t made that putt, a man named Rocco Mediate, who has never won an Major tournament, would’ve won the Open. And yet… still rooting for Tiger. He’s the Patriots/Yankees (before)/Red Sox (now)/Lakers and/or Celtics of golf. But everybody still wants him to win! It’s ridiculous.

Happy Father’s Day!!

Today, we want to sincerely wish a Happy Father’s Day to all the men out there who hold the fort down, who head to the grocery store at 2 am to pick up a box of diapers, who will move heaven and earth to make their kids happy.  Here’s to you…

Playoffs?!? PLAYOFFS?!?

First off, an excuse to post this YouTube clip:

The Baseball Boogie

A friend sent this to me and I am mesmerized.  It’s the 1986 Dodgers getting down with their bad selves.  It stars Rick Honeycutt, Ken Howell, Mariano Duncan, Orel Hershiser and Mike Scoscia.  I also think I saw Ed Begley Jr. in there somewhere.  It’s no I Don’t Dance, but it’ll do.

Finally, The Puppy Bowl is going to be in HD

It’s true. This year’s Puppy Bowl IV will be broadcast in glorious high-definition. And to help you prepare for your Puppy Bowl party planning, the nice people at Animal Planet have some tips on decorations, activites, and snacks (both human and canine) to ensure you have the yip-yappiest house on the block come game time.

I hear your snickering out there. You think dogs and football don’t mix.

You are wrong. Completely wrong. The world is full of dogs who’s owners love football and love their pets so much, they cannot help but combine the two. Let’s take a look.

Weekend Whimsy

Here’s a fun little video I came across.  High school wrestler Brent Foxhoven out of Archbishop Bergan High School in Nebraska gets caught by one leg in a match and does what any normal person would totally do in that position:  a back flip.  Now, I don’t know how much I buy the idea that he got his opponent right where he wanted him or that he’s been practicing this move.  But it’s pretty sweet nonetheless.

The Race is On: Which Blog Will Review Will Leitch’s “God Save The Fan” First?

Did you know Will Leitch, Mr. Head Sportsblogger, King of Blogfrica, Mattoon’s Native Son, and general bon vivant has a book coming out next week?

It’s called God Save the Fan: How Preening Sportscasters, Athletes Who Speak in the Third Person, and the Occasional Convicted Quarterback Have Taken the Fun Out of Sports (And How We Can Get It Back). Quite a mouthful.

Did you know he also has a fancy book tour heading to a bookstore near you right after the Super Bowl?

Next week? Next month? But that seems so far away! This is blogging in a 24/7 ESPN sports culture and I demand reactions now! If I don’t have the snap judgments of what other bloggers think, how am I going to know what I am supposed to think? Where will all the other book readers express their opinions on “God Save the Fan” on January 22?

Who will have a review up first?

Let’s lay some odds on where the party is going to be.

Awesome Hit of the Week

I probably shouldn’t be so excited about a loss of a school I actually attend, but I couldn’t help but be just tickled for the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday. They hung in there to defeat the Irish for the first time in 43 years. BUT the best thing about it? Was this play by Chris Kuhar-Pitters Ram Vela with 45 seconds left to go in the game:

I wish I had better footage, but there ya go. So sweet.

Ed. note:  Yahoo incorrectly identified the Navy player as Kuhar-Pitters.  Thank you to Alert Reader Signal to Noise for the correction. 

Lego Matt Holliday

Huh. I never noticed this until today.

I wonder what Batgirl would think.

Bringing the Heat – Detroit Tigers: Bonus Granderson Interview and Player Yearbook Photos Included!

It is almost not fair. We have been doing this MLB “Bringing the Heat” series all summer long; team by team, hottie by hottie, forearm by forearm, smile by smile, glute by glute, and I would wager that none – none – of the other teams even come close to stacking up to how hot the Detroit Tigers’ roster is on and off the field.

Our readers have been emailing all summer waiting for this post. They knew that here at Ladies…, not only were we going to find the best looking guys on the team, but we were going make sure to serve it up with something a little special. Well, how about a couple helpings of something special?

In a Ladies… first, an interview with Detroit center fielder and fellow blogger, Curtis Granderson. Followed by a full on smorgasboard of the finest looking Tigers in the land. And for dessert? How about some of cutest yearbook photos of Sean “The Mayor” Casey you will ever see?

I thought you’d be interested.

Batting first, as always, Mr. Granderson.

Breaking: Mets Team Meeting Pics!

The Mets’ recent losing streak is taking a toll on D-Wright.  Can no one think of D-Wright?!

Enough is enough! My sources tell me that Willie Randolph called a team meeting after that dreadful game last night and really gave it to the Mets. My sources also provided photographs of what went down. They’re after the jump.

Thursday’s Hottie Hit n Run

Rangers Hottie Jarrod Saltalamacchia did his part in the absolute take-them-out- behind-the-woodshed routing of the Baltimore Orioles by the Texas Rangers last night. This was the first 30-run game by a team since 1897. 110 years, people. What boggles my mind further is that this is the most runs ever scored by a team in a double-header…….before the second game even started! Byrd and Metcalf each had a grand slam. Ramon Vazquez and Salty each had two homeruns and 7 RBIs. Texas Rangers, we salute you! [The Texas Rangers Scored More Runs Than The Total of Each Other Game Last Night ]

Mr. Met Can Rock You…

The Ladies… are still a bit hungover. I’ve been spending the day watching videos, and drinking ginger ale, and I came across this video, which is too hilarious not to share.

You know, this is exactly what my wedding is going to be like. (Make sure to look out for Mr. Met bustin’ a move at 1:58.)

CHEEZE DOODLE BACON PANTS – A peek into the minds of the Ladies

On any given day, we send each other between 50 and 200 emails. (70% sports, 15% website chatter, 7% pillow fighting and baby oil discussion, 4% on how our lives are going, 4% on how much we hate other blogs that shall remain nameless.)

Occasionally, we get down right silly. Yesterday was one of those days. Leading up to this point, we had been discussing Charlie Weis, oatmeal, and cottage cheese. Clare got us started… (WARNING – This might hurt some to read.)

Father’s Day Aftershave – Who else is going to teach you how to keep score?

Unlike our Mother’s Day Potpourri, the last thing we wanted to do was ask our fathers who they thought was the cutest athlete.  (What if they all picked Joe Namath again? Would they arm wrestle over who got dibs?)

Dads are one of the reasons why we have sports in the first place though!  We can talk sports with our fathers, despite what Lou Piniella says, who needs hotties when you can focus on the game and share a tray of nachos with dear old dad!  So scroll down and join us as we talk baseball, football, and basketball shoes with our dads!

Happy Father’s Day, Dads!

Father’s Day Aftershave – Texas Gal

All I know about sports, and my undying love for them, comes from my Dad.

As the daughter of a coach, I pretty much had to learn sports or perish- and I definitely chose to learn (and love) them. Some of my earliest memories are of me and my mother sitting in the stands on Friday nights and watching my dad coach in football games and waving my black and gold pompom for Lubbock High.

Daddy also made sure I grew up indoctrinated in the Church of the Texas Longhorns. The lullaby he sang to me as a baby wasn’t the standard “Rock A Bye Baby” tune, it was “The Eyes of Texas”. I’m pretty sure I learned to do the Hook ‘Em Horns handsign before I learned to walk.

Father’s Day Aftershave – TheStarterWife

(Better video quality can be found here, where I’ve uploaded the clip to UnCut video, which has less compression than YouTube.)

Before we jump in here dear reader, you must know one very important trait about my father – he is possibly one of the driest people on the planet. He speaks in a slow, measured tone and considers every single word before it leaves his mouth. This isn’t to say that he is cold and distant, because he is a very warm and funny man, but he is just so very, very dry.

Father’s Day Aftershave – Clare’s top seven sports memories of her dad

1.  Earliest sports memory of my dad:  Playing wiffle ball at the shore, using the house next door to ours as a backstop.

2.  Watching the ninth inning of Game 6 of the 1993 NLCS and running out to the car to honk the horn when Mitch Williams made the final out.

Father’s Day Aftershave – Metschick

For as long as I can remember, my dad’s been watching baseball.  He didn’t introduce me to the Mets (I came to love them all by myself), but he did introduce me to baseball.  I remember showing him baseball cards and being amazed that he recognized the majority of the faces on those cards.  (I was obviously easily impressed.)  The tables have now turned, and he comes to me for stats and other information.  There’s no one else I’d rather watch a game with than my dad.  As a matter of fact, he’s the person I invited to the Mets’ home opener this year.  I don’t have any particularly funny stories to share about our quiet afternoons and evenings spent watching the Mets or the Red Sox or any other team via Extra Innings – just a Happy Father’s Day wish for the most amazing man I know.

Father’s Day Aftershave – Lady Andrea

Much like last time when she asked her mother directly for an answer for her Mother’s Day Potpourri post, Andrea is the only one brave enough to email her father for a story to share on Father’s Day. So here’s to Andrea’s papa, and the two kids, (her brother Adam is in the picture), who love him!

I talked with my dad on the phone in preparation for this post and for Father’s Day. We got to talking about when he was involved in sports back before he was just a supportive spectator for my brother and me at countless basketball tournaments

March Madness with the KSK Mafia: The calm before the takedown.

Once upon a time, we made a friendly little wager with the lads of KSK. We stumbled, sobbed incoherently, giggled hysterically, and bit our nails in a most unattractive manner for three weeks. In a juju Hail Mary, we even aligned our fortunes with Buckeye Nation.

And Basketball Jesus (there’s a separate one for basketball), in his infinite wisdom, bestowed victory on the worthier party.

And there was much rejoicing.

[I'm going to try my best to get through the rest of this post without referencing Bill Pullman's speech to the pilots in the American cinema classic Independence Day, but it is absolutely killing me. --Ed.]

Tomorrow is zero hour, where “zero” implies “vajayjay”. As agreed, the Ladies… will have the run of Kissing Suzy Kolber for one glorious day. A day of bunnies. A day of Bedazzlers. A day of kittens and puppies and rainbow sunsets and unicorns fucking in grassy fields. The KSK Mafia are doing their best to put on brave faces. Fear not, boyos. Our mission statement promises we don’t kiss nice, but we won’t leave any marks on your back that aren’t purely recreational.

Winning Over the Dicks – MM with the KSK Mafia – Final Score

The final results of the Ladies… v. KissingSuzyKolber NCAA Tournament Pool Bet 

Ladies… -  689

KissingSuzyKolber – 636

Thank you Saint Jesse Owens! March Madness against the KSK Mafia

Sometimes, all you need is the box score…

1	Vesper Lynd – Holly	139
2	Roger Moore – MMP		121
3	Jaws – UM		118
4	Honey Ryder – Texas Gal	117
5	M – TheStarterWife	99
6	Christmas Ape		96
6	Octopussybasket – Flubby		96
8	Kissy Suzuki – Metschick	94
9	Jinx Johnson  – SA	90
10	Solitaire – Andie	86
11	Lousy 20th Amendment – CC		75
12	Sally Ann Rottencrotch – BDD		66
13	Plenty O’Toole – J-Money	57
	Subtotal	682	572
	Minus lowest Ladies Score	-57
	Total	625	572

Jesse Owens, Patron Saint of OSU, Please Hear Our Plea

Dearest Ohio State Patron Saint Jesse Owens,

Winning Over the Dicks – MM with the KSK Mafia – Final Countdown

Sixty-three games will be played in total in this NCAA Tournament. Sixty-three games.

And who wins and loses our bet with the KissingSuzyKolber Mafia comes down to these last three games. Sixty-three. Now three. Why even have the other sixty?

Hey Holly, no pressure here. You and Unsilent Majority are in the lead and the rest of your picks could be difference between Maxi-Pad slippers on KSK, or them peeing with the lid down over here Ladies.

First the standings, and then the breakdown of the Final Four picks.

1	Vesper Lynd – Holly	107
2	Jaws – UM		102
3	Honey Ryder – Texas Gal	101
4	Roger Moore – MMP		89
5	M – TheStarterWife	83
6	Octopussybasket – Flubby		80
6	Christmas Ape		80
8	Kissy Suzuki – Metschick	78
9	Lousy 20th Amendment – CC		75
10	Jinx Johnson  – SA	74
11	Solitaire – Andie	70
12	Sally Ann Rottencrotch – BDD		66
13	Plenty O’Toole – J-Money	57
	Subtotal	570	492
	Minus lowest Ladies Score	-57
	Total	513	492

Winning Over the Dicks – MM with the KSK Mafia – I forgot what 8 was for

When will I learn that the vodka tonics at Big Wangs, (served in pint glasses), always seem like they don’t have any booze in them but really do?  When will I realize that drinking while watching the Sweet Sixteen games, the Cavs-Knicks game, and the Sabers-Leafs game while talking shop with my guy pals is going to lead to sensory overload?  When will I stop trying to involve strangers in my Bryce Taylor cheers?

When will I feel comfortable with our lead? 

Honey Ryder – Texas Gal	77
Vesper Lynd – Holly	75
M – TheStarterWife	75
Roger Moore – MMP		73
Jaws – UM		70
Lousy 20th Amendment – CC		67
Kissy Suzuki – Metschick	62
Sally Ann Rottencrotch – BDD		58
Jinx Johnson  – SA	58
Plenty O’Toole – J-Money	57
Christmas Ape		56
Octopussybasket – Flubby		56
Solitaire *  – Andie	54
Subtotal	458	380
Minus lowest Ladies Score	-54
Total	404	380

Read here for all the dirt on the inital bet and results of the first two rounds.

Winning Over the Dicks – MM with the KSK Mafia – Round Two

You can read about the inital bet here and check out the results of the first round, (including the mishap), here.

Ladies, I don’t know about you, but I am worried. Sure we are leading the KSK guys, but this is when brackets always go to poop. A few of us, including myself, have lost at least one of our Final Four Teams. I’ve watched enough basketball this weekend to question every single choice I have ever made. (Including my then high school crush on then Pitt superstar Sean Miller to now Xavier coach Sean Miller.) I just do not feel confident.

Ladies… What have we gotten ourselves into?

1	M – TheStarterWife	51
2	Honey Ryder – Texas Girl	49
2	Roger Moore MMP – MMP		49
4	Vesper Lynd – Holly	47
4	Lousy 20th Amendment – CC		47
6	Jaws – UM		46
7	Sally Ann Rottencrotch – BBD		42
7	Kissy Suzuki – Metschick	42
7	Jinx Johnson – SA	42
10	Plenty O’Toole – J-Money	41
11	Christmas Ape		40
12	Solitaire  – Andie	38
13	Octopussybasket – flubby		32
	Subtotal	310	256
	Minus lowest Ladies Score	-38
	Total	272	256

Winning Over the Dicks – MM with the KSK Mafia – Round One – ‘Mistakes Were Made’

First round results of the Ladies… v. KissingSuzyKolber pool 

1	Vesper Lynd – Holly	27
1	M – TheStarterWife	27
1	Roger Moore MMP – MMP		27
4	Honey Ryder – Texas Girl	25
4	Lousy 20th Amendment – CC		25
6	Jinx Johnson – SA	24
6	Christmas Ape		24
6	Sally Ann Rottencrotch – BBD		24
9	Plenty O’Toole – J-Money	23
10	Kissy Suzuki – Metschick	22
10	Jaws – UM		22
12	Solitaire  – Andie	20
12	Octopussybasket – flubby		20
14	Miss Moneypenny – Clare	0
	Subtotal	168	142
	Minus lowest 2 Ladies Scores	-20
	Total	148	142

Holly and TheStarterWife need to set the record straight!

Winning Over the Dicks – March Madness with the KSK Mafia

March Madness manifests itself in many strange and wonderful ways.

A sudden pride in a school that not only did you not attend, but you didn’t even consider it as a “safety”. Days on end of not leaving the sofa. Going from hating Dickie V, to thinking of calling him grandpa, back to cursing his bald head, finally ending at acceptance that you’re both at the same party and since neither one of you are leaving it would be best to just ignore him as much as you can.

The best two parts of the tourney? Rampant gambling in the form of office pools and the endless hours of smack talk.

Which means the Ladies day has come.

We have challenged the the Men of KissingSuzyKolber to participate in a battle of the sexes NCAA tourney pool. Winner gets to take over the loser’s site for the day.

Imagine, a whole day on KSK talking about The Joy Luck Club, our WNBA picks, the hot men of Australian Rules Football, “What the 19th Amendment means to me”, and kicker penises. An entire day without a single homophobic reference. The day we’ve been saving our “How to make slippers out of MaxiPads” post for. A day on KSK where Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger are shown some respect. A beautiful, sweet day that will be.

Our picks don’t matter until tomorrow,  so we have all day to do some trash talking about the KSK Mafia. Let’s see what’s buzzing in the Ladies office…

West Coast Conference HangovYAAAAAAWN

What’s that? The WCC Tournament ended on Monday? Pardon me…I must have dozed off. The top two teams, both with double byes, played for the championship and the higher-seeded team won? Criminy, I really need to invest in a Tivo setup.

Now, do you really want to see my rearranging and rehashing of the many fine wire stories covering the West Coast Conference Championship? Or would you rather read one story actually written by a journalist and then look at pictures of yawning animals?

Thought so.