Profesional Tailgating: Heading Back to the Citizens Bank Park

Sorry for the delay, but its been busy around the home office with Fathers Day and a graduation party, but here are some of the sights from the Twins Phillies game on Friday night.

Nothing beats pregame entertainment from a group dressed in salmon

Joe Blanton gets ready for start

Jim Thome returns to Philly for the first time since his tradeMaybe I will pick Grady Sizemore, oh right he is going to miss the rest of the season

I don't know if this is a good thing

Wednesday is Sports Illustrated day at the home office and today was no different as I walked out to the mailbox and got my SI. I saw the cover and was very excited and also very concerned. On the cover was Stephen Strasburg and now the question becomes will the SI Jinx hit our prized player, I hope not.
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Red Bulls Mystery

The New York Red Bulls have started to tease the soccer world about their newest signing. Today in the New York Times, the MLS team printed a special section that showed off what the Red Bull company is doing and on the back of the magazine it had an ad for their newest player, which is expected to be TH14.

The add states "100 Rumors. 50 Names. 1 Star." The ad shows a player dressed in a Red Bulls kit with his face blurred out. Oh the suspense. Its a good marketing job by the club and an interesting ad.
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Morning Joe: Rooney = Ball Stamping Incident

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough loves LFC and hates Manchester United. While previewing the World Cup today he referred to Wayne Rooney's incident in the last World Cup as "Ball Stamping Incident" this is the first time that I have ever heard it described as that. I guess Morning Joe will be our World Cup headquarters for the next months.

The Front Page Story: Strasmas

Yesterday was a big day in Washington DC politics with primaries all over the country, but what was the biggest story on the front pages of the some DC Daily Newspapers, Starsburg of Course. Stephen Strasburg made Nationals fans cry in happiness with his performance last night against the Pirates, 7 innings, 2 runs and 14 strikeouts, not bad for your first start.

Washington Post

The Examiner

MLB Draft quick thoughts

I'm a draft geek and I admit that, so here is my quick thoughts on the MLB Draft:
• It was great to see Gammons back making good points, excellent points on why college catchers have not developed because they don't call their own pitches.
• No Strasburg/Harper battery in the future, disappointing but it makes sense. Don't get him killed behind the plate.
• Love Drew Pomeranz. Great stuff and he should be fast tracked to the big league.
• UNC Matt Harvey is a potential ace, the Mets are getting big time arm. Love the picked.
• MLB Network is getting better at the draft but they need to show more of Mayo and Callis. Hart and Reynolds are just not in the same league and bring nothing to the table.
• I would love to see MLB Network take the draft to next level and show Cape Code League games.
• This is why the Rays are so good and have so much talent on the farm, they make the right choices during the draft and they did it again with OF Josh Sale.
• Rockies and Kyle Parker, the second qb the Rockies have taken Todd Helton being the first and that worked out well.
• Gammons: "Parker only 20/20 player in draft 20 hr 20 td passes" great line.
• The Dodgers took a guy they have no intention of signing, Zach Lee. They are not spending the money, take the pick next year in a draft that scouts say is deeper.
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OTWT MLB Mock Draft

After watching hours of tape and reading countless scouting reporters, here is the OTWT Scouting Departments MLB Mock Draft, check on Monday on MLB Network to see if we are correct.

1. Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper, C, College of Southern Nevada
2. Pittsburgh Pirates: Manny Machado, SS, Britto HS (Fla)
3. Baltimore Orioles: Jameson Taillon, RHP, The Woodlands HS (TX)
4. Kansas City Royals: Yasmani Grandal, C, University of Miami
5. Cleveland Indians: Chris Sale, LHP, Florida Gulf Coast.
6. Arizona Diamondbacks: Drew Pomeanz, LHP, Ole Miss.
7. New York Mets: Deck McGuire, RHP, Georgia Tech
8. Houston Astros: Michael Choice, OF, UT-Arlington
9. San Diego Padres: Zach Cox, 3B, Arkansas
10. Oakland Athletics: Chris Sale, OF, Bishop Blanchet HS (Wash)
11. Toronto Blue Jays: Christian Colon, SS, Cal State Fullerton
12. Cincinnati Reds: Gary Brown, OF, Cal State Fullerton
13. Chicago White Sox: Stetson Allie, RHP, St. Edwards HS (Ohio)
14. Milwaukee Brewers: Brandon Workman, RHP, Texas
15. Texas Rangers (for unsigned 2009 draft pick Matt Purke): Matt Harvey, RHP, UNC
16. Chicago Cubs: Karsten Whitson, RHP, Chipley HS (Fla.)
17. Tampa Bay Rays: AJ Cole, RHP, Oviedo HS (Fla.)
18. Los Angeles Angels (for Type A free agent Chone Figgins (Seattle):Dylan Covey, RHP, Maranatha HS (Cal)
19. Houston Astros (for Type A free agent Jose Valverde (Detroit): Brett Eibner, RHP, Arkansas
20. Boston Red Sox (for Type A free agent Billy Wagner (Atlanta): Anthony Ranaudo, RHP, LSU
21. Minnesota Twins: Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (Fla)
22. Texas Rangers: Bryce Brentz, OF, Middle Tennessee State
23. Florida Marlins: Delino DeShields Jr, OF, Woodward Academy (Ga)
24. San Francisco Giants: Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State
25. St. Louis Cardinals: Kyle Parker, OF, Clemson
26. Colorado Rockies: Kaleb Cowart, RHP, Cook HS (Ga)
27. Philadelphia Phillies: Justin O'Connor, C, Cowan HS (Ind)
28. Los Angeles Dodgers: Asher Wojciechowski, RHP, The Citadel
29. Los Angeles Angels (for Type A free agent John Lackey (Boston): Seth Blair, RHP, Arizona State
30. Los Angeles Angels: Jedd Gyorko, SS, West Virginia
31. Tampa Bay Rays (for unsigned 2009 draft pick LeVon Washington): Austin Wilson, OF, Havard-Westlake HS (Ca)
32. New York Yankees: Tyrell Jenkins, RHP, Henderson HS (Tx)

Special 1TV: The Return is coming

After the fall of Setanta Sports, Special 1TV was left blank, now its coming back. Here is the promo for it. I can not wait. I hope The Boy is coming back too.

Get Ready for Everyone to be a Futbol expert

Every four years it happens, I know what your think, ""yes, I know the World Cup happens every four years,'' but that is not what I'm talking about. Every four years, people turn into soccer experts and talk like they know what a holding midfielder is.

As a person that loves the sports, this frustrates the hell out of me. During the last World Cup, I had to listen to people tell me about how great Ronaldinho was and how he might be the best player in the world, well thanks for the god damn news flash.

During the next six weeks, Joey Six Pack, that roots for the Jets, is going to tell me the importance of having quality wide players during the Portugal/Brazil game or that Ronaldo is a good player, ya thanks shit head I knew that cause he won the Champions League with my favorite club, ya they play soccer in between World Cups. I know not many people know that. Maybe some Guido will come up to me and tell me how good Italy is and how they are going to win. While the World Cup is great its hard to deal with this type of stuff.

So if you know nothing about the sport please don't give your two sense to anyone cause maybe you might be talking to someone who actually loves the game between World Cups.

Professional Tailgating Don't Tread on Me (video edition)

The USMNT is on the ground in South Africa getting ready for the 2010 World Cup. Here are couple of videos that I shot from the game against Turkey on Saturday afternoon.


kick about in the parking lot


USMNT and Turkey take the field


Corner Kick late in the game

Professional Tailgating: Don't tread on me

The United States Men National Team tuned up for their trip to South Africa by beating Turkey yesteday in Philly and the Only Time Will Tell Tailgating Crew was their to take in all of the action.

People tailgating outside of the Linc

Sam's Army shows their true colors
Some people thought the USMNT was playing Thanksgiving dinner

Deuce scores the winner right in front of us

Quick thoughts on USMNT vs. Turkey

Just got back to the home office from the USA Turkey game and here are a couple of quick thoughts:
• Someone should steal Spector's passport and not let him on the plane, he is terrible and I mean terrible.
• Findley's speed is going to be an asset late in games.
• For all of the crap little Bradley has taken over the years, he is our most consistent player.
• This team is only going to go as far as Landon, Clint, Tim take us. They are our best and hopefully they will come through in South Africa.
I will be posting of the trip tomorrow morning.
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Kane and JVR forever linked

Three years ago, Patrick Kane (above) and James van Riemsdyk (below right) stood on the ice in Sweden getting their bronze medal after finishing third at the World Junior Championship that year. The duo helped the USA Hockey beat home standing Sweden for the medal, but come Saturday the two will be on opposite ends of the ice as they Blackhawks battle the Flyers.

These two are two of my favorite players in the NHL. Kane is the flashy player who went from the 2007 NHL Draft to stardom in NHL, while JVR, a former Shore Conference standout at CBA, took the longer road and went to University of New Hampshire and then showed up in Philly this year. JVR was selected with the second overall pick in the draft that year.

The pair show the continued growth of the USA Hockey, a couple of years ago the thought of these two players having this type of impact would be crazy. The pair are products of the USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. The program takes the best players from the around the country and puts them in Michigan so that they can development their skills. While Kane and JVR are battling it out for Cup, the NTDP is watching with a smile on their face knowing that the program has been a huge success.

Giant Stadium Super Bowl, this could work out for the Eagles

So the New Giant Stadium is going to host the Super Bowl in 2014. I for one am not a big fan of this, but as an Eagle fan this could all work out in the end.

A Super Bowl at Giant Stadium would be the perfect place for the Eagles to break their Super Bowl drought, win it on your rivals home field, the thought of that makes me smile. It would also be the perfect way for Andy Reid to ride off into the sunset by winning a Super Bowl at Giant Stadium. Nothing would be better then seeing Andy's mustache covered in a little ice picking up the Lombardi Trophy. It would be the perfect ending the era.

Even my soda has World Cup Fever

So my wife went shopping yesterday and bought a case of Coke, I know not a big deal. But the Coke packaging had all types of World Cup designs on them. It made me very happy. Even the soda has World Cup fever, who is going to be next to catch it.
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They get WFAN in Russia?

Wow WFAN has some far reaching power. During an interview on this week on The Mike Francesa Show, new Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov asked Mike where the mad dog was. I know that Chris Russo has been gone for a while but its impressive to me that the Russian even knew about the iconic Mike and the Mad Dog Show. Talk about a show that had a world wide reach.
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Champions League Final = Main Stream Media Love

So Inter Milan showed yesterday that they were the best team in Europe with a beat down of Bayern Munich, but there was another winner beside Inter, main stream media love of the Champions League on twitter.

All during the final various media members and athletes were tweeting about how much the enjoyed the Super Bowl of European Soccer.

• TonyBrunoShow: (Tony Bruno Radio Show) getting some sun in Arizona on a breezy and beautifuy day and watching my boys from Inter Milan win the UEFA... http://fb.me/wTWzlUSN.
• OGOchoCinco (Chad Johnson) Wwwwwwooooowwwww #DIEGOMILITO again with 20 minutes to go, [gggggggggooooooooaaaaaallll
• Andreahoops (NBA TV guy Andre Aldridge): Good to see Mario Balotelli celebrating with his Inter Milan teammates and the Trophy. He's seen and done a lot, but he's only 19.

I know that soccer has not topped the big four sports yet, but with showings like this its starting to make a big jump and with this World Cup its only going to get bigger.

Curse of the hats

So this year I got back into lacrosse and bought a couple of hats. I bought a 'Cuse lacrosse hat when I made the trip up there for the Rutgers vs. Cuse football game and also purchased a Hopkins Lacrosse hat at some point during the year.

So these purchased were not good karma for these teams. Cuse was upset in the first round by Army, while Hopkins was run off the field by Duke. I hope for Virginia sake that I don't find a hat of theirs or it could be doom for them.

World Cup Babies?

ESPN has hit another home run with their World Cup ads. This one is awesome.

Making Red Bull Arena work

So Red Bull Arena has opened and its an amazing building, which I got the honor to see on Wednesday night, but their is a question that I keep asking my self. How are they going to make this work. When I say work I mean from a business point of view.

In this economy a building can not survive on one sport alone. I'm not saying turn it into an all purpose facility but I do think that the building needs to hold a couple of different type of events. So far events that are scheduled including the Churchill Cup (Rugby) on June 19 and the Big East Soccer Championships in mid-November.

This is a great start, while not the most sexiest events, these events will bring people in. Another way the building can be used more is to have state finals for soccer there. It would give the players a great feeling of what its like to play in an venue like that. The state already has a similar set up with both the old Giant Stadium and Rutgers Stadium hosting different state football finals. The hosting should not be limited to soccer, maybe even have the lacrosse and football finals there, only if the field is big enough.

How great would a Bergen Catholic vs. Don Bosco sectional football final be in that building. In the past 20,000 people have shown up at Giant Stadium for the game. Sure that is a good number but in a building like Giant Stadium the people get lost, in Red Bull Arena that would be awesome and the atmosphere would be amazing. The Home Depot Center, where the Galaxy play, has a similar set up with hosting the state high school football finals.

These are just a couple of suggestions to make Red Bull Arena a profitable place, hey it did cost them almost $200 million to build the thing.