As the BIG TRAIN chugged into first place late Tuesday night on the strength of the 87 point Velander game, somewhere in an Air-Conditioned Baseball War Room in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh, an owner was watching Sports-Center with a wry smile….. You see, about a month ago, the owner of the H-BOMBS told me and also his post-office brothers that his prediction for the winner of the NPL in 2007 was The Big Train. And on the night the BT moves into first, it was due to a young man that was a John Schoming discovery during a pick-up night in early April of 2006. Justin Velander helped the Bombs win a title; can he do the same for a Train?
But let’s not jump the gun and count out the ROCK CATS just yet….. Remember, this is a 3-time league champion and the Jake Peavy led Cats are not going to go away. John will work the roster and he usually comes up with good roster additions. In fact, this week he grabbed Brendan Harris of the D-Rays when a number of teams were looking to get him in the second round.
The 69’ERS also got a guy other teams wanted in RP Takashi Saito of the Dodgers. Piffy then added a couple of new bats as he presses the Kids and Owls for 3rd/4th. And its good news for the Niners that Mr. Soriano is heating up. 3 HR’s in one game!! Piff says root for the San Antonio Spurs to bring home the NBA title. It’s important to him!!
The KIDS have been pretty steady lately and currently in the first division, but I had two worst case scenarios take place this week. Curt Schilling 8 2/3 innings of No-Hit ball before banjo hitting Shannon Stewart gets a single and on the same Thursday, B.J. Upton goes down injured but the D-Ray management waits until late Wednesday night to DL the guy. Thanks!
The OWLS were living the high life this week with his Yankees beating up on the poor pathetic Pirates.
Alex Rodriguez and Bobby Abreu led all NPL hitters with 47 and 45 points respectively. And John only had 1 Pitching Win this week out of 10 starts but he made it a good one. A Shut-Out from the on-again / off-again member of the Owls staff – Carlos Silva. Carlos gave John a nice going away gift on his way out the door after his 2nd one week Tour of Duty as a Bird. This was the first Owls Shutout since 2005. Who would have guessed Carlos Silva? Is this a great game, or what? On a different note, I’m sure John is happy to hear that the former McKees Rocks Boxer and Criminal - Paul Spadafora, is now a permanent resident of Erie, PA!!
The PITTSBURGH O’s get a boost by the return of a BIG STICK this week….
The PITTSBURGH O’s get a boost by the return of a BIG STICK this week….
In other news from the O’s camp……. Albert the Great is regaining his batting stroke, Ian Snell notches a Complete Game for the O’s but at the same time, Larry is starting to wonder what Tracy is doing with Jack Wilson. And this Sunday, L.O. is off to Altoona for Curves Fantasy Camp. There is an individual MVP Trophy there for the taking and the Big O wants to bring home the hardware.
Big Daddy had punched out 13 moves total in the previous two weeks. While B.D. was relatively quiet this Wednesday, the ALABAMA SLAMMERS picked up the slack with 6 transactions. However, Al didn’t get all the players he wanted and seemed a slight bit cranky about it, giving me the following messages to pass on……..
“Tell Tony and Eddie they shouldn’t be making any more moves, they’re not going anywhere with that team.” And for Harv……. “Tell Harv that Kenny Chesney is Gay!” Among those moves, Al drops a discovery in Kevin Slowey. Said he wouldn’t have taken him if he knew he was from Upper St. Clair, but discovers young Andy Sonnanstine. Keep an eye on Alex Gordon….. He could be a sleeper among the pick-ups, showing signs of finally breaking out.
I don’t think the BULLDOGS apprecriated hearing those comments from the Slammers. One of the Dogs owners said that at this point they’re not too concerned about finishing at the top, they just want to BEAT AL!!! Magglio continues to rake and now David Wright is coming along. 4 dingers this week. Tony make an interesting point about the No-No’s this season. We’ve had two, and one belongs to the first place team and the other the last place team.
The LOCKHORNS working the DL list with the addition of “Rocco.” Is he the guy from the Pirates post-game show on 104.7 FM? And Kevin Kouzmanoff – or as Harv calls him….. The Suckin’ Russian, doesn’t seem to like playing for the Horns. He was bad at first, Harv cut him and he got good. Harv picks him back up and he sucks again, and on his way out the door Wednesday night after knowing he was released by the Horns, he goes off for a 10 point game. Some players and owners are just not meant for each other!
The MADE IN AMERICA episode……
Let’s look at that ending first, and then other aspects of the final hour.
My first impression of the cut to black screen was like “what the heck….” But as a couple of days went on and I re-watched it again (the final scene 3 or 4 times) I now like it. Although in a way, it’s a different way to end one of the all-time great shows by getting the reaction of…. “Oh geez, my cable just went out.”
So, leave it to you’re imagination as to what happened next… By now you’ve probably read and heard these things over and over, but…… the main question is… was he shot in the restaurant or not?
Why maybe yes --- My son Pat remembered this right away and I later read it elsewhere as well…… In the first episode of this season when Bobby and Tony are at the lake house in a boat, they talk about what being shot must be like. Bobby says, “You probably don’t even hear it when it happens, right?” Then, the 2nd to last episode at the very end, Tony is laying in bed holding the gun Bobby gave him from that episode and flashes back to that scene of Bobby, again saying, “you probably don’t even hear it when it happens, right.” In that final scene, Tony hears the door open. Each time the bell jingles, camera shows Tony looking up, it then it switches to his perspective. The final time this happens, we anticipate it is Meadow walking through the door. The door jingles; camera shows Tony looking up and then switches to his perspective, which is a black screen because he has just been shot in the head. Because “he didn’t even hear it when it happened.” It’s just one theory on what could have been… But the counter argument is that Bobby no doubt heard it when he got whacked, as well as Silvio. If you also read anywhere that the suspicious guy at the counter was billed as Nick Leotardo (Phil’s nephew) and therefore almost a given that he would have shot Tony, I read from a credible TV critic that this is false information. The guy at the counter was billed as “The guy in the Members Only Jacket.” That actor never had a role in the show before.
But I’m more in the camp of
Why he didn’t get shot…. If he was really getting shot at the end, I think they would have showed the guy come out of the men’s bathroom, even for a split-second. Here’s a theory that I like better which I read somewhere on-line…… Every time someone came through the door Tony had to take a cautious glance. After watching Tony do this four, then five times, you realize that he will always live with that “uh-oh, who’s this?” fear hanging over his head. Life of a mobster, goes with the territory. But I think I’ll watch this ending again. Amazing how they were able to build the tension. Really well done.
Some other thoughts……..
The last two episodes of this season ….. Tough to beat those for heart pounding drama.
Music and lyrics have always been an integral part of The Sopranos. Right up to the end with Don’t Stop Believing from the jukebox.
A.J. therapist… Legs crossed like Melfi. And Tony opening up to her about HIS issues, his mother, etc… The look on Carmela’s face……. Priceless!
The hit on Phil… Perfect. The whole thing with the SUV running over his head, grand-kids in the backseat…. Wow!
Tony saying to Uncle Jun…. “This thing of ours.”
FAVORITE LINE:
A.J.: “The Army’s probably good for my career.”
TONY: “You don’t have a career!”
Paulie and the Cat – it kept starring of the picture of “Christaphu.” Hilarious. Maybe it was Adrianne reincarnated.
And lastly……
Who would have guessed that Agent Harris has a Goomah?? But looking back, Harris saved the day for Tony with the tip of where to look for Phil.
Well, that’s it….. didn’t think I was going to make this a weekly feature, but you know…… once you start something…..
Later,
Kommish.
My first impression of the cut to black screen was like “what the heck….” But as a couple of days went on and I re-watched it again (the final scene 3 or 4 times) I now like it. Although in a way, it’s a different way to end one of the all-time great shows by getting the reaction of…. “Oh geez, my cable just went out.”
So, leave it to you’re imagination as to what happened next… By now you’ve probably read and heard these things over and over, but…… the main question is… was he shot in the restaurant or not?
Why maybe yes --- My son Pat remembered this right away and I later read it elsewhere as well…… In the first episode of this season when Bobby and Tony are at the lake house in a boat, they talk about what being shot must be like. Bobby says, “You probably don’t even hear it when it happens, right?” Then, the 2nd to last episode at the very end, Tony is laying in bed holding the gun Bobby gave him from that episode and flashes back to that scene of Bobby, again saying, “you probably don’t even hear it when it happens, right.” In that final scene, Tony hears the door open. Each time the bell jingles, camera shows Tony looking up, it then it switches to his perspective. The final time this happens, we anticipate it is Meadow walking through the door. The door jingles; camera shows Tony looking up and then switches to his perspective, which is a black screen because he has just been shot in the head. Because “he didn’t even hear it when it happened.” It’s just one theory on what could have been… But the counter argument is that Bobby no doubt heard it when he got whacked, as well as Silvio. If you also read anywhere that the suspicious guy at the counter was billed as Nick Leotardo (Phil’s nephew) and therefore almost a given that he would have shot Tony, I read from a credible TV critic that this is false information. The guy at the counter was billed as “The guy in the Members Only Jacket.” That actor never had a role in the show before.
But I’m more in the camp of
Why he didn’t get shot…. If he was really getting shot at the end, I think they would have showed the guy come out of the men’s bathroom, even for a split-second. Here’s a theory that I like better which I read somewhere on-line…… Every time someone came through the door Tony had to take a cautious glance. After watching Tony do this four, then five times, you realize that he will always live with that “uh-oh, who’s this?” fear hanging over his head. Life of a mobster, goes with the territory. But I think I’ll watch this ending again. Amazing how they were able to build the tension. Really well done.
Some other thoughts……..
The last two episodes of this season ….. Tough to beat those for heart pounding drama.
Music and lyrics have always been an integral part of The Sopranos. Right up to the end with Don’t Stop Believing from the jukebox.
A.J. therapist… Legs crossed like Melfi. And Tony opening up to her about HIS issues, his mother, etc… The look on Carmela’s face……. Priceless!
The hit on Phil… Perfect. The whole thing with the SUV running over his head, grand-kids in the backseat…. Wow!
Tony saying to Uncle Jun…. “This thing of ours.”
FAVORITE LINE:
A.J.: “The Army’s probably good for my career.”
TONY: “You don’t have a career!”
Paulie and the Cat – it kept starring of the picture of “Christaphu.” Hilarious. Maybe it was Adrianne reincarnated.
And lastly……
Who would have guessed that Agent Harris has a Goomah?? But looking back, Harris saved the day for Tony with the tip of where to look for Phil.
Well, that’s it….. didn’t think I was going to make this a weekly feature, but you know…… once you start something…..
Later,
Kommish.
