Blog Archives
Top of the Second
“As a celebration of the magic of movies involving baseball, at least one scene from a different film will be posted each day for the next nine days…”
—From “Top of the First” March 28th
In the game of baseball, there are teams that can afford to peruse through a catalog of players, glaze over their hitting percentages and “big name” status and then call them up with a single offer that would make them potentially the biggest fools on the planet if they were to reject the contract. In other words, money plays.
But what if there was a team that thought differently? What if a manager and his Ivy League educated assistant used statistics and mathematical equations to evaluate talent to determine the best value in players who would inevitably score x runs, strikeout y hitters and ultimately win z games?
And more incredibly, what if this was based on a true story involving the Oakland A’s?
“Bottom of the First” showed us how math had to be used to get the Minnesota Twins, of “Little Big League,” into the game. The first scene (and a bonus scene!) from “Moneyball” shows us the genesis of deciding to utilize statistics and math to win the game.
This Summer Will Be Golden
“Our family is thrilled to have the opportunity to reestablish these iconic brands with new creative marketing ideas and renewed sales efforts and investment”
With these words from Dean Metropoulos, who is the founder of the private equity firm Metropoulos & Co, the dreams of children and adults everywhere are preparing to return to their regular orbits with the summer return of…
Two private equity firms, Metropoulos & Co. and Apollo Global Management, together successfully offered a bid in the amount of $410 million, according to Chris Isidore’s online article, “Twinkies due on shelves by summer as $410 million bid OK’d” on CNN Money today.
As for the renaissance of everyone’s favorite golden-colored, creme filled snack, it appears to be in safe and fully capable hands.
“Metropoulos has experience turning around financially troubled food brands. The firm’s food holdings include Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, and in the past have included Chef Boyardee canned pasta, Bumble Bee seafood, PAM cooking spray and Gulden’s Mustard, all of which it eventually sold to ConAgra Foods Inc.”
Late last year, when Hostess ceased production, the once-full shelves were left barren with sadness and disbelief. The delicious treats were gone. Forever. Faith in the world we all knew took a terrible stumble, leaving millions to ponder what the new snack companies had in store for us? Could they even compare to the Twinkie or the entire Hostess family for that matter?
Luckily, that new “world order” will not transpire. There is substantial uncertainty in our country, and around the globe, but at least we can still count on one of the best plastic wrapped snacks of all-time to return to its golden glory.
Greek yogurt. Greek street food. John Stamos. I suppose it’s not all that surprising a Greek business star would be the one at the top of the current food curve to rescue the beloved Twinkie.
As Twinkie the Kid might say, “Go ahead, make me again!”
How 90 minutes Can Be Defined by a Few Seconds
This past Wednesday, Arjen Robben once again proved why he is a world-class soccer player. Starting for Bayern Munich in their German Cup clash with Borussia Dortmund, a team that has had their number the past few meetings, Robben was the beneficiary of receiving a deflection in the 43rd minute from a tackle just on the outer perimeter of the reigning Bundesliga champions’ 18-yard box. What did he do instantly upon having the ball at his feet?
On Saturday night, the Argentinian maestro for the Columbus Crew, who sports the unusually high number 33 (although 3×3=9…), also had the ball come to his feet several yards outside of the 18-yard box in the 2013 season opener at the Home Depot Center against Chivas USA. What did he do with it?
In the best leagues in Europe, players do this with frequency. Robben’s strike was fantastic, but not necessarily rare. The best players do not think, but rather react in the many situations throughout any given match. Practice is designed for thinking and the game is won by reacting. For example, most do not focus on the immediate pass or action right in front of them, but are cognizant of their surroundings and instead prepare for what the second and third pass needs to be. In those quick moments, they move and act accordingly. In the case of the two shots above, both the Dutchman and Argentine knew what to do in each of their split second decisions. They’ve trained many years for such opportunities.
Arjen Robben and Federico Higuaín showcased moments of brilliance that are celebrated so passionately in “the beautiful game.” To witness this just three days apart was particularly special because two players from completely different backgrounds, cultures and leagues shared an exhilarating commonality of giving its fans the thrill of a game altering goal with a similar impromptu strike on distant pitches, separated by the world’s largest ‘pond’: the Atlantic Ocean.
“Großen Fußballtor!”
“Gran Arco de Fútbol!”
Incredibly, regardless of any language barriers, at least everybody can agree both men scored a “great soccer goal!”
At least that was my reaction.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 