Billi Pod Says==>Back To Work!!

OK, back to work all of my Worker Bee friends - it’s over!!

Time to head back to that cubicle, turn on your iMacs and settle back into your world of tedium and mendacity.

You do, of course, have permission to read Billi Pod Blogs, in order to bring some happiness into your otherwise drab and mundane lives out there in the vast wilderness known as cyberspace.

Since Monday was a holiday, Tuesday was to be Billi Pod’s errands and stuff day. Well, not sure the weather will permit it.

It was lightly raining at 8:00am - temperature was 61º. Now at noon it is still raining and majorly ugly out and the temperature is still only 61º. Unfortunately, the forecast is for this to continue for the rest of the day and into the evening.

Meaning ... probably trouble for Billi Pod’s entertainment event for tonight, which is ... awww ... you know ... tada ...

7:05==>YANKEES/ORIOLES @ Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built.

Phil Hughes will be on the mound for The Bronx Bombers. He needs a good outing to remain in the rotation.

Billi Pod will be in his usual seat. I doubt if any of my season-ticket seat mates will be there.

As I said ... the weather forecast for game time is iffy. If the game is postponed they will probably play a doubleheader tomorrow and Billi Pod will have tickets to both games.

It seems that weather has been a major factor in almost all of the Yankees/Orioles games this season, whether at The Stadium or down at Camden Yards. This time of the year, as the season is rapidly coming to a close, makeup games are very difficult to schedule.

So ... we will just have to wait and see what happens.

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY shout-out to my sister ANN PARKER, who lives in Palm Springs, CA.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-13

Billi Pod Says==>Happy Labor Day Everyone!

Happy Labor Day to all of my Worker Bee friends!!

As I am writing this post in the early evening, the holiday is coming to a close and the streets are clogged with busses and cars coming into and going out of The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World. My building is on a block that borders the feeder roads to and from The Lincoln Tunnel.

Billi Pod’s entertainment event for today was ... oh come on ... make a guess ... you know what it was ... right ... tada ...

1:05==>YANKEES/ORIOLES @ Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built, with Freddy Garcia on the mound.

As I previously posted, I knew that my seat for this game would be unprotected and, therefore, in the sun for most, if not all, of the game, so I took my heavy duty sunscreen with me.

Well, when I got off the subway at 161st Street in The Bronx it was gray and very overcast and as soon as I turned on my trusty Walkman I learned that the forecast was for rain showers later in the day. Damn, not a good start.

My seat was right in the middle of my section in the first row. I had never sat in the first row in the new stadium. It was a different but pleasant experience. It was indeed gray and overcast ... nasty looking.

Now the game ... well, my loyal and faithful readers ... in the name of fair and unbiased reporting Billi Pod has to share that on this Labor Day the pitchers for both teams, starters and relievers, labored mightily.

Our starter, Freddy Garcia, lasted only 2 2/3 innings and their starter lasted only 1 1/3 innings.

Relief pitching wasn’t much better. All-in-all 12 pitchers were used.

As you have guessed, in this game the long-ball prevailed. The Yankees hit 4 homers, including a grand slam by Robby Cano, and the Orioles hit 3 homers.

Oh ... the final score was 11-10 Yankees. The winning runs came as a result of 2 home runs from rookie Jesus Montero, who was just recently called up from triple-A. These were his first major league home runs and the stadium roared until he came out of the dugout, each time, for a rare encore.

Montero is our top prospect and he will probably fill the DH role for the remainder of the season.

In the top of the 9th Mo almost blew the save ... go figure ... but we held on to win by one run.

It was an exciting and very emotional game. And ... in the last two innings the sun came out ... how ‘bout that.

The FuckSox lost to Toronto, so we now lead the AL East by 2 1/2 games.

Tonight Billi Pod will stay in PHC and alternate between watching the ‘Canes/Maryland game and the Braves/Phillies game.

I also hope to finish my August 2011 stats draft, which I know you are all breathlessly awaiting.

So, to all of my Worker Bee friends==>have a safe trip home, go to bed early, and remember to set the alarm.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-12

Yes, Billi Pod Was A Sports Couch Potato==>Live With It!!

Good evening my loyal and faithful readers out there in the vastness known as cyberspace.

Even though this posting is a bit late in the day (dammit ... wipe that smile off your face Topher ... I know where you are) it none-the-less will reflect what has gone on in Billi Pod’s world here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, since the last posting on Saturday morning.

The bottom line is that Billi Pod had a great couch potato sports doubleheader yesterday. Yes, couch potato==>just live with it dammit ... live with it!!

The Yankees won their afternoon game in a nail-biter, 6-4 behind a clutch hit from Robinson Cano.

It was an excellent ball game and we maintained our 1/2 game lead over The Boston FuckSox in the AL East race.

After the game was over I had time for a 2-mile walk session and that felt really good because Billi Pod had gotten a bit antsy.

Then, as you know, The Gators won the first game of the Will Muschamp Era with a 41-3 ass-whipping of Florida Atlantic University.

I thought John Brantley looked comfortable in Florida’s revamped offense. Chris Rainey had an excellent game, scoring in three different ways.

Yes, I know that the FAU program is just barely above the High School level but Billi Pod had a very good feeling about the team when the game was over. The Gators have a very tough schedule ahead of them and all I want out of them this year is to be competitive and to maintain our dignity as the Muschamp program is being built.

God, I spent so much time in front of the tube ... why? ... because Billi Pod is a mega-huge college football fan and he will watch games involving teams he has no connection with, just for the game. Not the same with pro-football, at least not until the last weeks of the season when the Super Bowl match-ups are being determined.

This afternoon was yet another game at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built ...

1:05==>YANKEES/TORONTO, with our ace CC Sabathia on the mound as the Yankees go for the series sweep.

It was in the mid-80s and very very humid with very little breeze. Actually pretty uncomfortable, truth-be-told. Again, none of my regular season seat mates were there.

The Yankees won 9-3. CC pitched a very good game, going 7 1/3 innings, giving up only 2 runs on 6 hits and striking out 10. He won his 19th game. The Bronx Bombers continue to hit the long-ball, with Jeter, A-Rod, and Swisher going yard. It was a very exciting and enjoyable game to watch.

This win and the FuckSox 11-4 loss to Texas increases our lead in the AL East to 1 1/2 games, 2 in the loss column.

Also, it put their record for Billi Pod games finally over .500, 18 wins and 17 losses. About f**king time!!

On the subway ride back to Manhattan I got off at the Columbus Circle station and walked back to PHC, a distance of little over a mile.

It is early evening and I toyed with the idea of going to a movie but I doubt that will happen.

What about tomorrow? Well ...

Tomorrow is ...tada ... more baseball ...

1:05==>YANKEES/ORIOLES, with Freddy Garcia on the mound for The Bombers.

This game is an exchange game so I won’t be in my usual seat. It will be in the same general location, only on the 3rd base side of the stadium, and, it will be in the first row, meaning ... in the sun ... I will take my sunscreen, of course.

In closing==>at the bottom of this posting you will see ALEX-11. This represents the number of days since my grandson, Alex Falletta, left Ft. Hood, TX, to begin his deployment overseas. I will post the number of days in all subsequent blog and FaceBook postings until he safely returns home to his wife, Gina, and their daughter, and to the rest of his family and friends.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

ALEX-11

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Go Gators!! Let The New Era Begin!!

Before we get into Gator football let’s talk about ...

It was a very enjoyable evening last night at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built. Excellent weather and a great pitching duel.

The Yankees won 3-2 behind yet another stellar outing from rookie Ivan Nova, who improved his record to an amazing 15-4. His start was kinda rocky, giving up 2 runs, but in the third inning the tieing runs came on an unlikely homer from Brett Gardner. Unlikely because Gardner isn’t a power-hitter. The go-ahead run came in the 5th.

In the bottom of the 9th Mariano Rivera had a 1-2-3 inning and we now lead the AL East.

One weird thing==>none of my buddies were in their usual seats. I guess they had begun a Labor Day vacation. You know, for Billi Pod just being in The Big Apple is a vacation unto itself ... oh well ...

What about today, you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well ...

In the name of fair and unbiased reporting Billi Pod must admit that he

will be a sports-couch-potato today. Yes ... there he said it ... a couch-potato ... gasp ... first ...

1:05==>YANKEE/TORONTO with Bartolo Colon on the mound for The Bronx Bombers ... and then ...

7:00==>GATORS/FLORIDA ATLANTIC @ The Swamp.

I learned late late last night that the game would be carried locally on ESPNU. Dammit it to Hell, I already had a ticket to an Off Broadway show for Saturday evening, but ...

No way could I miss seeing our first game under our new coach Will Muschamp and our new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis.

So, this morning Billi Pod gave his ticket to a theater-buddy.

Some interesting Gator info for you loyal and faithful readers who aren’t “in the know” Gator-wise ...

The Gators haven’t lost a season opener since 1989.

Muschamp is a defensive coach, but the Gators love offense. That’s why he hired offensive coordinator Charlie Weis.

Weis is considered one of the best offensive minds in the game.

Weis has installed a pro-style attack much more suited for our senior quarterback John Brantley.

There has been a great deal of secrecy about this team so everyone is really looking forward to the beginning of a new era for The Gator Nation in The Swamp.

So, there you have it ... Billi Pod’s justification for being a couch-potato today.

Before you become too judgmental, please remember that he has two sports passions: The Yankees and The Gators.

Will probably post the entertainment stats for August 2011 sometime between the games. That’s OK ... just hold your applause.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Billi Pod Says==>Take That FuckSox!!

Well, Billi Pod is required to report, in the name of fair and unbiased reporting, that last night AJ Burnett aka Loser Boi probably pitched well enough to save his job in the 5-man rotation, at least for the remainder of the regular season

Loser Boi went 5 1/3 innings giving up 2 runs on just 5 hits. The Yankees win 4-2 when Mo, who again pitched into and then out of trouble, strikes out baseball’s leading hitter, Adrain Gonzalez, in the bottom of 9th with the bases loaded. Take that FuckSox!!

It was an interesting, nail-biting game, even if you aren’t a Yankee or a FuckSox fan.

We are now back in a virtual tie for first place in the AL East.

Billi Pod’s entertainment event is ... tada ...

7:05==>YANKEES/TORONTO @ Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built.

Ivan Nova will be on the mound, going for his 15th win. Not bad for a rookie.

This will be the first game of a 6-game home stand and Billi Pod will be at 5 of them.

Folks, I think I have some statistical support for my feelings of unrest and basic unhappiness with what I have seen at Yankee Stadium thus far this season. Here are the stats for the past three years for Billi Pod’s games-in-attendance through August ...

2009 - 21 wins, 13 losses = .618

2010 - 27 wins, 14 losses = .659

2011 - 16 wins, 17 losses = .484

I’m sorry guys, but I ain’t paying $70 per game to watch a below .500 team. This isn’t Baltimore, Miami or Houston==>it’s The Yankee Universe located in The Bronx.

I know that most of my seat mate buddies share the same feelings. Lots of talk about not renewing for 2012 regardless of what happens for the remainder of this season.

OK, thanks for letting me share my angst with you loyal and faithful readers out there in the vast hinterlands.

In closing Billi Pod must respond to an email from Fred Faust, a loyal and faithful reader, who writes:

******************

Hey, Billy Pod, choose one:

1. Reading Dick Cheney’s Memoir “In My Time” or,

2. Having a root canal without anesthesia/pain killers.

Which one?

*******************

This is a no-brainer Freddy==>Billi Pod would have a root canal and then have all of his teeth pulled, without anesthesia, before he would even read the introduction to Darth Vader's sick piece of revisionist crap.

You are welcome!!

Have a happy and enjoyable Labor Day holiday!!

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Yes, It Was An Ass-Whipping!!

Well, my loyal and faithful readers, a good night’s sleep did nothing to ease the pain from last night’s ass-whipping by The Boston FuckSox.

After a very rocky start we were carrying a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the 6th inning and then ... dammit ... The FuckSox went yard multiple times and we ended up losing 9-5. Yes, it was an ass-whipping, make no mistake about it.

Basically Phil Hughes, who was pitching for a spot in the 5-man rotation, and the bullpen sucked.

Will tonight be any better you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well, AJ Burnett aka Loser Boi is on the mound, so you answer the question.

Billi Pod’s obvious penchant for sadomasochism will require him to stay in and watch what will no doubt be a bloodbath.

Our record versus “them” is a ball-shrinking 3-11. That sucks big time!! Folks out there in the hinterlands, Billi Pod has to admit that right now, in all aspects of the game, The Boston Red Sox are a better team than The New York Yankees. Man, does it hurt to say that, but Billi Pod has to in the name of fair and unbiased reporting.

So, Girardi and Cashman==>start thinking about the post-season and our role as the Wild Card in the American League. If the season were to end today I think that we would face the Texas Rangers in Arlington, TX.

Now, on to other things and stuff ... like ...

The matinee performance of CATCH ME IF YOU CAN was excellent. This was my third time seeing the show and I still don’t understand why it never built an audience. Sorry it is closing this Sunday. If it tours and comes to your area==>see it!!

Was able to have some facetime with my theater-buddy and FaceBook friend Dian Crystal and that was nice. Dian and I have a date for a concert performance on the evening of September 11th. More details later.

The outer boroughs and Long Island are still suffering the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and recovery is going to be slow and very costly.

The US Open is now underway at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, Queens, but who cares.

The Gator season kicks off on Saturday night in The Swamp when we play Florida Atlantic University. From what Billi Pod has read up here about the season predictions etc, The Gators are pretty much off everyone’s radar. He doesn’t like that.

I have just compiled that entertainment stats for August 2011. The month was certainly “different” as you will see when I post the stats.

It’s now 11:30am and Billi Pod is getting very antsy. Time for a walk-and-wander session and then maybe a movie before the Yankee/FuckSox game.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Oh Yes==>Yankees 5, FuckSox 2

Well, Billi Pod is still glowing from the outcome of last night’s YANKEE/FUCKSOX game at that slimy cesspool known as Fenway Park. Yes, the Yankees won 5-2 behind a journeyman performance from our ace CC Sabathia. His record is now 18-7.

CC kept getting into and then out of trouble through the 6 innings he pitched, but he held The Sucks to 2 runs. The bullpen did the rest, shutting down The Sucks for the final 3 innings.

There was a near bench-clearing brawl when John Lackey intentionally hit our catcher, Francisco Cervelli, in retaliation for what Lackey perceived as “improper celebration” after Cervelli had hit a home run earlier in the game.

Yeah, really classy and professional conduct from The Sucks.

Tonight at 7:05pm is the second game of the 3-game series and Phil Hughes will be on the mound for The Bronx Bombers. On the mound for The FuckSox will be our nemesis, Josh Beckett, who has owned us this season.

Of course Billi Pod will be glued to the tube.

Today’s entertainment event is ...

2:00==>CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, the musical about the exploits of Frank Abagnale, Jr. (Broadway - complimentary ticket).

I first saw this show in early previews and liked it a lot. Saw it a second time shortly after it opened to very mixed reviews. It is closing this Sunday, so when it showed up on one of my ticket services I couldn’t pass it up.

I think that a lot of my theater-buddies will be there too.

In closing I want to respond to several emails and postings about my perceived vitriol and negative feelings directed at Boston ...

Folks, you got it wrong==>Billi Pod DOES NOT hate the City of Boston. Boston is, in fact, one of his favorite American cities. No, he hates The Boston Red Sox, not Beantown.

What are my top-5 American cities, you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well ... here they are:

1. New York City (of course)

2. San Francisco

3. Boston

4. New Orleans

5. Seattle

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Billi Pod Says==>Bring On The Boston FuckSox (again)

First, before baseball ... let me report on ...

Yesterday’s staged reading of La BELLA FAMILIA, directed by my FaceBook friend David Lee, was interesting. Of course the play needs work but I am glad I got a chance to see it.

When the show was over Billi Pod took advantage of the awesome weather and walked back to PHC, a distance of about 2 miles.

Along the way I stopped at several shoe stores, trying to find my leisure-shoe-of-choice, Reebok Custom White, but had to visit 4 stores before I found one that was in my size, 9 1/2.

I know ... I know ... many of you otherwise loyal and faithful readers are asking yourselves ... “self, why does that egomaniacal asshole think I give a flying f**k about what shoe he likes and/or when and where he buys it?”

Good question. And ... the answer simply is==>Billi Pod writes this blog for himself, so ... there ... live with it ...

Anyway ... When I got back to PHC I opted not to go out to a movie. Instead, Billi Pod stayed in and watched the YANKEES/ORIOLES game.

The Bronx Bombers won 3-2 behind another stellar outing from Freddy Garcia, who went 6 innings, giving up only 1 run on 2 hits. Hopefully this sealed his place in the 5-man rotation.

The winning runs came on another homer off the bat of Nick Swisher, who has been hitting really well of late. Keep it up Swish ...

Tonight Billi Pod will stay in and watch==>YANKEES/BOSTON FUCKSOX at the fetid cesspool known as Fenway Park.

Our ace CC Sabathia will be on the mound. His last outing against The FuckSox was dismal. Phil Hughes will pitch on Wednesday and then ... gasp and barf ... AJ Burnett aka Loser Boi on Thursday.

A-Rod is out of the lineup due to an injured thumb and Jeter is iffy due to a right knee contusion. Barf!!

In the name fair and unbiased reporting Billi Pod must report that The Yankees have basically sucked dog dicks against The FuckSox this season, compiling a putrid record of only 2 wins versus 10 losses. We have 6 games remaining, this 3-game series in The Cesspool and then the last 3 regular season home-games in Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built.

Guys==>listen up==>if we have any hope of winning the AL East we gotta win at least 4 out of those 6 games. Otherwise, it is going to be The Wild Card.

So==>man up and beat those retards on their home turf ...

Oh, in response to a couple of kinda snarky emails ... yes, Billi Pod knows that it is a long season etc. etc. etc. ... but ... remember ... to an avid Yankee fan a Yankee/FuckSox game is akin to Gators/’Noles, repeated 18 times, so ...

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Manhattan Is Returning to Normal

Good morning everyone.

It is a beautiful Monday morning in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World. It was 62º at 8:00am and the sky is cloudless and azure blue. What a change from yesterday.

Billi Pod is happy to report that things are returning to “normal” in Manhattan. Unfortunately, things are not going as well out there in the outer-boroughs where thousands are without power and flooding is rampant.

Mass transit is up and running so there is no excuse for you Worker Bees not being at your jobs. Sorry.

We were indeed fortunate that Irene lost a good bit of her punch when she came ashore. Manhattan is lucky that the center of the then tropical storm passed to the East of the Island.

In retrospect I have to admit that I had a great amount of anxiety over what might happen. Whew!!

As I posted yesterday, I was really getting antsy about being in PHC for such an extended period of time. I was feeling as if Billi Pod had become a ... gasp ... couch potato ... why? Well ...

I watched the first game of the YANKEES/ORIOLES doubleheader and the Yankees got shutout 2-0, although Bartolo Colon pitched a very good game.

Then it was The Little League World Series Championship game==>CALIFORNIA vs. JAPAN. It was a very exciting game with California winning 2-1 in the bottom of the 6th (the final regulation inning) with 2 outs. Way to go guys!!

It was around 5:00 when the game was over and Billi Pod was totally antsy. He just had to get out of PHC and do something ... anything ... just get the f**k out ... so ...

Out he went to see a movie ... but ...

It was very eerie-feeling on the streets. Most of the stores and restaurants in the Times Square area were closed. Pedestrian traffic was minimal, mostly confused-looking tourists. Very few cars and, of course, no busses.

The wind was gusting and the sidewalks were more littered than usual because all of the trash cans had been laid-down on their sides to prevent them from becoming airborne. No rain ... but it was still nasty and icky feeling.

Anyway ... the movie was==>30 MINUTES OR LESS, starring Jesse Eisenberg.

For those of you loyal and faithful readers who don’t keep up with important stuff, the story line is: “Two slacker buddies are forced to rob a bank because one of them has been strapped to a bomb by an inept wannabe criminal.”

Reviews have been very mixed, but==>I loved it ... yes ... LOVED IT! Gross, profane, shocking, but gut-busting funny. It is just the kind of humor that Billi Pod loves. I needed this show. It is definitely not a date-movie.

When the movie was over I came back to PHC. The wind was still gusting. No rain but it was very unpleasant during the short walk back to the apartment.

Was able to catch the last innings of the second game of the YANKEES/ORIOLES doubleheader and, thankfully, the Bronx Bomber bats came alive with 5 homers to support a decent outing from Ivan Nova, who won his 14th game. The final score was 8-3.

The Yankees have a final game tonight in Baltimore and then they head to Beantown for a 3-game series with The FuckSox. And, yes, Billi Pod’s future entertainment schedule will be predicated on watching each of these 7:05pm games.

Today, being Monday, it is errands and stuff. My entertainment event is ...

4:00==>La BELLA FAMILIA - “The play centers on Bella, a Puerto Rican hit woman, her family and the neighbors from hell.” (free ticket)

This is a staged reading and the Director is my FaceBook friend David Lee.

At this point I am not certain what, if anything, I will do for the evening. Either catch another movie: CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE, starring Steve Carell, or just stay in and watch the Orioles game ... who knows?

Again==>thanks to everyone out there in the vastness of cyberspace for your concern and support.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”