[Our most recent Twitter followers include PGA Tour golfer John Daly, the Versace Mansion and a Dutch band called Driftkickers. What do they know that you don't? Twitter.com/gregcote]
R.I.P., Grasshopper...: I used to think people who committed suicide were cowards. I don't anymore. I still think people who commit murder/suicide are cowards. But the regular suicides deserve our understanding -- even as understanding usually is elusive. Why, David Carradine? Why?
Mother nature screws Marlins: Nobody was sadder than the Marlins about last night's Giants-at-Nationals rain postponement that will mean a doubleheader today. Had Randy Johnson (pictured) pitched for San Fran last night as scheduled and lost or gotten a no-decision, he would have gone for career win No. 300 Monday night vs. the Marlins right here at BadBeer Stadium. That would have been a true event portending a huge crowd even in blase So Fla. Instead, he'll pitch today and not at all in the Giants series here. Means we are robbed of a great shot at seeing history. Johnson could be the last pitcher to win 300, considering next on the active list are Jamie Moyer with 250 at ancient 46 and Andy Pettitte with 220 at a sharp-declining 37. Most wins by a twirler under 30? A mere 122 by CC Sabathia at 28.
Twitter taking over sports world like giant moth eating Tokyo: Twitter is blowing up, and if you still don't know what Twitter is, get with it Granpappy! Prominent athletes like Shaquille O'Neal and Lance Armstrong have famously successful Twitter followings, while, at the other extreme the phenomenon is ripe for fakery. My paper had a piece in which Dolphins QB Chad Pennington proclaims he does not Twitter and that the person pretending to be him is an imposter. Pictured right, in a blog exclusive, is an action photo of the fake Chad Pennington in mid-Tweet. Also comes news that Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa (click here for story) is suing Twitter over a fake purporting to be him. As an experiment I Twitter-searched names of two randomly picked local athletes, Dan Uggla and Daequan Cook, to see what I'd find. There is one (likely fake) Dan Uggla who turns up with 45 followers despite have posted zero Tweets. There is no Daequan Cook. So get on it, imposters! Curious what athletes you follow on Twitter and how you trust they aren't fakes. In light of these scandals I would like to assure my own meager yet inexplicably growing Twitter following that it really is me at Twitter.com/gregcote, mainly because I am not popular enough to have spawned an imposter. (This concludes a blog item that ostensibly was about athletes Twittering but actually was a flimsily veiled vehicle to plug my own Twitter page).
Panthers changing owners: Our NHL team's majority owner, Alan Cohen (pictured), is in the process of selling the club (and arena) to a New York-based consortium called Sports Properties Acquisition Corporation. My take? With no playoff appearance since 2000 and no playoff win since 1997, any change has got to be better than what we've had. Click on Cats For Sale for today's column by me.
Corporate-sponsored NFL jerseys on way: King Sport quietly has approved allowing a 3.5x4.5-inch ccorporate patch on team practice jerseys, surely a dreadful precursor to a 'Your Ad Here' deal on game-day jerseys in the forseeable future. "Row, row, row your boat down the revenue stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, it's enough to make you scream."
Musical tastes within blog: This is one one of those offbeat little sidetrips where we get to remind each other that, although we love sports, we don't love only sports. Take a dip in our poll on what you think has been the best decade for pop music. Also volunteer who have been the favorite music artists in your life. My list might include John Anderson, Beach Boys, Beatles, Beck, Brendan Benson, Chuck Berry, Dire Straits, Dylan, Eagles, Eminem, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Elton John, Kid Rock, Kinks, Led Zep, Bob Marley, Police, Elvis Presley, Raconteurs, R.E.M., Stones, Sinatra, Snoop Dogg, Springsteen, Staple Singers, Sublime, UB40, White Stripes, Hank Williams Jr. and Stevie Wonder. To name a few. You?
Lakers favored, so why bother playing?: BetUS.com has Lakers favored at 5/9 with Magic at 21/10. Kobe Bryant is 1/3 to win NBA Finals MVP, followed by Dwight Howard at 11/4. Still looking for a line on who Shaquille O'Neal will be rooting hardest against: old cartoon-rival Kobe or the coach he called a "master of panic," Stan Van Gundy. (Shaq says he roots for Kobe. but none too enthusiastically, I'm sure).
Dolphins release receiver I'd never heard of: Fare thee well, Todd Lowber. Fare thee well.
Penguins taken off endangered list: So much for that 4-0 Red Wings sweep in the Stanley Cup Finals. Pittsburgh lives, now down just 2-1. With the Pens' big win and what looks like a 7-game NBA Finals in Lakers-Magic starting Thursday, I got to wondering what have been the most recent 4-0 championship sweeps in hockey, basketball and baseball. The answer: MLB Red Sox over Rockies (2007), NBA Spurs over Cavaliers (2007), and NHL Red Wings over Capitals (1998).
Beware the little-known perils of the unnaturally bronze appearance!: Been following that local murder trial in which a man is accused of strangling his wife? The latest defense strategy is to claim the woman died from poison in a spray-on tan! Evidently defense attorneys couldn't think of an even less-believable claim, so they went with that.
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Sweet Jesus Cote why would you post such a pic of a nude Jap? Wasn't the Bataan Death March bad enough you freakin' sadistic bastard. I think, I think I'm gonna puke...
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 05:07 PM
Gee Cote no Hendrix you Commie shoe tapping Pinko...
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 05:10 PM
Christ the 80's made me laugh especially Dred Zeppelin but real music?
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 05:12 PM
70's did have some fine music. Lotsa GUITAR!!!!!!!
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 05:16 PM
Fliplard you have been on that computer chair for far too long! Get up and join the Richard Simmons aerobic program now.
Posted by: Tuco from the oldwest | June 03, 2009 at 05:55 PM
Flipdie you son of a snitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Tuco has returned | June 03, 2009 at 05:57 PM
boys,
the 60s began with the combination of doo wop, r&b, instrumentals, c&w, and dion and the belmonts; it ended with the following at their heights: hendrix, cream, the dead, the airplane, dylan (nashville skyline-awesome), the byrds, and countless others-oh yeah, led zeppelin I and II. no contest to this reporter!!
Posted by: the shadow knows | June 03, 2009 at 06:04 PM
Western flicks were the best in the 60's, like pop music was at its best in the 80's ,and I saw both cause I'm an outlaw legend.
Posted by: Tuco always comes back | June 03, 2009 at 06:06 PM
Gotta agree with you there shadow. Stratospheric talent in turbulent, psychedelic 60's.
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 06:10 PM
Fliptard you don't get it! Pop music, not rock music! You should start listening to Michael Jackson ,and beat it. Cause you know who's bad and that is Tuco.
Posted by: Tuco with some pistol clicking tunes. | June 03, 2009 at 06:13 PM
My absolute favorite Eli Wallach role. Tuco Benidicto Ramon Ramirez or something long name like that. "Start walking Blondie."
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 06:13 PM
meant "or some long name like that." In this case The Ugly overshadowed The Good & The Bad.
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 06:15 PM
Micheal Jackson beat it all right. His own reptilian meat and the indecency charges with minors...
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 06:17 PM
I will say this for Jackson. He was one sick twisted son-of-a-cocksucker father and I pity him for this and what he has done to himself. Real f***ing nightmare.
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 06:19 PM
It's Eliott Wallace now. I have been Americanized living my whole entire 94 year life here in America.
Never give out your real name, Sargeant Angeleyes!
Posted by: Tuco alias Eliott "Bill Carson" Wallace | June 03, 2009 at 06:20 PM
actually IS sick twisted etc. He is still with us as far as I know.
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 06:21 PM
It's the 60s and duke that's ginrai. I hope he doesn't catch you are you'll find yourself in his belly. In fact, I hear him now..... "I'm bigger than you and higher up the food chain. Now get in my belly flipperauol."
Posted by: flippingtom the disrespectful pervert | June 03, 2009 at 06:21 PM
Oh I figured it was ginrai but I have to admit I do love Tuco character.
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 06:23 PM
Remember when Angeleyes is having Tuco beaten to bloody pulp for as long as this sweet tender music is playing outside. One of musicians tears up and stops playing. Union soldier "compassionately" demands PLAY THAT FIDDLE YOU!
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 06:27 PM
You are the generic Flipco. I know that you try very hardt ,but you are a hundred miles away in the desert.
Posted by: Tuco the original | June 03, 2009 at 06:31 PM
Hey ginrai aren't you due back in Boys Town for another game of drop the soap in the shower with your anal probing peers.
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 06:36 PM
No need to answer ginrai. It's called a rhetorical question...
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 06:39 PM
You are a fish out of waterrr, flippa. Hold your breath.
Posted by: Tuco outsmarts you again | June 03, 2009 at 06:41 PM
The desert sun is too hot for a fair skinned flipdie.
Posted by: Tuco toasty tanned skin | June 03, 2009 at 06:45 PM
Holy cocksucker ginrai! I've been foiled by your superior cerebral kotex once again. Rats spats and zippidity dippidity do dats...
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 09:57 PM
...and cats in the hats guys with no arms and no legs called mats and what happened to Tojo Fats Cote?????
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Ah 1980's. How Did I get This Ugly House?
And How Did I Get This Ugly Wife?
And Who Could It Be Now?,
Who Could It Be Now?
Same As It Ever Was, Same As It
Ever Was.
Watching The Days Go By,
While ginrai Blows Another Guy
Watching The Days Go By,
As ginrai Fists Another Guy
Same As It Ever Was,
Same As It Ever Was.
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 10:14 PM
Cote where did you get that picture of Ira Einhorn without his shirt and without his trunk & girlfriend?
Posted by: r. duke | June 03, 2009 at 10:19 PM
I'm too sexy for my shirt!
Posted by: Right Said Fred | June 03, 2009 at 11:20 PM
"Dolphins release receiver I'd never heard of: Fare thee well, Todd Lowber. Fare thee well."
_________________________________________
Which means Junior Glymph could be back!!!
Posted by: IMAWriterRobJ | June 03, 2009 at 11:33 PM
Flipper's own little deanie went into hiding. Now Flipper is looking for deanie in this video. Will he also find Prince his idol there too?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L0H_w9kBx8
Posted by: ginrai | June 03, 2009 at 11:59 PM
I know you love to blow off your top here Flipper. You and your queerish thoughts and other bad habits. Not everyone is a dreaming fruit cake like you happen to be.
Posted by: ginrai | June 04, 2009 at 12:44 AM
Judge not dear little ginrai lest ye be judged... and bear this in mind son it would't be pretty.
Posted by: I AM THAT | June 04, 2009 at 01:11 AM
JESUS TITS DAD CAN'T YOU EVEN SPELL????!!!!! Wouldn't or would not!!!!!! Not Would't. WTF are you a special needs GOD THE FATHER?!! I'm sorry everybody but My Father is infinite years old and ceases to concern Himself with such conventions as spelling.
Posted by: The One You and Crazy Mel Gibson Tortured To Death! | June 04, 2009 at 01:21 AM
HOW DARE YOU CORRECT MY SPELLING YOU INSOLENT MANCHILD!!!!!!!I CREATED "THE WORD" YOU SNOTTY LITTLE BRAT. YOU'RE JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER ALWAYS CRITICIZING AND COMPLAINING!!! NOTHING IS EVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR EITHER ONE OF YOU!!!I HAVE A GOOD MIND TO SENTENCE YOU TO LIVE WITH ginrai!!!! SO YOU BEST CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF!!!!!!
Posted by: THE BIG I SEE... | June 04, 2009 at 01:28 AM
Nice Shooting Soldier!
Posted by: General Jack Ripper, USAF | June 04, 2009 at 01:33 AM
Ah, flipper takai's dipper boy is acting frantic cause I know something.
Posted by: ginrai | June 04, 2009 at 10:02 AM
David Carradine hanged himself in Bangkok(by the way I loved David Carradine). Mr. Rogers died from a** cancer and then there's ginrai. When does the horror finally end?
Posted by: General Jack Ripper, USAF | June 04, 2009 at 11:54 AM
The Lakers are toast tonight. There's no basketball west of the Mississippi River.
Posted by: Dick Maximus | June 04, 2009 at 11:57 AM
Well looks like it's time for a glass of gin with rainwater and Wing Attack Plan R...
Posted by: General Jack Ripper, USAF | June 04, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Ah flipperjack, watch that the rabies don't get off your deanie radar and attack your mind from the wing side of the left lobe.
Posted by: ginrai | June 04, 2009 at 01:02 PM
Ah ginraiflapjackeroffer look that scabies don't get off you weanie and attack your behind from sing wide of the Lisa Lobe.
Posted by: ginrai's evil twin | June 04, 2009 at 01:48 PM
Gents, the "FAT BASTARD" picture reminded me of a joke....
has your wife or girlfriend put a bit of weight on over the past weeks?
not a problem
ask her to walk three miles a day for the next four weeks
at the end of the four weeks the FAT COW will be 84 miles away !
NOW, onto the musice poll....
from this view it has to be the 60's, it gave birth to the two greatest rock bands of ALL_TIME....the Beatles and PINK FLOYD.....in addition the the stones, led zeppelin, hendrix ...I can go on and on...plus it gave us the womans' lib and the MINI-SKIRT...
groovy baby.... one last fat joke...
can FAT PEOPLE go skinny dipping ?
Posted by: FZB | June 04, 2009 at 02:27 PM
lol.
Posted by: r. duke | June 04, 2009 at 03:56 PM
90's hip-hop
Posted by: Herbal Minded aka HM | June 04, 2009 at 03:57 PM
Hmm posts not showing up. Must be ginrai's evil twin at work. Will try again. Forgive if it turns into identical post #2. That's my business. As I was saying the 60's were Shagadelic YEAH BABY!!!!! ginrai do I make you randy, do I make you horney old chum. Well you'll not be getting into this British Secret Service bum.
Posted by: Austin Powers | June 04, 2009 at 04:03 PM
The thing about 60's music vs 90's is that in the 60's the Hells Angels beat up the crowd with at least one fatal stabbing. In the 90's the crowd is left alone but the rappers shoot each other. I guess that's a bit of progress.
Posted by: Austin Powers | June 04, 2009 at 04:08 PM
MEN YOU HAVEN'T HEARD REAL MUSIC UNTIL YOU'VE LISTENED TO THE SOUND OF A B53 NUCLEAR WARHEAD OVER MOSCOW!
Posted by: General Jack Ripper, USAF | June 04, 2009 at 04:14 PM
Blastoff quoting "Flipperawl control those primitive impulses!"
Posted by: ginrai | June 04, 2009 at 10:53 PM
I love the smell of napalm in the morning soldier... It smells like. VICTORY
Posted by: Major Gonad from Apocolyps Now | June 04, 2009 at 11:09 PM