Exit Sandman? Closing in on the end of a Yankee great

It was inevitable, I suppose. Either through a sudden, jarring injury or the unavoidable decline that comes with the years, Mariano Rivera was going to toss his last pro pitch. Perhaps the ACL tear that will undoubtedly end his 2012 campaign will not prove to be the end of his career, but the collective feeling in the wake of this unfortunate situation is that it has. Either way, it's got me thinking.

The first of five World Series wins
for the greatest closer of all time.
Photo courtesy of ibtimes.com

What makes Mariano Rivera so special? Of course, he holds claim to the most all-time saves in both the regular season and postseason. He's also compiled some astounding statistics: a 2.21 career ERA, including an unthinkable .70 runs against in the playoffs. He has five World Series rings. There's a World Series and ALCS MVP to boot (remember that he plays just one or two innings a game, if at all). That's just the tip of the iceberg. These reasons are enough for Rivera to land unanimously in Cooperstown, and to be widely recognized as the greatest closer to ever play the game of baseball. But to me, there's something else about Mo that sets him apart.


It's the most recognizable thing about him. Even my own mother can appreciate it. So can yours. It's something engrained in the American psyche, something that transcends sports and hearkens us back to olden days.


He's a Yankee.

Mariano Rivera: The greatest

Often times habit is a stronger feeling than love.  This is sometimes the case for married couples that fall out of love, but have grown so accustomed to a life together that they never take the steps to split up.  For me, this is also the case with Mariano Rivera.

Whine or lose

Poor Cleveland

As a Washington D.C. sports fan my guard is always up.  I didn’t think there was any possibility that the Capitals would pull out a game seven on the road against the defending champion Bruins; based on the Capitals' recent history in the playoffs and more importantly the recent history of D.C. sports as a whole, the notion that the Caps might win (in overtime no less!) wasn’t even conceivable.  For my generation of Washingtonians, we are a city of sports failures.  Strangely enough, these failures have given me a certain type of traction among friends in sports conversations.

NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Preview: Round 1

Eastern Conference
-By The Gelf

#1 Chicago Bulls vs. #8 Philadelphia 76ers 

 Sources say while Derrick Rose was rehabbing his injury he actually took the SAT himself and passed. Just kidding.

Could the Lakers benefit from Metta World Peace's vicious elbow?

When Ron Artest Metta World Peace viciously elbowed James Harden in the head on Sunday, it was obvious to those watching that a suspension was imminent. It was announced today that World Peace will miss seven games as a result of his transgression.

And yet, it is entirely possible that the Los Angeles Lakers will eventually benefit from this disgusting act, a fact I have not seen mentioned in the aftermath of this altercation.

In case you live under a rock:

Conquer to achieve World Peace

“Some people believe for us to achieve world peace the only way that can be achieved is through sheer will and through force of nature so sometimes you just have to go and conquer the territory and that's when you establish world peace.” – Kobe Bryant

            Kobe Bryant said that to Metta World Peace after finishing “that Clippers battle” at the Staples Center recently.  That quote shades World Peace’s vicious elbow to the head of James Harden a little differently, doesn’t it?

Why do we care about Fenway?

Personally, I don’t care that Fenway Park is 100 years old. I’ve never been there, and I don’t feel a particular urge to.  Clearly the LBS staff (not to mention the sports community generally) will differ with me on this. Major sports outlets at the moment are filled with stories praising the glory of standing in a place which was once home to Ted Williams and Babe Ruth, where the strength of generations of baseball history brings an inescapable communion with those who have gone before which immeasurably enhances the baseball experience.  This article, published on Yahoo, is an almost too perfect example of this kind of adulatory journalism, as it extols the virtues of Fenway from the perspective of someone who has never even been there. I have also never been to Fenway, but for me that provokes not a driving urge to go there, but the feeling that I should not judge what I have never sampled.  It could be a nice place, but probably not much nicer than other ballparks. So what’s all the hype?

Wednesday Quote

This quote comes courtesy of former Vikings fullback Leroy Hoard,

"You need one yard, I'll get you three. You need five yards, I'll get you three."

The Office: Power Rankings Part 2

Here is Part 2 of The Office Power Rankings, you can check out Part 1 here.  Spoilers.  Side note, writing this post was so much fun because I watched over 100 of the best clips from the show on youtube.  Devote a day to watching clips of The Office on youtube.  Do it.


#15 -- Bob Vance -- 'Kevin Malone.' 'Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration.' 'Stanley Hudson.' 'Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration.' 'Ryan Howard.' 'Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration.'...... 'So what line of work you in Bob?'

My picture of a Cuban sandwich was used on DC Sports Bog

Ignore the fact that I was "that guy" who was taking a picture of my food and tweeting it at DC Sports Bog, and instead just look at how my art is being appreciated.

Check out the full story here.