Be it Omaha Beach,or the streets of Baghdad…..courageous men and woman have given there lives to protect our freedom. And our rights.

If you get a chance, check out this website:  http://www.iraqwarheroes.com/index.htm

The names and faces of most all of the 5 ,593 courageous men and woman are listed,  from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.Read their stories, see their names, and see their faces.

Always remember their faces.

They are the reason we can go to the ballpark today.

Go Red, White AND BLUE!

Rob

On this day, May 27th 1887, Mike Griffin of the Brooklyn Bridegrooms started what was to become our franchises 4th  triple play !

The play starts when Griffin traps a short fly to center field, then
runs in and tags a runner between second and third base and throws to
second base to get a force out of a runner coming from first base for
the second out. The final out is recorded when the batter is tagged out
as he tries to get to second base on the hit.

We have pulled off a total of 17 triple plays, 2 in Los Angeles…..our last was triple play was against last nights opponent, the Colorado Rockies in 1998.

I mention this bit of franchise trivia not because the triple play is an amazing feat ( although it is)..but because of HISTORY.

Our team is now 127 years old….an amazing feat !
127 years…2 different cities, 6 different team names, 5+ different fields, numerous owners, managers and amazing players…. and this franchise is still rolling along.

And that’s one of the many reasons why I love baseball. Other sports come and go. But baseball endures.

History.

Go Blue!

Rob

I was at a pre-bid meeting for a construction project our company is bidding on today , up in the East Bay area.. A rep from another companies that was there for the meeting, said in passing.
 ” The hotel I was staying at, didn’t even offer the Giants game on tv last night!  It was terrible. I don’t even know what the score ended up being.”

First I bit my tongue….oh this could get ugly !

But then I just smiled, and said. ” Oh…. they lost to the Madres 3-2 ! “

Life is good…..and the Dodgers keep winning….

Go Blue!

Rob

When it comes to great Laker moments, Robert Horry contributed more then a few clutch moments in Laker history…especially in the playoffs.

In 2002, this 3 pointer against the Sacramento Kings, was one of the most clutch shots I’ve seen in many years.
I can still hear the call…” Horry for THREEEEEE!!!!”  Wow….what a shot !!!!
—————————————————————————————————————————————–

                     But day in and day out, we have our own star, our own Mr.Clutch.
                                                         Andre Ethier !
 
What can you say, this kid is something special. Last night he added to his growing legend, of being as clutch as they come, when the team needs a boost.

His game winning walk off grand slam was classic Dre. Cool at the plate, just waiting for the pitcher to make a mistake. And when he does BAM!

Maybe last nights win can be the spark, to turning this year around. It’s still early, only 5 games back.

We can do this.

And we need more of this.
Go Blue!

Rob

On May 4th, 2010, my Dad and I celebrated his 73rd Birthday at Dodger stadium.

For those of you that don’t know my Dad, the struggles, and challenges this man has endured is amazing.

From fleeing his war torn country with his family as a child, and immigrating to the USA with NOTHING, and I mean nothing,………and succeeding and raising a family.

To his 20+ year battle with Cancer…

The man is a fighter.
 
A fight thru whatever is in the way, show no fear, MODEL… of what we men are suppose to be.
Chuck Norris doesn’t have **** on this man.

And yet the humblest man I know

Generous in his time… kind in his spirit….willing to lend a hand no matter what his problems.
And always encouraging. Always encouraging.

He helped to mold me into the man I have become now.

And yet when I was in my 20′s, I wanted to be nothing like my Dad. I thought I knew EVERYTHING!
Whatever he suggested, I knew better….Any advice he gave, I ignored….
What could HE know….I knew better!

But now that I’m in my mid 40′s…. I want to me just like the man he was.

Just like the man he became…
.
And if I’m lucky, hopefully… end up being up being the man my Dad is today.

Happy Birthday Pops !

No envy…no fear…..

Go Blue!

Rob

It’s reported that former Dodger Dave Roberts was diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer back in early March. He is being treated with chemotherapy.

I wish Dave all the best in his fight. My family has been touched personally
by that f#*kin disease, and I know it takes a fighter to beat it.

And he
is one.

Dave was, and still is, one of my favorite Dodger players. With somewhat limited ability hitting wise, he gave it his ALL every game. He handled the lead off position perfectly. Always trying, ANY way, to get on base. And once he was on…watch out! He was exciting to watch, racing around the base pads.

‘ And the rabbit is loose!” as Vinny would say.

We called him ” Pig Pen”….because most games, within 2 minutes of
the first pitch, his jersey was already dirty. ( From diving for a
ball,or diving into or back to a base)

Good luck Mr. Roberts……

Rob

Just off the top of my head…….

People….The Wave….STOP IT !!
 It was invented by the Michigan Wolverines, the Washington Huskies, the Detroit Tigers, fans
at the Montreal Olympics…who really knows??…who cares?? It depends who you believe.
But none of which included the Los Angeles Dodgers.
And seeing our fans doing the wave with bases loaded and the Dodgers at bat in the bottom of the 9th….  PAINFUL!
Could you be ANY more distracting?????
———

People….99cent Store Beach balls…STOP IT !
But ” It’s aboooout the kids!”…..NO...IT IS NOT ABOUT THE KIDS!
Teach your kids about the GAME!
And save your wife the embarrassment of having to hide the beach ball in a “undisclosed” area of her body, past security. Enough said.
—–

 -People…STOP booing the fan that can’t make the bare hand grab of a smoking foul ball!. There is a reason players wear gloves. The ball freakin HURTS!. I know from personal experience. Is a 5 dollar Rawlings  baseball worth a broken jaw, a swollen hand or a few broken fingers???

-People….PLEASE BOO the MIDDLE AGED fan who IS wearing a GLOVE and drops the foul ball !!
Freakin weirdo!
Hey, he’s the one that brought the mitt, he better make the play !

-People…PLEASE stop cheering when our player….who with a man on first, hits into a fielders choice, an out is recorded at second, but he beats the throw at first. He failed, he did not move his man over. That is NOT something to cheer about.

-People…..it’s about the GAME. it’s if the Dodgers WIN !…It’s not about talking on your cell phone to everyone that will listen to your pathetic ***, telling them where you are, how good the seats are, or even WORSE……some great business deal you have going and how you need help with it. WORK is OVER once you enter the gates. ” It’s time for Dodger Baseball”….right???

-People….when the opposition hits a home run….DO NOT throw it back! This isn’t Wrigley Field. it’s THEIR tradition, not ours.We have our OWN stupid traditions.

-People….It’s a Dodger/ Pirates game.  Why are you wearing a Cubs hat?  I don’t get it.

-People…Do you realize that the song  ” Don’t stop believing” by Journey, that the Dodgers play every 8th inning, was written and sung by a die hard GIANTS fan???  How can you love this song??? He’s a fan of The Hated Ones!!!

People….The guy who lip sync’s to said Journey song every night, even though I think he is a die hard Fan…….is getting OLD.
And staged.
The Dodgers even put security around him now, so that people won’t jump in and ruin his “performance”.  Now that’s lame.
http://deadspin.com/5362174/this-man-has-an-opinion-on-the-nl-west
_______________________________________________________________________________

Things I LOVE about Dodger Stadium………
Hot female Dodger fan’s with “jerseys”….YES !!  Bow Chicka Bow Bow…. .

Greeting and talking with the same ushers and other Dodger personnel  every game.
It’s not the same as seeing the same waitress at a familiar restaurant. Dodger ushers are all fan’s , and when you say Hi….your all rooting for the Dodgers to win. Hoping WE win.
A waiters at Olive Garden could care less if you had a great time.Just leave a big tip, and he’s happy. Dodger ushers and all personnel root for their team.
These kids piss me off. Enough said.

My first “view” of the field every game. It always instantly puts me into a good mood. The players going through their pre-game ritual warm ups… the smell of the grass…..perfect.
Dodger fan’s who REPRESENT!
Your in an opponents stadium, don’t be shy…Let everyone know!
I’ve been to a lot of different stadiums watching the Blue….never pulled out a banner, but believe me, the fan’s around us KNEW who OUR team was !

High -Fiving with a random fan after a Dodger home run or score.! You might not know jack about the guy, but after we score, we are ALL fans/friends!
Baseball, sunshine and an ice cold beer. Is th
ere something more perfect??

Go Blue!

Rob

.

Ok….the season is still young….

I know, I know,…..

But as a die hard Dodger fan, the frustration is already starting to mount.

Our Rick Honeycutt led pitching staff has now morphed into something I just don’t recognize anymore…

We are now ranked 26th in all of MLB with a team ERA of 5.46 !

So lets break this down…

Our starting 5 have a combined ERA of 5.19
!
And what we are passing off as our relief core…a combined  ERA of 10.47 !!!!

PATHETIC!
—————————————————————————————————————————————–

Now..on another note, our offense has been explosive!

We are #1 in all of MLB in in Team Avg- .302!…..Team Runs- 99!……Team hits- 176!..and on base %- .366 ! AND we are 2nd in Slugging % !!!  When is the last time we have ever even been in the top 5 in slugging % ??????

WOW!

But we all know, that pitching wins games !!!!

So although we have been hammering out the runs….with our remarkably inept pitching, so have other teams !!

And with that, we sit tied for LAST in the west !
                                                        The cellar

Sometimes ya just have to laugh….
 

Thank goodness, I have found the answer….
                                   
                                               BUG’S BUNNY !!
                             My favorite, and a classic

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/apex5A4upko&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0