A Barfy Day In The Bronx!!

Yesterday, The Yankees lost 5-4 to The Orioles in 11 innings, played in terrible conditions. The whole thing was barfy ... and this is what I mean ...

First ... I came very close to skipping my second game in a row but Billi Pod’s inner Bronx Bomber told him that he couldn’t do it, so out to the Bronx he went, weather be damned.

When I got to the stadium and discovered that the Yankee starting lineup was makeshift, featuring mostly bench players, I felt that perhaps I had made a serious mistake. Barf!

The stadium was about 1/3 full, so I had no trouble finding a decent seat under an overhang. It rained off and on for the entire miserable game. Barf!!

AJ Burnett aka Loser Boi pitched another maddening game, giving up 4 runs on 7 hits in 7 innings. He also made 3 wild-pitches. Barf!!!

The game was very sloppily played, with the Yankees making 4 errors, the last one resulting in what became the winning run. Our bats were also anemic. We left 9 men on base. Barf!!!!

Wait ... there's more to come ...

In the later innings Girardi substituted most of the regular players, except Jeter, back into the lineup.

The game was finally over at about 5:15. Not one of my better baseball days, that is for sure. The experience was excruciatingly painful. Hated being there. Barf!!!!!

It was around 6:30 when I finally got back to PHC. It was raining, of course, and it rained for the remainder of the evening. WTF!!

Briefly thought about a movie but Billi Pod just didn’t want to brave the elements even though it is just a short block and a half walk to the movie theaters ... so ... he just chilled for the remainder of the evening.

Damn!! I am sick and tired of all of the rain and nasty weather.

This afternoon the Yankees will play a makeup game in Baltimore, with rookie Ivan Nova on the mound, going for his 16th win.

Today’s entertainment event is ...

8:00==>THE SUBMISSION - “Shaleeha G'ntamobi's new play about an alcoholic black mother has just been accepted into the nation's preeminent theater festival. Trouble is, Shaleeha G'ntamobi exists only in the mind of a lily-white wannabe-playwright.” (Off-Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)

One of my favorite young actors, Jonathan Groff, leads this stellar cast.

Oh, Thank You Higher Power==>at 12:15pm it is sunny and pleasant out. Blue sky with puffy clouds. Nice!!

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-15

YANKEES/ORIOLES last night==>BIZARRE!!

Good morning my loyal and faithful readers.

Well, I am going to use the word BIZARRE to describe yesterday’s YANKEES/ORIOLES game. What am I talking about many of you are no doubt breathlessly asking yourselves ...

Although I posted the details on my FaceBook Wall I know that many of you loyal and faithful readers are not FaceBookers, so ... Billi Pod will give you all of the details here ...

When 6:00pm arrived and it was time to head to the subway for the ride to The Bronx for the 7:05pm game time it was heavily raining in Manhattan. Billi Pod had a gut feeling that the game would ultimately be postponed even though “they” had issued a statement that ... “every effort would be made to get the game in.” Since the season is almost over, potential makeup dates are almost gone.

I took a deep breath and decided that I would remain in the cozy confines of PHC and as time ran on this seemed like a very good decision.

Well, to make a much too long story somewhat shorter ... I was shocked when around 10:30pm there was an announcement that the game would begin at 11:00pm.

Now, honestly, I have to admit that had I gone out to the stadium, by the time the 10:30pm announcement was made Billi Pod would have been long gone. I am sure he would have left by 9:30.

The ground crew took the tarp off even though it was lightly raining and the first pitch was at 11:08pm, meaning, a 4 hour ... yes ... a 4 hour rain delay.

Once the game got underway it began to rain a bit harder and it continued to rain for the entire game. The ground crew came out many times to work on the infield and pitcher’s mound.

The Yankees ultimately won 5-3 and the final out was made at 2:15am. It was still raining. It was reported that less than 2,000 fans were still in the stadium.

Folks, it is a miracle that no one was hurt. I have to give The Orioles credit. They didn’t cave. They played a very good game and appeared to be giving 100%. They hate The Yankees.

It is my understanding that the decision to play in these horrible conditions was not up to the teams but was solely the decision of Major League Baseball.

On a very positive side==>Yankee management announced that ticket holders for last night’s game may get an exchange ticket for a free game later. Nice!!

But, the whole thing was BIZARRE==>4 hour rain delay, first pitch @ 11:08pm, steady rain during game, final out at 2:15am and next game at 1:05pm. BIZARRE!!

And this leads to today ...

1:05==>YANKEES/ORIOLES with AJ Burnett aka Loser Boi on the mound, and, of course, I will be there. My seat for this game will be in a somewhat protected area.

It is 10:30am and it is gray, ugly and lightly raining in Manhattan. Trust me, if they played a game last night, they will play this game regardless of the conditions and regardless of how long they will have to wait.

Will Billi Pod brave the elements this time and head out to The Stadium? YES!!

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-14

August 2011 Was Awesome!!

Oh yes, my loyal and faithful readers, Billi Pod must once again use the word “awesome” to describe his comings and goings during August 2011 in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

During the month Billi Pod had his usual full pallet of entertainment events, plus some other unusual and diverse events.

I guess you can say that his lifestyle in The Big Apple is interesting. Yes, he understands that it isn’t for everyone out there in the vast hinterlands, but it is the reason he, a 77 year old retiree, lives in New York City rather than, say, Micanopy, FL, or the likes.

So ... let’s get right to the raw data in order that you can begin your own independent assessment and determination if “awesome” has been properly used again ... so ...

In checking my daily log (log, not diary - real guys don’t keep diaries) I find that during the month of August 2011 Billi Pod attended/saw/did the following:

2 Broadway shows (Hair and Catch Me If You Can); 12 Off Broadway shows; 8 New York International Fringe Festival shows; 1 Classical music concert (Mostly Mozart Orchestra); 1 Movie (30 Minutes or Less); and, 6 Yankee games (2 wins and 4 losses - barf!).

During the month Billi Pod had 7 doubleheaders plus some face time with John Scott Reed.

The major highlight of the month was learning that grandson Alex Falletta aka Army Guy and his wife Gina’s baby will be a girl.

The major downside was, of course, Alex’s deployment on August 25th to an overseas combat zone.

In The Big Apple we experienced earthquake tremors and damage from Hurricane Irene, mostly in the outer-boroughs and Long Island.

Another sorta amazing stat is ... during the month there were actually 6 ... yes ... 6 days/nights that Billi Pod didn’t leave PHC for some entertainment event. Yes ... yes ... I know ... I know ... but calm down folks ... you have to consider the bad weather and the FuckSox series up in that cesspool known as Fenway Park. And, also remember, as reported above, he had 7 entertainment doubleheaders, several of them back-to-back.

Anyway, there you have it, my loyal and faithful readers, yet another awesome and diverse month for Billi Pod in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

In Billi Pod’s opinion, the use of the word “awesome” is correct ... but ... as always ...

I report - you decide.

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==>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.”