Exclusive Interview With George Steinbrenner

Steve Serby of the nypost had an exclusive interview with the Boss yesterday. I think some of the answers may have been a little embellished by his publicist Howard Rubinstein.
e.g.

Q: The players want to win the Yankees’ 27th world championship for you — how does that make you feel?
A: It’s a nice sentiment, and I appreciate it. But as far as I’m concerned, we always want to win it for the fans. If we win it, I’ll dedicate it to them. And that’s the main motivation I want for our entire organization.
Q: How badly do you burn to win that 27th championship?
A: It’s a fire that’s always there, and it burns hotter the closer you get. I know our fans are consumed with it and that makes me want even more.
Q: If you were to give these Yankees a pregame pep talk — what would you tell them?
A: You had a great year, now finish like Yankees. Think of those 50,000 people in the stands and everybody watching on TV. They are the most loyal and dedicated
fans in sports. We built you guys a beautiful new stadium. We are counting on you to break it in the right way — by making it the home of the 2009 world champions. It’s a long off season, so leave it all on the field and give it your best.

If I could ask a few, this is how I imagine it would go

Q: Who are you supporting for mayor
A: Even though Thompson can be bought, that little twerp, Bloomberg, will give anything to just hang out in the locker room.
Q: Do you fool around with interns like Letterman?
A: I would if I could but at my age I'm lucky if I can find it when I pee.
Q: Who was the hottest babe of any athlete you ever saw? Was it Marilyn Monroe
A: No, Vikki LaMotta
Q: Why has Brian Cashman lasted as long as your GM?
A: I know I can always depend on Brian to do anything I ask, including changing my depends.
Q: In your lifetime who has been the biggest a-hole you've met in sports? Mike Lupica?
A: No, Tim McCarver

Now That I've Found You

A portfolio of the work done in the teaching of map skills to first graders on the lower east side

Baby,
now that I've found you
I won't let you go
I built my world around you
I need you so,
baby even though
You don't need me
now
Baby,
now that I've found you
I won't let you go
I built my world around you
I need you so
Baby even though
You don't need me,
You don't need me oh, no
Baby, baby,
when first we met
I knew in this heart of mine
That you were someone I couldn't forget.
I said right,
and abide my time
Spent my life looking
for that somebody
to make me feel like new
Now you tell me that you want to leave me
But darling, I just can't let you
Baby, baby,
when first we met
I knew in this heart of mine
That you were someone I couldn't forget.
I said right,
and abide my time
Spent my life looking
for that somebody
to make me feel like new
Now you tell me that you want to leave me
But darling, I just can't let you
Now that I found you
I built my world around you
I need you so, baby even though
You don't need me now
Baby, now that I've found you
I won't let you go
I built my world around you
I need you so
Baby even though
You don't need me
You don't need me no, no

The Way You Move: A Transportation Unit With First Graders

The culmination of a neighborhood transportation unit with first graders

Did You Know

The culmination of a unit on non-fiction narrative account writing with first graders on the lower east side

Springer/Leigh)
How little we know
How much to discover
What chemical forces flow
From lover to lover
How little we understand - what touches of that tingle
That sudden explosion - when two tingles intermingle
Who cares to define
What chemistry this is
Who cares with your lips on mine
How ignorant bliss is
So long as you kiss me - (and) the world around us shatters
How little it matters - how little we know
(How little we know, how little we know,...)

7.27 Win Warble For John Sterling Last Night

There's No Crying In Baseball

Yankees React To Alicia Keyes Performance At World Series 2

Yankees React To Alicia Keyes Performance At World Series

Brian Explains It All 2

Mutual Admiration Society

Tim Enjoys Philly Game 1 Win In World Series

MIchelle Gets A Kiss From Derek At The World Series 2

MIchelle Gets A Kiss From Derek At The World Series

Timmy's In Love

"That was just an exhilarating performance by Cliff Lee tonight"

Brian Explains It All

with a h/t to the John Sterling Blog

Cruisin For Votes

thanks to Dr Love for an explanation

Let's Send The Phillies Back Where They Belong

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Ok, so the Yanks have a player named Chad Gaudin, but what kind of name is Cole Hamels or Chase Utley?

The Ed Monster Mash

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A View Of A Bosox Fan's Freezer

Theeeeeeee Yankeeeeees Winnnnnnnnnn

Why The Angels Shouldn't Go To The World Series

The fans are spelling out a secret swastika message with the thunderstix. Yankee fans would never wave stupid bats like that.

French Foreign Legion

If you turn me down once more, I'll join the French Foreign Legion
Bet you, they would welcome me, with open arms
First you love me, yes; then you love me, no
I don't know where I stand
Do we march together down the isle
Or do I march that desert sand
If you think I won't find romance, in the French Foreign Legion
Think about that uniform with all its charm
Just one more time are you gonna be mine, or au revoir cheri
It's the French Foreign Legion for me

the previous post was just a set up as an excuse to use Sinatra here.

French Foreign Legion Honors NYC Principals

Over at the nyc public school parents blog one of my satiric idols, Gary Babad, may have uncovered the true story of the knighting of 4 NYC school principals. His take

Purportedly a recognition of the dual French-English language programs at the principals’ schools, the titles are actually being conferred to reward the principals for their role in recruiting students for the French Foreign Legion, sources told GBN News.
The dual language programs were reportedly designed to give students the communication skills needed to function in the Foreign Legion environment, and would facilitate the ability of the Legion to recruit them once they reach the required age. Legion service will be considered “seat time” for credit recovery purposes, and will enable any student who joins to automatically graduate.

I have another theory. I think the principals are being recognized for their military like precision in utilizing test prep materials. Evidently the foreign legion will be modeling their practices

The Manchurian Candidate Lives

My friend Norm "commissioned" a Manchurian/Randi graphic for this story. The original film dialogue for the top graphic (for those who are film buffs) is

Mrs. Iselin: It has been decided that you will be dressed as a priest, to help you get away in the pandemonium afterwards. Chunjin will give you a two-piece Soviet Army sniper's rifle that fits nicely into a special bag. There's a spotlight booth that won't be in use. It's up under the roof on the Eighth Avenue side of the Garden. You will have absolutely clear, protected shooting. You are to shoot the presidential nominee through the head. And Johnny will rise gallantly to his feet and lift Ben Arthur's body in his arms, stand in front of the microphones and begin to speak. The speech is short. But it's the most rousing speech I've ever read. It's been worked on, here and in Russia, on and off, for over eight years. I shall force someone to take the body away from him and Johnny will really hit those microphones and those cameras with blood all over him, fighting off anyone who tries to help him, defending America even if it means his own death, rallying a nation of television viewers to hysteria, to sweep us up into the White House with powers that will make martial law seem like anarchy! Now, this is very important. I want the nominee to be dead two minutes after he begins his acceptance speech - depending on his reading time under pressure. You are to hit him right at the point that he finishes the phrase, "Nor would I ask of any fellow American in defense of his freedom that which I would not gladly give myself - my life before my liberty." Is that absolutely clear?

Another Screw Up Named Tim

In addition to having to suffer the biased reporting of Tim McCarver, fans had to be subjected to inadequacies of ump Tim McClelland. What's with that guy, I thought he was a long gone Civil War screw up general?

Let Brian Explain It All To You

a ht/t to a great Yankee site, IT IS HIGH, IT IS FAR, IT IS... caught.

Joe Girardi: The Italian Mad Man

Let Casey Explain It All For You

Rolan Tynan Starring In: The Jewish Are Coming!

Thank You Kate, Thank You Angels' Infield

great graphics from yankee nomass blog

Happy Birthday Tim McCarver, You Big...

It was Tim's birthday this weekend.
from thejohnsterling blog

THE WHOLE WORLD'S WATCHING! THE WHOLE WORLD'S WATCHING! THE WHOLE WORLD'S WATCHING. Except for Tim McCarver
Usually, to see bias so vividly displayed on the international stage, you need Hugo Chavez addressing the United Nations.
Now, we’ve got Fox Sports.
Last night, everybody in baseball what Tim McCarver refused to acknowledge: the umps getting a call right for a change. As usual, he only saw the Yankees getting away with something.
Let's turn up the Wayback: Eleventh inning. Angels shortstop Aybar sidesteps second base, missing the bag on a routine double play ball, so the ump calls the runner safe.
McCarver nearly spits his teeth. At various moments, he claims that:
1. Aybar touched second.
2. Aybar hasn’t touched second base all night, so the umps are wrong to start calling it.
3. Nobody ever touches second, so the umps shouldn't call it.
4. His foot grazed second, inconclusive on replay.
5. OK, replays show he missed the bag, but the runner should still be out, based on a the Unwritten Rule of the Game.
6. If umps start calling this, shortstops and second basemen will face needless injuries.
7. On a night like this, it's especially wrong for an ump to make that call. Someone could be hurt.
8. The game will be forever disputed if the Yankees win on this play.
9. The Angels were wronged, and everybody in the world will agree on this.
10. (Later, after the inning is over.) Thank God that call didn’t influence the outcome. It would have wrecked a great game.
Insert sigh here.
Folks, this is madness. This is "The-earth-is-flat-and-I-can-prove-it-with-these-photos" insanity. Is McCarver a birther? Does he have any 9-11 conspiracies he should be sharing?
NOTE: Later, he says the video crew checked and found Aybar always touching the bag on other DP plays in the game. He he never apologizes to an ump that got it right.
Listen: We all know what Fox is doing. With the Yankees and Angels playing, they automatically have the two largest TV markets in America on speed-dial. But to gin up interest elsewhere, they need a villain. So everything is geared to: Hey, everybody, let's watch the big bad Yankees lose!
OK, fine. But McCarver is getting to be like Sterling's analysis of Teixeira: Every game, he does something to amaze. Is there no other announcer out there who can talk about players not changing underwear in winning streaks? This guy is watching on a different channel.

Sinatra And The Yankees

from the sinatra.com site

To celebrate the upcoming release of the SINATRA: NEW YORK box, we're proud to present this special video featuring Sal Scognamillo, of Patsy's Italian Restaurant, recalling the time Billy Martin and the World Series champs met Frank Sinatra

What Red Sox Nation Will Be Doing This Weekend

My inspiration from the John Sterling blogspot

Derek Jeter: The Emperor Of The Empire

A true story from my friend Joe Bruno:

About 6-8 years ago, my 3 friends from NY City came down to Sarasota for spring training, like they did every year since 1996, when the Yankees moved to Tampa. We usually go to 2, or three games in different stadium near Sarasota.
I got my friends seats in Sarasota against the Reds, second row, just to the left of the Yankee (visitors) dugout.
Before the game, Jeter was stretching right in front of us. About 30 feet away. A little kid kept screaming next to us in the aisle, "Mr. Jeter! Mr. Jeter! Please, Mr. Jeter."
The kid had things he wanted autographed.
Jeter ignored him.
So, being from NY City and, obnoxious to start with, we started abusing Jeter.
"Hey you, Jeter! What are you a big shot? Ignoring a little kid? Yeah, Jeter , you think you're a big shot!"
Jeter stood up, looked us in the eye, and walked right toward us. Right in our faces. Two feet away from us. Paul O'Neil was following him and I did not like the look in O'Neil's eye.
"The kid is working for somebody," Jeter told us. "I see that kid in every spring training park. We autograph things, and whoever he's working for, sells them."
We didn't know what to say.
But that shows you what type of a guy Jeter is. Another player would have ignored us, or told us to go eff ourselves. I know that's what I would have done.
But he wanted to make it clear to us four jerkoffs, that he was not ignoring the kid without good reason.
That's the difference between Derek Jeter and 99% of the athletes in America. He really cares what people think about him personally. He doesn't cash his multi-million dollar paychecks and tell the rest of the world to go eff themselves.
Jeter will always be aces in my book.

Oh What A Beautiful Day: The Red Sox Are Going Away

All Star Brooklyn Brown Noser Steps Up To The Plate

from the mayor's press release

I truly believe this Mayor’s innovative approach and superb management style have placed him in the realm of what sports fans call ‘one of the greats,’” said Mr. Markowitz. “Regarding Brooklyn’s future, the Mayor and I are working together on many projects -- from the development of Downtown Brooklyn, to the revitalization of our waterfront, to the creation of a stunning Brooklyn Bridge Park, to progress on the Coney Island Plan, to building and preserving affordable housing, to keeping our environment sustainable and to transforming education in this city. As a lifelong Democrat and Brooklynite, I am proud today to give my endorsement to a man whose ideas, vision, skill and dedication are truly befitting of both our city’s grand history and its bright future -- Mike Bloomberg.”

Marty is uniquely suited for this task. Being shorter than the mayor he can really burrow in

Jonathan's New Post Season Cap

Nothing like being a Wild Card champ for this Wild Card chump

Mister Christopher Columbus: Dizzy Gillespie And Friends

JATP Gillespie 1967
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Jazz at the Philharmonic in London in 1967
Norman Granz assembled a band of all star musicians for this concert in London and probably for an European tour a well.
Dizzy, Clark Terry, Zoot Sims, James Moody with Teddy Wilson piano, Bob Cranshaw as bassist and Louie Bellson on drums
The tune title is not announced, but after an ensemble riff the musicians solo on the pleasant 32 bar structure of Christopher Columbus ( Benny Goodman used that already in his Carnegy Hall Concert in 1938). The name of this tune is "Ow" & it's on "Rhythm" changes. Dizzy wrote it.
There are two groups of players; the swingers and the boppers.
The only real bopper is James Moody and Dizzy of course as well, but Dizzy also plays with sympathy towards the swingers.

Mister Christopher Columbus: Claude Francois

Who is the Claude Francois doing the singing?

They All Laughed: Ella And Louis

They All Laughed: Tony Bennett

From another youtube user with good visualizations as well

They All Laughed: Stacey Kent

A youtube rendition of last year's post from 10/13/08 pseudo-intellectualism
which was originally done in October 2006.
Vocal by Stacey Kent, one of my favorite singers

Yankee Highlight Clip

from game of 10/7/09

Derek Jeter: MVP

A great article about Derek in this week's New York Magazine
Also an excellent article by Allen Barra in the Village Voice

Let Them Eat Tofu (Approved By DOE)

A close up of the Tofu from the previous post
another excerpt from the nyc public school parents' blog by Steve Koss

When I became involved as PTA President at Manhattan Center for Science and Math high school in East Harlem, we took over a parent association that was dormant to the point of comatose, with about $300 in the bank and virtually no parent involvement. We used coffee and donuts (donated gratis by a local Dunkin Donuts shop) to help bring parents to our PTA table set up on Parent/Teacher Conference evening and days, and we used a cheesecake sale through Ashley Farms as one of our first halfway decent fundraisers. On those same parent conference nights, we'd see the cheerleaders with a table set up with homemade cakes/cupcakes, and the Advanced Science Research kids were doing the same thing upstairs on the building's third floor. Not to mention the various candy and other bake sales sponsored by the freshman class, the seniors, and various clubs.
These fundraisers not only bring in needed funds, they get kids involved working toward a common goal, and they usually end up integrating the parents into the activity in some way (if only by baking something at home). This is just one more way for the DOE under Klein to assert control -- by removing it from parents and students -- under the absurd guise that they actually care about students' health. This is more than just government as overreaching Mommy, it's a way to reduce local initiatives and parent involvement. It also perversely undercuts the various clubs and student activities that help make schools more than just educational factories and test prep mills, the things that differentiate schools from one another and make them attractive to parents.
Why would we want public schools to look attractive when we have the choice of all these wonderful new, privately-operated charter schools? So at the same time Joel Klein is attending the 2009 grand opening celebration for the Harlem Success Academy charter schools at the Roseland Ballroom (not exactly the school gym), he’s telling regular public school parents and students that they can’t sell homemade cookies or cupcakes in their school lobbies or cafeterias to raise a couple of extra dollars. The day will come when New Yorkers will look back and wonder where their public school system went. By that time, we'll have McDonald's Elementary School and Nike High School. --Steve Koss

Let Them Eat Tofu

an excerpt from the nyc public school parents' blog

Banning bake sales: another way Bloomberg is trying to kneecap our public schools
It isn't enough that budgets keep getting cut, superintendents are banned from visiting schools in their own districts, and classrooms practically have kids hanging out of the windows, they're so crowded. Now it's banning bake sales as student fundraisers during the school day; while requiring that all student stores buy from a particular vendor chosen by DOE, no doubt at inflated prices. How about no hot dog and cotton candy eating on July 4th, and no pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving while we're at it? This is just adding another nail in the public school coffin, hiding behind a phony argument about "wellness."
The implication that school bake sales are a major contributing factor to child obesity is beyond laughable. If the DOE was truly concerned about children's health, they'd make a real effort to ensure that schools had adequate budgets and time for recess and gym classes instead of worrying about the Chess Club selling cupcakes to raise money for transportation so they can compete in a tournament somewhere. [Editor's note: most NYC schools violate the minimum hours for physical education required by the state, and many lack gyms altogether; see this Public Advocate's report and this from the Bronx Borough President.]

They All Laughed

Gershwin Ginger Rogers -They all laughed
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Mister Christopher Columbus

A Weekend In New England Coincides With The Yanks Clinching The AL Pennant