The Dark Knight Teaser now online!

Click here to see it in quicktime.




Now my thoughts...



It is definitely a teaser as it doesn't show any footage...just voice-over. Although hearing Heath Ledger's voice as the Joker was the real highlight of the teaser. Ledger is a good actor and I'm not worried about his performance as the Joker (the greatest comic book villian of all-time). Is it going to be as good as Nicholson's? That would be impressive if it were...but I'm not going to go into the movie with those expectations. Honestly, I think Ledger is going to make the performance his own--inasmuch--as in tune with the vision that Christopher Nolan (the director) has taken with the franchise.

I do like how Batman Begins and the subsequent sequel really uses the Batman comics as a guideline. The filmmakers are really playing up that notion of a transition from organized crime to crimes perpetrated by "super" villains.

Needless to say...I'm pumped for it.

Kevin Towers must read t his blog.

After railing on the futility of Padres reliever Scott Linebrick, I was somewhat surprised to see him traded yesterday evening. Granted I never asked for him to be traded but must assume that Padres's GM Kevin Towers took into account my displeasure with him and made the subsequent move. I like to think that I have that much power with the Padres.

Sarcasm aside...not a bad move for both teams. Sometimes a change scenery is a good thing. Linebrick might help the Brewers or he might hurt them, which would be good for the Cubs (my other favorite team). For the Padres...it seems they have a lot of options to plug someone else into the bullpen.

It was only a matter of time before I blew up about baseball (and the Padres). Last night "alleged eight-inning specialist" Scott Linebrink blew yet another game for Greg Maddux. Last night Maddux went six innings and left the game with a 5-2 lead. Fast forward to the eighth inning, Linebrick hits the first batter he faces...strikesout the next...walks the next batter...and then gives up a three run hommer to Matt Holiday (thus tying the game and blowing the decision for Maddux).

Rewind to five games ago when in the eighth inning in a 4-1 game against the Mets...with two outs...Linebrick walks two batters and then gives up a three run homer to David Right...again blowing the decision for Maddux (who had gone five scoreless innings).

In two consecutive starts, Linebrick has given up three-run-homers that have tied the game. (At least against the Mets...the Padres ended up winning...not so last night). Anyway...that is unbelievable. Not since the John Rocker days in Atlanta have I been so frustrated with a specific reliever. Nothing infuriates more when Maddux pitches than to have the bullpen piss away a quality start.

On the Lienbrick (and Padres) subject...I don't know what his deal is but he doesn't need to be pitching any more 8th innings unless the Padres are up 10 or down by 10. He is stinking it up. The Padres are reeling...the "best bullpen in the majors" is not that...Peavy has been struggling...and their offense (even with their meager expectations) is not getting the job done. Marcus Giles is playing terrible...Adrian Gonzalez has been in a six week slump. Since the All-star game they have been playing some pretty bad baseball. About the only good thing you can say about the team is that Milton Bradley was a good pick up (so that is saying something right there).

What really has got me thinking is this whole "bullpen blowing the lead" for a starting pitcher. With my count, the Padres bullpen has blown five wins for Maddux this season. That enrages me...but it seems that I have been bitching about that for years...and I mean years. No matter what team Maddux is on it seems like the bullpen is inordinately blowing more games for Maddux than other pitchers on the team (and I freely admit that I have no facts to back that up). So it got me thinking that over his career, I wonder just how many games have been blown for him.

Now I know that it is improbable for a bullpen to hold the lead for a starting pitcher every time out. And I know that...here recently...Maddux has been a relative 6-7 inning pitcher so that the chances of a reliever blowing the game for him has increased. If one were to assume that Maddux has had 3-5 games blown for him a year over his career than we are talking about a potential win total of 406-450 wins (instead of 340). What I really want to know...and I'm sure Tim Kurjkin knows this... is on an average year how many wins are blown for a typical starting pitcher...and where does Maddux fall on that range. I'm guessing slightly above average (but yet again I'm pretty biased). But think about that...in a perfect bullpen world Maddux could have well have over 400 wins. I'm getting so ahead of myself that I better just stop and appreciate the fact that he is a no doubt first ballot hall-of-famer.

I do feel better about this now (a little bit)...after venting. Because last night I was livid and ranted and raved about the game to my wife who was just minding her own business reading the Harry Potter book (which she finished and thoroughly enjoyed). But nonetheless...if anybody comes across any information or stats looking at this blown wins situation I would be ready to digest it.

I want to end on a positive note...so I'm going to remain upbeat for tonight's game and for Maddux's next start again Houston on Saturday (which is supposed to be on Fox but will probably get bumped (for regional coverage) for a shitty White Sox game.)

Supergirl swoops into Smallville

Here is the CW's official photograph of Laura Vandervoort--the chick that is going to play Clark's cousin, Kara on Smallville.

Clark's cousin Kara is better known as Supergirl.

It is amazing to me that Smallville will be on season seven. It is not like the series is in decline...season six had some solid moments. The move to introduce Kara is good one for the series. Jonathon (dead) and Martha (politicking in DC) are not around...so it will be good that Clark still has some family around the Kent farm.

Smallville does such a good job with the characters of the DC universe (Green Arrow, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter) that I'm confident that they will smoothly work in the Supergirl myth into the Smallville narrative.

Did Tim Donaghy and crew fixed game 3 of Suns-Spurs?

By now everyone has heard of the NBA referee gambling scandal involving fellow referee Tim Donaghy. Here is the video making the rounds online. I've seen this referenced on Bill Simmons's column today (espn.com) and on si.com.

A couple of things about the video:

1. The video was put together by a Suns fan so it has that bias. Simmons's column on espn.com stated quite frankly that the game was badly officiated for both teams.

2. Donaghy is not the only ref making the bad calls although he is making his fair share.

3. Watching the video definitely implies that Donaghy was manipulating the game in favor of the Spurs...and that might have happened...but it also looks like he might have been allegedly manipulating the score for the over/under (also referenced by Simmons).

4. But it is also true that Armare Stoudamire was basically taken out of the game because of foul trouble--something that a referee could easily manipulate.

The bottom line is that this is (almost) worse case scenario for the NBA. Worse case scenario would be if a player(s) would be involved. I'm not saying that the video is definitive proof of Donaghy putting the fix on but the cloud of suspicion is growing day by day. For a league that already--fairly or not--has the perception of having elements of its league fixed...this is--on the doomsday clock--like 11:55. When the integrity of the league is in question than one has a big problem.

Joe Morgan doesn't know if he is coming or going...

Joe Morgan was a great baseball player...one of the best second basemen in history but as a commentator he completely wears me out. He always states the obvious and he treats the televised audience as if they are watching a baseball game for the first time in their lives.

I don't understand why he continues to be ESPN's lead analyst for their Sunday Night Games of the Week. He literally brings nothing to the table in terms of analyzing a game. Now we find out that he doesn't even remember his own playing days. Click here to read this little blurb about a story Joe told last week during the game.

That is just ridiculous.

Final thoughts on Fair

The Decatur County fair is over...now summer is on the downturn.

But anyway..a few thoughts...

Other than Sunday (the parade) and Thursday (kid's day) attendance at the fair was slightly below average. I heard this echoed several places. Wednesday, the last day I attended, there wasn't even a line for the famous Shriner's doughnuts.

I had to work late on Friday so I didn't get the chance to see the Derby...I'm guessing one of the usual suspects probably won.

It was disappointing that some booths were not there this year. No Stewart Seeds and much to my dad and I chagrin no United Methodist Sandusky tent. We were salivating for those coney dogs but it was not meant to be this year.

Congratulations to my mom...as she won Grand Champion for her fudge.

Another year...another fair.