Leap of changes

MLB announced the playoffs will expand by 1 Wild Card entrant in each league.  I like the idea of expanding the playoff odds to 5 teams but will this help teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates or Kansas City Royals have the chance to contend for the postseason.  Or could 1 more team dilutes the chase of being that 1 team that just gets in and get whipped by the New York Yankees or some other super power in MLB. 

The Toronto Blue Jays have been knocking on the door to reach the playoffs for the last several seasons, but by being a team in the AL East there isn’t one team to catch up to, but 3 teams to deal with as the New York Yankees usually win the division as the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays play for the right to lose to the team which finishes second record wise in the AL.  Blue Jays haven’t reach postseason play since 1993 as many already knows but the following teams listed here haven’t seen postseason play longer or just as long. As a former Blue Jays fan, I wouldn’t mind one more team to reach playoffs in the AL if this helps the Blue Jays or any of the other teams below to reach baseball pinnacle.

1.      Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals last playoff appearance was 1981

2.      Kansas City Royals last playoff appearance was 1985

3.      Pittsburgh Pirates last playoff appearance was 1992

4.      Toronto Blue Jays last playoff appearance was 1993

5.      Baltimore Orioles last playoff appearance was 1997

Sticking fried cheese in Philadelphia

DeSean Jackson was given the franchise tag by the Philadelphia Eagles.  What does this mean for the team…this means big trouble in Cheese-steak land.  When the Eagles had a decent offense was in 2004 when the team traded for wide Receiver Terrell Owens after he vetoed the trade to the Baltimore Ravens from the San Francisco 49ers.  Eagles recorded a 13-3 record as the team was defeated in Super Bowl 39 to the New England Patriots which was played in Jacksonville, Florida.  Owens played remarkably well in spite not being far removed from a broken ankle which caused him the last 6 games of the season including the playoffs. Owens became upset when he didn’t receive a long term deal to the point he played only 6 games during the 2005 season before being suspended for the remainder of the season by the team. 

Granted that Owens was correct in his assessment regarding his contract and the lost composure Donovan McNabb showed at the End of Super Bowl 39 his welcome in Philadelphia was warned down like gym socks.  DeSean deserves to be paid as a big time performer but concussion issues and passed balls have hampered his chances to get the long term he seeks.  Eagles didn’t help matters by signing major free agents as DeSean took the signings as a slight against his talent as this is another example of my favorite NFL team being cheap and pushing the wrong buttons.  The 2011 season for the Eagles was a complete mess from a slow start with 1-5 record to end up 5-1 in NFC East but missed postseason play with 8-8 record.  Eagles have to trade DeSean before the situations worsens in Philadelphia.

Here are my photos from this week. 

Sorta coach 2121.  My final photo as of now on Route 41.

Lilac flower growing close to a sewer next to my driveway.

I was harrassed by  passenger accusing me of being a Peeping Tom because she thought I was taking pictures of her on Sorta coach 2135...no I wasn't.  I was taking the picture of the bus.  Passenger told me to get a life and do something else, I blew up and argued with her.

I took photos of lilies not far from my house to make me feel better from incident on 2135.

Sorta coach 1104 on Leap Day this past Wednesday.  Storms blew over.

Five Guys opens at old Grand China restaurant site at Western Hills.

Sorta coach 2119 Yesterday.  First time I was able to take photos in my old side of town in the Western Hills area in 3 months.  Also Route 33 was my home route from January 1, 1992 up to moving out on March 3, 2004.  My sister gave birth to her first child and my nephew Darren a few days later on March 7, 2004

Sorta coach 9019 on 3 month anniversary of route being moved from Mercy Franciscan Hospital layover back to the West Towne Centre.

Sorta coach 9044 before severe thunderstorms ravage tri-state area.  Same storm system killed a number of residents in neighboring state of Indiana today.

Sorta coach 4003 caught in the rain at Center of Cincinnati Mall layover.

NBA All-Star Weekend 2012

All-Star weekend build up was worth the wait.  Little talk about Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard being traded or fatigue wearing the players down in shortened NBA season.

Former Houston Rocket and current TNT analyst Kenny Smith showed how smooth he was shooting 2 half-court 3 point shots from his past to just squeak by winning the Haier shooting stars for team Texas verse team New York.

The Sprite Slam Dunk Contest was one of the worst slam dunk competitions I ever seen.  Yes I have to give Utah Jazz rookie Jeremy Evans credit for doing an iCarly webcam ear peace throughout his junks to give viewers the full view.  Evans 2 basketballs slam was a gimmick all of us have seen before but at least he held as much air time as Tony Hawk would on his skateboard.  At the end Evans used Celebrity All- Star MVP on Friday night Kevin Hart wearing a mail delivery person having an envelope in his hands with an old Karl Malone Jazz jersey inside.  Malone if anyone forgotten he was called the “Mailman” in his playing days, Hart was ejected during the Celebrity game acting like a hot-headed comedian…he is so silly.  Houston Rockets forward Chase Budinger who showed that “White Men can Jump” as he had a slam dunk blindfolded reminiscent to Cedric Ceballos dunk during Slam Dunk Contest 20 years ago in Orlando.  It was great to see Cedric in good health not long after he had a mild stroke not that long ago.

The best event of the night next to the Foot Locker 3 point contest (more details later) was the Taco Bell Skills competition.  New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams had the win in his lap but one bad bounce pass at the final turn cost him the win over San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker.  Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo held his own shot very well from the perimeter and was tied with Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook and had to duel in a tiebreaker only Ceto Kaiba would love verses Yu gi Oh.

Eastern Conference All-Stars fell 3 points short verses the Western Conference All-Stars 152-149.  Kevin Durant recorded 36 points for the West as LeBron James recorded 36 as well, but gave up the chance for the winning shot deferring to his Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade missed the game tying 3 point shot as time expired.  Durant was named the All-Star Game MVP of the game.  Kobe Bryant for the West became the all time leader for most points recorded in All-Star history.  Kobe did suffer a bloody nose by Dwayne Wade in the 3^rd quarter.  Durant in the meantime seemed to keep his soft touch even though he had a fantastic duel in the Foot Locker 3 point shootout with Minnesota Timberwolves Kevin Love during Saturday night’s showcase.  Love was involved in a tiebreaker similar to Rondo with Miami Heat young sharp shooter Mario Chalmers.  Orlando Magic young big man Ryan Anderson was one money-ball shot at 17 to eliminate Love and Chalmers. Old Heat sharp shooter James Jones was out done this time around. 

The music during the All-Star weekend was pretty good during half-time with the main man Pit-bull performing as crispy like it was New Year’s Eve 2012 all over again wearing all black.  Ne-Yo, Chris Brown and Nair performed almost seamlessly. The introduction of the Western Conference all-Stars made me yawn as the guys showed no emotion as the Eastern Conference All-Stars showed off their swag as LeBron James was dancing and Dwight Howard was shaking the haters off his shoulder.  During the introductions I had no idea how curvy and beautiful Nicki Manaj was while she was performing…I haven’t felt so horny for a Black woman like her ever in a very long time.  Not because I never had attractions to my women, but I have to be the judge of what is beauty I like from my heart and not fall for media portrayals of hurtful stereotypes.  I feel very happy about having feelings of lust seeing how beautiful Minaj and other Black women who look like her are now. I want a woman with Minaj's size hugging me on mild night like tonight…Also want a woman in general who makes my heart race and make me real happy for the rest of my life as I don't want these beautiful feeling for my women ed  On the other hand Flo-Rida performance before Saturday night’s events was zesty, had me dancing on my couch. 

Photos I took this past Friday 

Beautiful fountain at DeSales Corner.

Leaving O'Bryonville heading to Hyde Park.

Withrow High School.