Tonight is the beginning of the final Yankees-Red Sox series at the Stadium.   Tomorrow night maybe my final visit as I am not exactly sure when I'll be back from Everest Base Camp.  BTW, Bob Seger's "I'm going to Kathmandu" played on Q104.3 this morning.  Coincidence, I think not. 

LI Mike is scheduled to join me for the game.  I hope to see JR and other friends there.   I don't know if I'll be able to write as I'll be pretty revved and choked up.   It's hard to say goodbye to a big part of my life.  Many great memories over the years with Otto (Jeter diving into the stands game four years ago), JH, Super Twin Gil, Medford Bob, Bay Ridge Bob, Rochester/CFA Mike, Howard, Ronjon, Linda, Score's Mike, "Diamond Dave", Jimbo, the real Dominican Luis, Anna, Nicholas, and apologies to anyone else who I may have forgotten.  Steve, Kathleen, Jack, and I witnessed the All Star Game finale.  What a classic!

If the Yankees are to make the playoffs, the Yankees really need a sweep and then 2 out of 3 at Fenway on the final weekend of the season.  If the Yankees go 27-7 as we did in 1995 to make the playoffs, we can make the playoffs.  There are six head-to-head games with the Red Sox and Rays and four against the White Sox.   Nina from Deep Water Running doesn't have much faith and asked me to reinforce it last night.  Life is never easy but you have to take chances and believe in your team, yourself, and  God/G-d/Allah/Buddha/Creator/etc.  Fight the good fight and let the chips fall where they may.

Posted by The Tank Keeping the Faith at the Baseball Cathedral, Yankee Stadium, in the Boogie Down Bronx.

Tank's Notes: Editor In Chief and PermaGuest Outlaw Jack traveled to Baltimore on Sunday with Adam and his son Chris.  Jack is a true rebel, especially against the inhospitable Baltimore hosts try to tell him what to do.

Adam and Chris wait in center field for a home run. 



Without further ado, I turn it over to Jack.

I took the notes on the first trip through the Yankees batting order on Adam's iPhone as my Blackberry was out of juice.  (Jack is awesome at sending The Tank Blackberry Pin messages.  It helped get me through the Yankees 1-0 victory at Fenway when I went home for Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Weekend.)

It was a beautiful day for the drive down to Charm City. Pretty much 3 hours door to door.

We parked at the Marriott hotel just down the block from the Oriole Park on Eutaw Street and wandered to the gates to what seemed like a Yankee Home game. The crowd filing in past the statue of the Babe, had to be 85% Yankee fans. The rest of the crowd seemed to be fans of just about every other team in the majors and a few minors.  As usual there was a pitiful turn out of Oriole faithful.  (The Tank can attest to this as John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman noted the same thing on the radio broadcast.  It is so bad that 40 percent of the Orioles attendance comes during Yankees and Red Sox series.  40 percent of entire attendance is from 18 Yankee/Red Sox games out of the 81 home dates or about 22 percent.  Just sad I tell you.) 

The smoke and the smell of Boog's BBQ was enticing but the lines in that 90F heat at the start of the game had us seeking the refuge of our seats, which turned out to be in the sun for the first half of the game.

It's been a while since I was at Oriole Park and I'd forgotten that the O's fans (what seemed like 2 or 3 thousand who actually showed up) shout "OH" at every "O" or "O'er" of the Star Spangled Banner.

Onto the game itself, Damon bloops one to 3rd.  Jeter nails a frozen rope right to 3rd. 2 Out.  Bobby "Clutch" Abreu lines single to right.  The major Giambi shift is on and he lines one right to Kevin Millar who was playing about 8' into the Right Field Grass. Would have been over his head had he been playing a normal 1st.  Giambi needs to learn to go the opposite way.

In the Oriole half of the first, Rasner gives up a 2 out homer to Melvin Mora.  Aubrey Hugg goes Back to Back with Mora.  2-0 Birds.  Millar singles but thankfully Lou Montanez makes the 3rd out.

Nady singles to start the second.  (The Tank is the founder of the Xavier Nady Fan Club.)  Matsui walks. Cano lines a 3-1 pitch to right.  Nady scores.  Matsui to 3rd.  Cano at 2nd.  No outs.  Pudge rockets a 3-1 to right for the first out.  (BTW, JR from Deep Water Running ran into Pudge at the Brooklyn Diner in the City on late Sunday evening.  It's hard to escape the crack team of SteveAndTheTank.com reporters.)  Daniel Cabrera is at 43 pitches as Damon sneaks a 3-run homer around the right field pole.  4-2 Yankees.  Jeter out on a 6-3.  2 Outs.  Abreu walked.  The Tank's buddy A-Rod pops out ending the rally as usual over the past month.  (BTW, Nina from Deep Water Running prays that A-Rod gets beaned when he's at bat but doesn't get injured.  She just doesn't want him hitting into an inning ending double play.)

It's hot.  There were lots and lots of Yankee chants on a beautiful day.   It was an untimely but exciting 4 hour 1 minute game with some late inning nail biting drama.  (Justice prevailed with an 8-7 Yankee victory.)  It was a not-so wonderful 6+ hour drive home on I-95 thanks to construction and several accidents.  We thankfully jumped off the NJ Turnpike at 7A and managed to find side roads to bypass what would have made it an 8 hour ride.

Written by Editor in Chief and Perma Guest Outlaw Jack reporting live from Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland.  Photos by Adam and his son Chris.  Edited by The Tank.

Yesterday was circled on my calendar for many weeks, the date of Saturday August 23rd, 2008 would be the last time I ever step foot on my most sacred and hallowed ground: Shea Stadium. With my upcoming trip to Mt. Everest taking taking me away for all of September and the playoffs no guarantee (and my crazy travel schedule to Europe in October for work), this would be my last visit to Shea Stadium in my life. I estimate that I have been to Shea almost 1,000 times, my estimates:

1977-1981: (year of the strike): Approximately 5 games a year (including Jets games): 25 visits

1982-1987: (a boy's prime baseball years, I was 10-15 and lived 2.5 miles away from Shea): Approximately 25 games a year: 150 visits

1988-1994: Employee of New York Mets/Harry M. Stevens as a Stadium Vendor: Approximately 80 events a year (games, employee parties, religious ceremonies, concerts, playoffs): 560 visits

1995: No Visits (Boycotting the strike of 1994)

1996-2008: Average of 6 games a year: 78 visits

Ok that is approximately 813 times. But when I was a kid Shea would open up to the public in the winter and you could go sleigh riding and cross country skiing for free. I would often go with my dad or best friend Billy. As an adult I would also run the NY Road Runners "Run to Home Plate" (with the Tank) 5K run. So Let's say 850. I round up, 1,000 sounds better.

My Grandfather took me to my first Mets game on Memorial Day, 1977-May 30th for a double header against the Montreal Expos. The Mets lost both games (game 2 box score). My dad took me to my first Jets game at Shea Nov 23rd, 1980, a 31-28 OT win over the Houston Oilers. (And we sat next to a bunch of Oilers fans and they bought me a Jets hat to shut me up! I was always loud and annoying.)

Yesterday got off to a bad start. Kathleen had no idea where our tickets were! We had to go on StubHub and get tickets last minute. We got to Shea on time only to find out that a water bottle leaked in Kathleen's pocketbook and killed her iPod and such. Not a good omen. I felt a loss in my bones, I have witnessed far more losses (mostly from 1977-1983) than wins as a fan in the early years. (Come on my first visit was a double header loss!)

The Mets lost 8-3 last night. It was an ok game, the game was fast paced and the Mets did not give up, making it interesting in the bottom of the 8th inning. I kept telling stories of vending, going to games in 1986, what sections I worked during the Rolling Stones concerts.

Shea holds many memories for me like watching the Jets with my Dad and watching the Mets with my late Grandfather. It was also the venue of my first job, a job that made me rebel against "normal" jobs and lead to a life of enterpreunship. I witnessed some amazing playoff games in 1986, 1988, 1999, 2000, and 2006. Even saw some great Jet games (some great come from behind games with Richard Todd!). I always go between Game 6 and the 1980 US Hockey game vs USSR as the best sporting event of my life.Game 6 is forever part of my life and Endy's catch in 2006 (the other (bad) Game 6) is something I will tell my grandchildren about.

As a lifelong Mets fan, I have wanted to tear the place down since about 1992, once the new stadiums started going up. I got my dream a few years ago with the agreement to build CitiField.The new place looks great, it will make a great home for the Mets. I can't wait to go to a few games there.

At 9:54 pm, I looked at my cell phone for the time, paused, and then walked over the threshold at Gate C, exiting the stadium for my very last time. Kathleen just rolled her eyes, but a huge chapter of my life just closed.

So long and thanks for the memories. We'll miss you William A. Shea Municipal Stadium.

Posted by Steve (with a tear in my eye) in New York

The US has more medals overall and China has the most Golds. Here is the current medal count as of close of activities on Saturday (from ESPN):

 

 

Most mainstream events are over but some goodies are on the deck for tomorrow (China time):

Men's Marathon

Men's Basketball (USA v Spain)

Allegations have dogged the Chinese Olympic Women's Gymnastics team about the age of its athletes.  You have to be at least 16 years old by January 1, 2009 to compete in this Olympics in the Gymnastics events.

Online records as well as media reports by the Chinese government's news agency, Xinhua, seem to suggest that Chinese (Gold winning) gymnast He Kexin may be as young as 14. Her birth certificate is alleged to say January 1, 1994, but her passport is suppose to say January 1, 1992. She responded:

"I was born in 1992, and I'm 16 years old now," He said. "The FIG has proved that. If I'm under 16, I couldn't have been competing here."

So if the teams are cheating, and if the judges are cheating (thankfully no scandals *this* year), then why not introduce Internet voting as the last judge? Longtime reader Bill in Vermont says that there will be fraud, but apparently there is already fraud in Gymnastics. That said, having built Internet voting for Zagat in the .com era, I know how to build a voting system that counters fraud. The IOC can just hire my old team. More people buy Zagat books than watch Gymnastics anyway...

Posted by Steve in New York

While the Mets have not put an exact date or timeline on Wagner's return, initial estimates are now 3 more weeks. After Johan Santana pitched a complete game shutout earlier this week, Mike Pelfrey pitched a complete game 3 hitter last night against the Braves.

What should the Mets do? September 1 is not too far away and they can get by with relief pitching until Wagner gets back. But the team will have to count on its starters going 7+ innings. What happens if Wagner can't make it and the Mets make the playoffs? go with a four man rotation and make one of your starters your closer. I nominate Pedro.

Posted by Steve in New York

As of now (Thursday morning China time) Michael Phelps has more metals than all but 8 countries. How amazing is that? Phelps has almost 30% of US Gold Metals.

Also, China has more Golds than the US, but the US has more metals overall. A great Olympics!

--Source ESPN

Yesterday we saw two very strange things in Women's Gymnastics. The first was a Chinese woman doing a routine and then not landing on her legs, she landed on her knees. Other competitors landed perfectly and according to the TV announcers, who were Gymnastics coaches in the past, were "ripped off" and scored lower.

We also saw a Chinese girl score the exact same number as an American girl and the Chinese was awarded the Gold by the computer, the American the Silver.

Once again the experts on TV were not sure how to deal with it. They all agreed that the American deserved a higher score in the first place, but could not explain the tie going to the Chinese.

I ask, why is Gymnastics in the Olympics? If the experts can't agree and the judges are too subjective, you should remove it from the games. Or at least give a vote to the audience via the Internet.

While loyal reader Bill in VT says that internet voting could lead to fraud, I just remind you about previous Olympics where judges were paid to put certain figure skaters in the lead.

Bring on the internet. The All Star Game has it. Time for the Olympics to get on board.

It is our job here at Steve and the Tank to report the (sporting) news. In two weeks we will be making the news. Both Steve and Tom (the Tank) will be leaving for a trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp. The Tank leaves next week and I leave two week from today and we all meet in Kathmandu on Sept 3rd. For the entire month of September we will be blogging the experience right here. (No Internet at Base Camp? No problem, we are going to phone in the the post to Jack via sat phone and he will post for us.)

I have been planning this trip for a year with the Sherpas and our schedule looks like this. We should have Internet access in Kathmandu and in Namche Bizarre so we can also post some photos. Below is our proposed schedules, we hope that we can have enough bandwidth (and sat phone coverage) to blog. Stay tuned!

 

Sept 5: Fly to Lukla. Lukla (9,000’) to Phakding (9,500’) Overnight at Phakding

Sept 6: Phakding (9,500’) to Namche Bizarre (11,500’) Overnight in Namche

Sept 7: Acclimation day in Namche Bizarre (11,500’) Overnight in Namche

Sept 8: Namche (11,500’) to Pangboche (12,700’) Overnight at Pangboche

Sept 9: Pangboche (12,700’) to Pheriche (14,000’) Overnight in Pheriche

Sept 10: Acclimation day in Pheriche (14,000’) Overnight in Pheriche

Sept 11: Pheriche (14,000’) to Loboche (16,000’) Overnight in Loboche

Sept 12: Loboche (16,000’) to Gorak Shep (16,800’) Overnight in Gorak Shep

Sept 13: Visit Everest Base Camp (17,400’).  Overnight in Gorak Shep

Sept 14: Summit Kala Pattar (18,700’) Gorak Shep (16,800’) to Loboche (16,000’) Overnight in Loboche

Sept 15: Loboche (16,000’) to Kumjum (12,500’) Overnight in Kumjum

Sept 16: Kumjum (12,500’) to Namche (11,500’) Overnight in Namche

Sept 17: Namche (11,500’) to Lukla (9,000’)

Sept 18: Fly to Katmandu (weather permitting) Overnight at Katmandu

Dara, Congratulations on winning medals over the years and making the USA and whole world proud!

I know you have been divorced twice in the past.  Would you please consider marrying The Tank?  Your partner David might mind but hey, you're technically not married and I'm running for President and I'm single.  We haven't had a bachelor President since James Buchanan.  So, how about please helping me on the road to the White House? 

OK, maybe not, but I'll settle for a swimming lesson as I almost drowned when I was 10 and 18 years old.  My Vice President Steve will be too busy to take over the Presidency because he'll be the Mets next General Manager and still be traveling to places like NotNewYorkStan. 

Love!
Your Biggest Fan - The Tank

P.S. I want to confess to my readers that I write in the best loving traditions of the Onion's "Smoove B".  Have you ever seen The Tank and Smooth B in the same place at the same time?  Coincidence, I think not.

P.S.S. Congratulations to Michael Phelps on becoming the greatest athlete of all time in winning eight gold medals in a single Olympics!  Congratulations are also in order to Phelps' competitor, Milorad Cavic, who almost won by .01 of a second.  Milorad is from California but swims for Serbia.  Milorad was punished by the European Federation for wearing a "Kosovo is Serbia" t-shirt written in Cyrillic during the European Championships.  Bravo Milorad for standing up for the right thing!  Kosovo is Serbia! 

Posted by Smoove B / The Tank in Olympic Loveland.

The Royals and Yankees went to extra innings.  Youth was served when rookie Brett Gardner drove in Robinson Cano for the game-winning run in the 13th.  The Yankees won 3-2.  It helped sooth Friday's heartbreaking loss where Mariano gave up the go-ahead run in the ninth in a non-save situation.  He has given up seven of his nine runs in non-save situations.  He nor anyone else can explain it.  The Yankees have to keep winning while Wang, Joba, Hughes, and I rehab our injuries.

As for the Mets, they continue to roll as they beat the Pirates for their fifth straight win. 

Posted by The Tank barely keeping the faith for a Subway Series to close out Yankee and Shea Stadiums in NY.