cliff lee!

So yeah, I have not updated my blog in some time now.  There have been a few changes in my life since the last time I posted and maybe I will get to those eventually.  But first, I need to talk about some Seattle Sports!  I have spent way too much time lately looking up coverage on the latest Seattle sports news.

Two years ago, Seattle had one of the WORST sports years any city has ever endured.  We lost our NBA team, the Mariners lost over 100 games, the Seahawks won 4 games, the Husky Football team went 0-12.  That year sucked so bad I think I blacked out in misery.

The road to competitive sports can be a long and arduous journey, but news two days ago about Jake Locker returning for his senior year as a Husky, and Jack Z trading for one of the best left handed pitchers in the game right now has made be so happy.  It’s like somebody turned on the light when we were encompassed in darkness.

Yes, we have had some encouraging signs before this, the Mariners won 85 games (albeit very lucky) and the Huskies actually won some games (Beating USC and Cal was pretty awesome).  But I feel like the recent news has put us in a position to have a very good sports year in 2010.  Ok yes the Seahawks suck right now and I am still pissed but this is supposed to be a happy post.

First Jake.  THANK YOU! Thank you for turning down Millions of Dollars for next year.  I still believe you will make plenty of money a year from now.  But the thing that you will achieve next year that is more valuable than money is your LEGACY.  If you lead the Huskies to 8+ victories and a bowl win, you will always be remembered as the Quarterback that helped restore the program back to it’s original glory.

Yes the last two victories were against WSU and a distracted Cal team, but DAMN we looked good.  Only losing two offensive starters and 4? defensive starters, we really have a chance to do something special.

Ok now to some more juicy news!  Cliff Lee is a Mariner? WHATTTTT?  Where did this come from?

Ok so ever since Jack Zduriencik arrived in Seattle I have been excited.  Last season it was like watching McGuyver make a car out of rubber bands and orange peels.  We had a TERRIBLE club.  Slowly but surely it feels like he is turning our garbage can of a team to something that resembles an actual legitimate team.

Back to Cliff Lee!  As of right now here is the potential starting rotation:

1. KING Felix Hernandez 2. Cliff Lee 3. Brandon Morrow? 4. Ryan Rowland Smith 5. Snell/Olson/French/etc.

Best 1,2 Punch in Baseball.  If Brandon Morrow or Someone else can put a decent season together WOW.

If somehow the Mariners can make the post season (wow that has not been a realistic for I don’t know how long), having King Felix and Cliff Lee back to back in a series is ridiculous to even think about.

I forgot to mention that we didn’t even give up that much for Lee.  We didn’t give up Morrow, Saunders, Truinfel, Halman, or Moore.  Yes, the other guys (Aumont, Gillies, and Ramirez) might eventually be good one day, but they were single A players.  Admittedly, I am not expert, so I have no real idea how good these guys are at all.  But just the fact that the other names I mentioned were not part of the trade that is an accomplishment in and of itself.

Ok enough “analysis” there are much more qualified people going over this trade than me, I am just a fan that is getting more and more pumped about the upcoming baseball season.

Oh and one more thing Jack, I feel really guilty even asking for more since you have given so much but, could I have a BIG Bopper?  With all the prospects you saved, maybe we could get Adrian Gonzalez?

Fanasizing about our 2010 Lineup:

1. RF Ichiro Suzuki 2. 3B Chone Figgins 3. 1b Adrian Gonzalez 4. DH Russel Branyan/Griffey 5. CF Franklin Guttierez 6. 2b Jose Lopez 7. SS Jack Wilson 8. C Rob Johnson/(Ryan Doumit?) 9. LF Michael Saunders/Bill Hall

I am not asking for EVERYTHING, just Adrian Gonzalez…. such a stud.

This lineup is not close to Yankees or Phillies but it would be respectable, and with our pitching and defense, we could do some damage…

Oh well this is just more fantasizing….

I had a great weekend. Met a cool business contact through my work for Local Yummy. Then I went over to Pleasanton to eat dinner and play poker with some family and friends. I ended up on top. I love playing poker, the stakes are only 5 bucks but I still treat it like there was $1,000,000 on the table. My play has evolved so much from a tight player, to a crazy player, to a little bit of both.

Saturday was pretty laid back, just hung out with my Aunts and Uncles, went to a Burrito place in the mission. I watched the Mariners on MLB.tv. Did a little work on Monavie Saturday night following up some leads.

Sunday was fun, went to the driving range with Di. It was so hot today! It is always fun watching Di doing things not normally associated with being girly. See Rock Band in a dress. (Will probably incur some wrath if she ever reads this). Went to Burlingame for lunch at Crepe Vine after that. Then just passed out all afternoon, essentially.

Next week I have an interview at Bills.com. It seems like a cool company. I am still on the fence on deciding where exactly I want to go with my professional life. Wish me luck!

So Baseball is finally here! I have been enjoying baseball these past few days and I love that Baseball Tonight is back. The Mariners are 1-2 out of the gate, but it is definitely not time to panic. Actually, I have been very encouraged by the baseball I have been watching. It is totally different from last year. Guys are working the count, getting into opponents bullpens, getting clutch hits. We got screwed yesterday and Morrow did mess things up but we played perfect baseball for 8 and 2/3rds innings. And Today although Carlos Silva definitely sucks really bad, the bullpen did its job and the offense put up a decent amount of runs. Hopefully we can win tomorrow and leave the series with a tie. All i know is, baseball in Seattle is much more enjoyable to watch than last year.

Every year I get pumped for baseball both for the Mariners and Fantasy Baseball.

So the Mariners might be terrible again but, I get optimistic every year. I mean we are in first place right now!

This could be the starting lineup for your 2009 Seattle Mariners:

51 Ichiro Suzuki RF
4 Jose Lopez 2B
24 Ken Griffey Jr. LF
29 Adrian Beltre 3B
30 Russell Branyan 3B
5 Mike Sweeney DH
2 Kenji Johjima C
7 Yuniesky Betancourt SS
21 Franklin Gutierrez CF
——————————
34 Felix Hernandez RHP

Not the most intimidating lineup, but we could do some damage…. maybe….

Also my fantasy baseball draft is coming up this Saturday, more on that later.

This BoA Video is pretty Hot. BoA is a Korean pop star that is awesome.  My buddy Paul has claimed her as his future wife but does’n't mean I can’t support.  She makes hugely successful albums in Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and now English.  She is also in Vegas March 20th. Hmmm…..

I guess this should go under a Business or Economy category.  And even though I should be more in tune with the economic news around me I haven’t been as much.  I have a basic idea of the credit problem and how real money was being used by these guys to generate more fake money and eventually the system crashed down on itself.  (Sorry for the crude interpretation of my personal understanding of this).  If any of you can help me understand this better please let me know

I am a big Jon Stewart fan, and watching these videos of him makes me like him even more.  He totally ripped into Cramer, and well he didn’t have much to say back.  At the end of the day the Economy is still in the shitter and yelling at Cramer doesn’t really do anything but maybe in the future at the very least it seems Cramer will be more responsible with what he says.

So I have got the program, I’ve done it and it is tough, but I need to do it EVERYDAY..GAH… But I have been working out now 3 days in a row at the gym.  I am going to make it #4 today! Paul you are going down.

Pad Thai has been one of my favorite foods for a long time.  I’ve loved it so much I decided to start cooking it.  But I kinda just winged it before, using stuff like ketchup, and it was trial by error.  So lately I have done the smart thing and look up recipe.  I made it a week ago and it as pretty good.  So I am going to try to make it for my friends tonight.  I might still use a little ketchup….I found this in the PI though:

Dinner: Best Pad Thai

It feels good to get back in the gym, although someone stepped on my toe and it started bleeding (playing basketball).   My shot or what I had at one point was  almost nonexistent.  I made like 4 layups and 1 jumper and missed too many open jump shots.  I love playing basketball though it is almost like non-exercise, I don’t feel any pain.  It must be the adrenaline.  Those that know me know that I can get a little competitive.  I love playing Defense even if the my opponent is taller, faster, and a better ball player than I am, cause it’s a challenge.  A lot of times there is nothing you can do, if he is good he will beat you, but that will not be for lack of effort on my part.  I was playing tonight and there was this one guy on my team that just stood there like a rock and never played defense at all.  He wasn’t even a big man he was a short guy that shoots.  I hate that.  I would rather have  an 90 year old on my team that hustled.  Anyways out for beer tonight with Soo Soo Coon, AKA PMURDER AKA Prachi.

Seattle sports has seen one of the worst years ever.  But the team that has brought us out of that slump is none other than the UW Men’s Basketball team.  Going 23-7 and 13-4 in conference play, they have been the first Seattle team to WIN in awhile.  So I had to give props to my school and the basketball team.  I have been fortunate enough to be able to watch a few games which just so happen to be on television down here in SF.  They haven’t always looked great, but they play gutsy basketball, hard Defense and resilient rebounding.  The chemistry and make up of the team is also perfect.  Romar has the perfect mix of veteran leadership (Brockman, and yes Dentmon) and young guys (Thomas, Pondexter) to hopefully take this team far in the NCAA Tournament.  GO HUSKIES! Win that Pac 10 Title outright against the cougs tomorrow!