Author Archives: AD

By 2010 standards, Justin Verlander is having a Cy Young Award-winning season

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During Justin Verlander’s 8K, 1 run, 7 2/3 inning retribution against the Twins last night that ended in a 7-1 Tiger victory, the Fox Sports Detroit crew ran a graphic comparing Verlander’s numbers so far this season with the 2010 final season numbers for Felix Hernandez, the reigning AL Cy Young winner. The comparison looked something* like this:

Verlander became this seasons’ first eighteen-game winner last night, his sixth straight win. There are about five weeks remaining in the regular season, during which time Verlander will try to cement his claim to the Cy Young Award against contenders Jered Weaver and C.C. Sabathia.

* It looked almost nothing like this, but it might if FSD’s on-air talent, Rod and Mario, had to do their own infographics too.

He said Said said: Why does Boris Said really want to fight Greg Biffle?

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Fox Sports reports:

There is no love lost between Boris Said and Greg Biffle, as became increasingly clear at Watkins Glen International on Monday.

Biffle approached Said’s No. 51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet in the garage while the window net was still up. A scuffle occurred between Said and Biffle’s crew once he was able to unstrap himself from the car.

“I’m upset with Greg Biffle,” Said said. “He is the most unprofessional little scaredy cat I’ve ever seen in my life. He wouldn’t even fight me like a man after. So, if someone texts me his address, I’ll go see him Wednesday at his house and show him what he really needs. He needs a … whooping and I’m going to give it to him. He was flipping me off, giving me the finger. Totally unprofessional. Two laps down. I mean he is a chump.

“I went over there to go talk to him. He wouldn’t even let me get out of the car. He comes over and throws a few little baby punches and then when I get out, he runs away and hides behind some big guys. But, he won’t hide from me long. I’ll find him. I won’t settle it out on the track. It’s not right to wreck cars, but, he’ll show up at a race with a black eye one of these days. I’ll see him somewhere.”

Said, who finished 22nd, clearly made contact with the No. 6 UPS Ford of Biffle’s teammate David Ragan on the last lap and collected David Reutimann in the process. Phoenix Racing crew chief Nick Harrison said there was history between Said and Biffle prior to the Glen. Harrison said that, according to Said, the No. 16 Ford raced his driver “dirty” during the race. Biffle was a circuit down after running out of gas on Lap 38. He finished 31st.

On Monday evening, Biffle called into ESPN’s “NASCAR Now” program to tell his side of the story, which included calling Said a “chump” and an “ass,” and emphasizing that Said generally was disrespectful when he drives in Cup races.

Maybe Said really was so upset about getting the finger from Biffle that he wants to meet him by the bike racks after school/the race, but I wonder whether the frustration that lead Said to come out firing after the race stems from a deeper, long-term frustration, with Biffle more or less in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Keep reading…

CD review: Rodrigo y Gabriela – Live in France

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Live in France is the latest release from Rodrigo y Gabriela, a globe-trotting, genre-blending guitar duo from Mexico City. I first heard the group perform on David Letterman’s show a few years ago, picked up their 2006 self-titled release, and was hooked.

This new eleven-cut release is culled from five different stops on their recent tour in support of their 2009 studio album, 11:11. For all the excitement and commitment I attributed to myself in the previous paragraph, I actually lost track of these two after their self-titled album, so my ears had plenty of catching up to do when listening to this new album. Rodrigo y Gabriela have a signature sound, and longtime fans will immediately recognize the group on this release even if they too have fallen of the wagon, but they also will recognize the musical growth of these two over the last five years. Keep reading…

Week three in ALDLAND

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Last week was another good week here, with readers especially enjoying a take on Bill Simmons’ new ESPN project, Grantland, a report on a stop on the Béla Fleck/Bruce Hornsby/Flecktones/Noisemakers tour, and the site’s first readers’ poll. We also featured Chris Johnson as the subject of the Weekend Interview and welcomed a new writer, who jumped headlong into the fray of SEC expansion and Big XII discord in his first post.

This week, we’re continuing to track what may remain of round two of the SEC-Texas A&M maiting dance. Also look for a new album review or two among the usual coverage.

Thanks for reading!

SEC signals it will not expand to include Texas A&M

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ESPN reports:

The Southeastern Conference is not extending an invitation to Texas A&M to become its 13th member, but isn’t ruling out adding the Aggies in the future.

University of Florida president Dr. Bernie Machen said the conference’s presidents and chancellors met on Sunday and “reaffirmed our satisfaction with the present 12 institutional alignment.”

“We recognize, however, that future conditions may make it advantageous to expand the number of institutions in the league,” Machen said. “We discussed criteria and process associated with expansion. No action was taken with respect to any institution including Texas A&M.”

The possibility that A&M would join the SEC had excited us, but from the SEC’s statement today and the way ESPN is presenting it, it seems like, for a second year, it is not to be. The statement leaves the door open for the addition of new members, including A&M, but it is unclear when and on what terms the conference will add to its membership.

The Weekend Interview: Chris Johnson

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After heading north of the border for last week’s interview, it only seemed right to turn things around and seek some warmer weather and talk to a current– if temporarily, but willfully inactive– player named Chris: Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson.

Arguably the league’s fastest and best running back since the Titans drafted him out of East Carolina University prior to the 2008 season, Johnson currently is holding out from this year’s lockout-compressed training camp in the hopes of securing something around $30 million in guaranteed money.

This isn’t CJ’s first contract dispute either. 2009 was a record-setting year for him (2,006 rushing yards, 2,509 total yards, 14 touchdowns, 5.6 yards/carry), and he demanded a restructured contract before the 2010 season, and the Titans ultimately gave in. Johnson’s prediction that he would shatter Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record (2,105 yards) by rushing for 2,500 yards in 2010. Instead, he had 1,364 yards on the ground (1,609 total), well short of the record and his personal goal, though still good numbers.

For this imagined interview, I agreed to meet Johnson for lunch at McDougal’s in Nashville…  Keep reading…

Friday Friday Friday Friday Friday

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It’s the end of the week again, and this Friday finds ALDLAND having avoided (I think) a week-two sophomore slump. Friday-themed jams seem like a good idea as long as I can keep thinking of them. Suggestions are welcome.

After last week’s inaugural jam, the selection for this week was the next logical choice. I wanted to offer a live cut instead of a generic slideshow of grainy stills, and, as it turned out, there was only one real option readily available. The band apparently went through its Amish phase in 1980, but don’t worry if you don’t recognize the group since you’ll get a pretty good clue around the 1:35 mark.

Print Preview: Horseracing at its finest (via ESPN The Magazine)

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The look of the wooden grandstands takes you back a bit — maybe not to the 1860s, but at least to the 1970s. That’s when Seattle Slew and Affirmed won at Saratoga. Before them, so did Kelso, Buckpasser and Sword Dancer. Secretariat was upset here. Easy Goer prevailed here, as did Curlin. Rachel Alexandra beat the boys here. Everyone who’s anyone has come through here, and before I moved back home to Seattle in early August, I wanted to feel the place at least once more. … Read More

via ESPN The Magazine (available August 22, 2011)

Welcoming ALDLAND’s newest writer, Magalan

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I am glad to welcome new writer Magalan to the site. Check out the first post from this “SEC man” on Texas A&M’s flirtation with decamping from the depleted, Longhorn Network-burdened Big 12 for the neighboring SEC, a topic so hot, Texas Governor (and A&M alum) Rick Perry even weighed in on it yesterday.
Eagerly Anticipating the LSU/A&M Rivalry

The ends of their ropes?

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The sports world finds itself with a couple of active streaks that are starting to reach lengths that make people a little antsy. New Patriots DL Albert Haynesworth hasn’t been in practice since last week, Titans running back Chris Johnson continues to hold out as part of a contract bargaining strategy, and, in more positive news, Braves infielder Dan Uggla extended his consecutive-game hitting streak to 31.

The question is, which run will be the first to end?

Register your vote by electronic entry, below.