NP: Going back and forth with Bang Camaro and Barbarian Overlords. Seriously, listen to both of them, the best rock of the East Coast with the best rock of the West Coast. Here, I'll make it easy: Barbarian Overlords - The Harvester & Bang Camaro - Revolution
The 2017 MLB Season is coming to a close and like predicted, the Chicago White Sox did not have a great season... and that's a good thing. Wait, what? How, why, where?!??!
Let's take a quick trip backwards. The White Sox won the World Series in 2005, 12 years ago, and made the playoffs in 2008, 9 years ago. Since 2008 the Sox haven't even sniffed a Wild Card spot. This is mostly due to the front office, lead by then GM, Kenny Williams. KW's approach ran like your traditional/stereotypical GM of the late 90's/Early 00's... where the farm system wasn't important and the middling players you can sign for cheap were "going to pay off." It worked in 2005 as a bunch of mid-level players peaked at the same time, but it becomes apparent how hard it is to continue to catch lightning in a bottle like that on a consistent basis. So KW would make weird trades to get old baseball players... REALLY decimating the farm, and generally not improving the team. KW had the old school approach, so as the "Moneyball*" approach became popular, KW ignored the benefits.
A switch was necessary and vital for the future of the Sox, so in walks Rick Hahn and after a stint as ASS GM (LOL) he gets the nod to take KW's spot in 2012 (Between 2012 season and 2013 season). His impact was not immediate, but there was a sense of a change in direction. Hahn spent a lot of time trying to uproot the scouting and developmental system, which KW gleefully ignored. Building the team within is what he was focusing on... getting smart about drafting and putting together a good system peaked this past off-season (up to the 2017 Non-Waiver draft deadline) as Hahn put together some trades that knocked the sox off (LOL) everyone! First was top tier pitcher Chris Sale being Shipped to Boston (Woah-oh-oh) for a boat load of young prospects/talent. Led by Yoan Moncada, the #1 prospect in all of baseball, and supplemented with top level pitching prospect Michael Kopech and lottery tickets Luis Alexander Basbae & Victor Diaz. This is the trade most GM's would have stopped at, but Hahn wasn't done yet.
Only a few days later, Hahn sent OF Adam Eaton to the Nationals for Top 10 prospect Lucas Giolito, and top prospects Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning. For 2 current baseball players, Hahn received 7 minor league players that were considered some of the best. As the season went along, Hahn also traded for elite prospects Eloy Jimenez and Blake Rutherford (and others). Basically taking the farm system, and shoving a bunch of crop enhancers in it, to make sure everyone succeeds. You can take most of the Sox prospects that are in the back end of their top 10, and they would be in the top 5 of probably 70% of other team's systems... that's how solid it is. Meanwhile, continuing to draft baseball players, rather than athletes that KW was drawn towards. With his more business oriented background, Hahn was able to see the benefit in investing for the future.
So this ended up being a lot longer than I thought, so this is going to be Part 1. I'll have a part 2 for sure, with the actually Season in review.
*The Moneyball approach isn't exactly ADVANCED STATISTICS like a lot of people like to believe. I can write a whole post about it. But simply, It's idea is that you find something that no one else is focusing on, and investing in it, to take advantage. Example, in the early 2000's, it was all about power, and dingers and all that... not much to be invested in players that took walks. Beane was able to sign players that had high OBP for the cheap because they weren't sought after. Biggity Bam, A's win 20 games in a row, en route to a 100+ win season (this doesn't seem as impressive with what the Indians did :) )
Friday, September 29, 2017
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
It's been a while, huh?
NP: Barbarian Overlords - Static in the Attic
*Blows dust off the page*
Hello? HELLLLLOOOOOOOOO?! Is this thing on? Last time I was writing was when I went through ACL repair surgery. And that was over 4 and a half years ago! I guess to put that part of my life to rest, the knee is still pretty strong, I've been in and out of the gym forever but the repaired ACL is hanging in there!
The reason Im writing today is because while I would love to post this on social media, I am of the mindset that everyone on SM just loves talking over each other and no one really listens to the other person, they just see someone with a different view and freak out on them. So, while this is pretty much the same thing, Im not talking at anyone, Im not putting this out there... if you found this, you did it on your own accord, so congrats!
The big topic this past weekend was WWE Hall of Famer, President Trump making some weird remarks about NFL players taking a knee during the singing of the National Anthem and how it's "disrespectful to the troops" and owners should fire those "sons of bitches." Here's the deal, the troops fight for our rights to the freedoms we have, including the right to protest. Especially a peaceful protest. These players aren't making a spectacle about what they are doing, they're just making a statement.
It's also pretty telling that our WWE HOF member President didn't even bother acknowledging the reason the players were protesting. Him, like most others, seem to think these players are just protesting for the sake of protesting. There's a very big and important reason these players are protesting (Racial discrimination especially amongst police profiling) and the President is basically hand waving it away. And why should players that feel discriminated against celebrate an anthem that tells them that they are otherwise free?
When Colin Kaepernick first started doing this last season, it irked a lot of people, as the whole idea of the National Anthem is standing appreciative of your country that grants you your freedom. Yes, your freedom to make choices! Colin chose to take a knee, and he's made the choice to accept the consequence of his actions by not being signed for 2017. (Mike Glennon and Jay Cutler were clearly better choices to be starters. As well as Case Keenum [until this past week, wowzers!]) But his word has spread quite far, to the point where NFL owners and personnel have also joined in in linking of arms/kneeling because a WWE Hall of Famer that is also President told them how to do their jobs.
It's pretty crazy that there's an actual thing/person that makes supporting Roger Goodell not that bad of an idea. I also do kinda wish Al Davis was still alive as he would have LOVED dealing with this. Al was HUGE in racial equality in the league and life.
The problem is that the overall reason why Kaepernick started doing this and why players have continued taking a knee is lost, not just on the people that are angry that they are doing this, but even some people that support them are lost on the reason why... which defeats the purpose, right?
So let's take the next few days before Week 4 begins to really read up on Kaep's reason for doing what he did and the movement it started and not just call him unpatriotic. Because let's face it... you're probably not standing in your living room watching this on TV.
*Blows dust off the page*
Hello? HELLLLLOOOOOOOOO?! Is this thing on? Last time I was writing was when I went through ACL repair surgery. And that was over 4 and a half years ago! I guess to put that part of my life to rest, the knee is still pretty strong, I've been in and out of the gym forever but the repaired ACL is hanging in there!
The reason Im writing today is because while I would love to post this on social media, I am of the mindset that everyone on SM just loves talking over each other and no one really listens to the other person, they just see someone with a different view and freak out on them. So, while this is pretty much the same thing, Im not talking at anyone, Im not putting this out there... if you found this, you did it on your own accord, so congrats!
The big topic this past weekend was WWE Hall of Famer, President Trump making some weird remarks about NFL players taking a knee during the singing of the National Anthem and how it's "disrespectful to the troops" and owners should fire those "sons of bitches." Here's the deal, the troops fight for our rights to the freedoms we have, including the right to protest. Especially a peaceful protest. These players aren't making a spectacle about what they are doing, they're just making a statement.
It's also pretty telling that our WWE HOF member President didn't even bother acknowledging the reason the players were protesting. Him, like most others, seem to think these players are just protesting for the sake of protesting. There's a very big and important reason these players are protesting (Racial discrimination especially amongst police profiling) and the President is basically hand waving it away. And why should players that feel discriminated against celebrate an anthem that tells them that they are otherwise free?
When Colin Kaepernick first started doing this last season, it irked a lot of people, as the whole idea of the National Anthem is standing appreciative of your country that grants you your freedom. Yes, your freedom to make choices! Colin chose to take a knee, and he's made the choice to accept the consequence of his actions by not being signed for 2017. (Mike Glennon and Jay Cutler were clearly better choices to be starters. As well as Case Keenum [until this past week, wowzers!]) But his word has spread quite far, to the point where NFL owners and personnel have also joined in in linking of arms/kneeling because a WWE Hall of Famer that is also President told them how to do their jobs.
It's pretty crazy that there's an actual thing/person that makes supporting Roger Goodell not that bad of an idea. I also do kinda wish Al Davis was still alive as he would have LOVED dealing with this. Al was HUGE in racial equality in the league and life.
The problem is that the overall reason why Kaepernick started doing this and why players have continued taking a knee is lost, not just on the people that are angry that they are doing this, but even some people that support them are lost on the reason why... which defeats the purpose, right?
So let's take the next few days before Week 4 begins to really read up on Kaep's reason for doing what he did and the movement it started and not just call him unpatriotic. Because let's face it... you're probably not standing in your living room watching this on TV.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
46 days
On January 11th, I went under the knife to replace my ACL as well as clean up a tear in my meniscus. Now, here we are, 46 days later (well, on Wednesday) and I am cleared to go back to work. I've gone to the gym and have lifted this past week, so I'm pretty confident that things are getting back to normal. I'm back in NH for good, obviously... so I have to find a new Physical Therapist in the area, but the surgeon had said I don't have to go 2-3 times a week anymore and that once every week or 2 will suffice. I just need to have someone track my progress and let me know when I can start treadmilling/running/squating/deadlifting, etc..
I don't know what else to write except that I've been hitting the gym every day for my knee. At least using the bike, but I try to do most of the exercises that the CT Physical Therapist taught me. But we'll see what the PT up here says!
I don't know what else to write except that I've been hitting the gym every day for my knee. At least using the bike, but I try to do most of the exercises that the CT Physical Therapist taught me. But we'll see what the PT up here says!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
This post is better then the Grammy's
4 weeks and 2 days ago marks the day I had ACL replacement surgery with additional work done to my medial meniscus on my left knee. I had read many horror stories about what could potentially happen... how there could be something that happens and I feel pain in my leg for the rest of my life. Now, I felt comfortable with my surgeon, he was very relaxed and is someone who had does this sort of thing more times then I could probably imagine. It was old hat to him and that, more then anything really put me to ease about getting my knee hacked up. But the actual road to recovery was where I really started to get nervous. I had several different people giving me several different answers to the same questions:
-When should I expect to be off crutches?
-When should I start PT?
-When can I start using a bike? Treadmill? Running?
Everything was different which pretty much meant to me that I had to make my own answers. I was off 2 crutches really fast and I was able to walk on my own (sort of) in like a week and a half/2 weeks. I started driving about 2.5/3 weeks later and a month after the fact, it's probably tough to tell I had any sort of surgery at all. I still walk with a slight limp, but that was expected and I'm used to it after the last 6 months. That's going to be my first real feeling of getting over this injury... just being able to walk normally!
Physical Therapy is a God send. That was the one thing that the surgeon and everyone post-op hammered into my thick skull: GET PHYSICAL THERAPY. They trained themselves on how to get me back to normal. And they know. Even with the simple shit they make me do; it's always hammered home that it means something in the long run. This past Wednesday they put me on a bike and it was a huge motivator because shit, 3 weeks before that I could barely move my leg. It sucked that for the first week or so, I was hampered with insurance issues, but I've been doing my home exercises like it was my job and it pays off.
Over the next 2 weeks I'm going to be moving myself back into my apartment in New Hampshire as I finish up Physical Therapy. I'm looking forward to being able to get back into the gym and the first day I can do a squat and a deadlift I will probably break facebook. My next follow-up with the surgeon is 2/25 and from there I guess will determine when I can get back to work. So until then...
bigbadbowes@gmail.com
-When should I expect to be off crutches?
-When should I start PT?
-When can I start using a bike? Treadmill? Running?
Everything was different which pretty much meant to me that I had to make my own answers. I was off 2 crutches really fast and I was able to walk on my own (sort of) in like a week and a half/2 weeks. I started driving about 2.5/3 weeks later and a month after the fact, it's probably tough to tell I had any sort of surgery at all. I still walk with a slight limp, but that was expected and I'm used to it after the last 6 months. That's going to be my first real feeling of getting over this injury... just being able to walk normally!
Physical Therapy is a God send. That was the one thing that the surgeon and everyone post-op hammered into my thick skull: GET PHYSICAL THERAPY. They trained themselves on how to get me back to normal. And they know. Even with the simple shit they make me do; it's always hammered home that it means something in the long run. This past Wednesday they put me on a bike and it was a huge motivator because shit, 3 weeks before that I could barely move my leg. It sucked that for the first week or so, I was hampered with insurance issues, but I've been doing my home exercises like it was my job and it pays off.
Over the next 2 weeks I'm going to be moving myself back into my apartment in New Hampshire as I finish up Physical Therapy. I'm looking forward to being able to get back into the gym and the first day I can do a squat and a deadlift I will probably break facebook. My next follow-up with the surgeon is 2/25 and from there I guess will determine when I can get back to work. So until then...
bigbadbowes@gmail.com
Monday, January 28, 2013
Staples & Physical Therapy
So last Monday my Dad and I took the journey up to Keene from CT for the first follow-up appointment with the surgeon and to get the pesky staples removed from my knee. It was a huge relief because while they never caused me pain in of themselves, I could feel them if I moved my knee in certain ways. Not very pleasant. Plus, the whole visual of seeing staples in your knee when looking down, that wasn't much fun either.
Anyway, they took X-rays prior to the meeting and everything was developed and everything by the time the meeting started. The Doc also came in with pictures from the surgery itself. Now, I'm not a doctor, but I think it was pretty clear that there was damage to the ACL and meniscus after looking at the pictures. The X-rays showed that everything is going pretty well and after looking at my knee only confirmed that (or should it be the other way around?) He tested my movement and was pleased by what he saw (I could almost fully extend my leg and was a little over 90 degrees in terms of bending it. I asked about driving and he said that he typically waits for the leg to be at 90 degrees before allowing people to drive (when it's the non driving leg, thankfully) so technically he said I could drive, but only around town, or short drives and that in a week or so it wouldn't be a big issue.
Then finally they removed the staples. This was about as uneventful as you'd think but it was great to see them finally taken out. The tool they used was one that looked like an oversized toe-nail clipper. After that, the PA started doing some mobility tests... basically PT movements. And checking swelling to see where I stand. According to the norm, Im doing pretty well but she was mentioning how my quad seems to be a bit weaker then what they were expecting. A bit odd, but whatever. Set up the 6 week appointment and that was the end of that.
I also started actually Physical Therapy last week and the first session was pretty much what I expected it to be. Just going over some of the movements they told me to do the week before and added a couple more. I think they were just seeing where I was in terms of recovery. I have 2 appointments this week and Im still doing some of the exercises at home when I can.
Overall, I'm feeling pretty good, I don't use the crutches anymore. I keep them around, but I can walk pretty ok on my own. I still have a noticeable limp, but the pain is pretty non-existent at this time. Now I just need to find a way to get my car!
Anyway, they took X-rays prior to the meeting and everything was developed and everything by the time the meeting started. The Doc also came in with pictures from the surgery itself. Now, I'm not a doctor, but I think it was pretty clear that there was damage to the ACL and meniscus after looking at the pictures. The X-rays showed that everything is going pretty well and after looking at my knee only confirmed that (or should it be the other way around?) He tested my movement and was pleased by what he saw (I could almost fully extend my leg and was a little over 90 degrees in terms of bending it. I asked about driving and he said that he typically waits for the leg to be at 90 degrees before allowing people to drive (when it's the non driving leg, thankfully) so technically he said I could drive, but only around town, or short drives and that in a week or so it wouldn't be a big issue.
Then finally they removed the staples. This was about as uneventful as you'd think but it was great to see them finally taken out. The tool they used was one that looked like an oversized toe-nail clipper. After that, the PA started doing some mobility tests... basically PT movements. And checking swelling to see where I stand. According to the norm, Im doing pretty well but she was mentioning how my quad seems to be a bit weaker then what they were expecting. A bit odd, but whatever. Set up the 6 week appointment and that was the end of that.
I also started actually Physical Therapy last week and the first session was pretty much what I expected it to be. Just going over some of the movements they told me to do the week before and added a couple more. I think they were just seeing where I was in terms of recovery. I have 2 appointments this week and Im still doing some of the exercises at home when I can.
Overall, I'm feeling pretty good, I don't use the crutches anymore. I keep them around, but I can walk pretty ok on my own. I still have a noticeable limp, but the pain is pretty non-existent at this time. Now I just need to find a way to get my car!
Friday, January 18, 2013
Physical Therapy
Try this- lay on your back, keep your legs fully extended. Now take one (I don't care which one) and lift it 12 inches of the ground (keeping it fully extended) and then put it back on the ground. Easy, right? Now, sit up and keep both legs extended in front of you. Basically, try to keep the back of your knees touching the ground for 10 seconds. Simple shit, huh? Well this is what I have to start (re?) learning how to do because this shit's tough with a week old ACL in my knee. I'm not trying to make a woe is me point, I just want to paint the baseline for rehab because it's going to be awesome when I start deadlifting again. The first PT appointment was more of an "evaluation" Basically the head PT guy interviewed me and made me do some basic movements to see where I was relative to the surgery. Then he massaged my knee and gave me a heating pad for like 10 minutes and the REAL appointments start next week (after my staples come out). Good times. In the meanwhile, he gave me some exercises to work on, which include those I mentioned above.
As for how I'm feeling... well, it's been exactly a week since the surgery and I can move pretty comfortably on one crutch and have actually started walking around the house sans crutches, period. I don't know if that's good or not... but the surgeon said "weight baring as needed" sooooooo.... Im still keeping around, that's for sure. Anyway, next report will probably be after the staples come out. I'd take a picture, but I'm sure most of you readers are a bit too queasy. But enough people ask.....
GO NOT PATRIOTS!
As for how I'm feeling... well, it's been exactly a week since the surgery and I can move pretty comfortably on one crutch and have actually started walking around the house sans crutches, period. I don't know if that's good or not... but the surgeon said "weight baring as needed" sooooooo.... Im still keeping around, that's for sure. Anyway, next report will probably be after the staples come out. I'd take a picture, but I'm sure most of you readers are a bit too queasy. But enough people ask.....
GO NOT PATRIOTS!
Monday, January 14, 2013
And it's... done?
After months and months of excruciating torture of waiting and stubbornness, it all came to a head on Friday. It happened, my knee surgery came and went. And it went as smoothly as one could assume. I had to be at the hospital Friday morning at 6 in the morning. Which was a good thing, meaning I'd be one of, if not, the first person for the day. Getting up and out wasn't a terrible issue as I had enough adrenaline running through my system most of Thursday to knock me out early so I was pretty ready come 6am.
When I got there I just had to check in and they brought me to the waiting room, where one other person was already in there and she was called pretty quickly. I was called a few minutes after. They asked my mom to wait until I was changed into scrubs and IV'd before they'd let her in... but that was pretty uneventful. From there, I was told I was scheduled to go into the OR at about 7:30. During the meantime, the anastesialogist, the OR nurse and my surgeon stopped by for last second questions/concerns/any other possible curveballs. I was sedated as they rolled me into the OR. It was cold (which they told me it'd be) and they introduced me to a bunch of people I wasn't going to remember in 15 seconds. From there I got the gas and was just told to breath.
From there, you know how in movies when someone gets knocked out and when they're coming to, the camera is wobbling and out of focus and everything seems dark? That's the next thing I remember. I see an outline of a nurse walking around but I just can't open my eyes. I keep them shut for a few moments and get my other senses revved up. I was finally able to open up my eyes and trying to get my sense of feeling back. Strangely enough, there wasn't much pain in my knee and I was feeling otherwise comfortable. As I came to, the nurse was talking to me and I'll be damned to remember any of it. The rest of my time in the hospital is kind of hazy, but I do know most of it was going over procedures and what to expect for the next week and the such.
I did mention the lack of pain in the leg and they mentioned they did put a numbing agent in my knee after the surgery which explained that... and then went on to say they gave me a script for Vicodin. I was released and promptly spent the rest of the day in bed. Annnnnndddd, I could tell the moment the numbing agent wore, off... haha. However, the pain wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. Day Zero wasn't too bad otherwise, I went to sleep easy... strange enough. The next day was more of the same... started getting some pain on the top of my foot, but nothing painful. I managed a 2.5 hour trip home to Newtown without discomfort or pain and moved a little bit around on crutches. Nothing eventful outside of some awesome football games.
Sunday was OK. I tried to be a bit more mobile. I set up my desktop and listened to my bladder sooner rather then later. Meanwhile, I tried seeing how flexible my knee is. A little movement, about where I'd expect to be with no PT yet. The pain on top of my foot was getting really bad and it kept me awake for some of the night... but I beat that sonnuva bitch down and got me some sleep.
This brings me to today. Knee movement is good... I can't get it fully straight, but I can bend it ALMOST 90 degrees, which for no PT, is pretty good I think. The pain on my foot has gone down, my first PT appointment is Wednesday and I've taken off the initial gauze/bandages. So I'll probably update again after that first PT appointment.
bigbadbowes@gmail.com
When I got there I just had to check in and they brought me to the waiting room, where one other person was already in there and she was called pretty quickly. I was called a few minutes after. They asked my mom to wait until I was changed into scrubs and IV'd before they'd let her in... but that was pretty uneventful. From there, I was told I was scheduled to go into the OR at about 7:30. During the meantime, the anastesialogist, the OR nurse and my surgeon stopped by for last second questions/concerns/any other possible curveballs. I was sedated as they rolled me into the OR. It was cold (which they told me it'd be) and they introduced me to a bunch of people I wasn't going to remember in 15 seconds. From there I got the gas and was just told to breath.
From there, you know how in movies when someone gets knocked out and when they're coming to, the camera is wobbling and out of focus and everything seems dark? That's the next thing I remember. I see an outline of a nurse walking around but I just can't open my eyes. I keep them shut for a few moments and get my other senses revved up. I was finally able to open up my eyes and trying to get my sense of feeling back. Strangely enough, there wasn't much pain in my knee and I was feeling otherwise comfortable. As I came to, the nurse was talking to me and I'll be damned to remember any of it. The rest of my time in the hospital is kind of hazy, but I do know most of it was going over procedures and what to expect for the next week and the such.
I did mention the lack of pain in the leg and they mentioned they did put a numbing agent in my knee after the surgery which explained that... and then went on to say they gave me a script for Vicodin. I was released and promptly spent the rest of the day in bed. Annnnnndddd, I could tell the moment the numbing agent wore, off... haha. However, the pain wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. Day Zero wasn't too bad otherwise, I went to sleep easy... strange enough. The next day was more of the same... started getting some pain on the top of my foot, but nothing painful. I managed a 2.5 hour trip home to Newtown without discomfort or pain and moved a little bit around on crutches. Nothing eventful outside of some awesome football games.
Sunday was OK. I tried to be a bit more mobile. I set up my desktop and listened to my bladder sooner rather then later. Meanwhile, I tried seeing how flexible my knee is. A little movement, about where I'd expect to be with no PT yet. The pain on top of my foot was getting really bad and it kept me awake for some of the night... but I beat that sonnuva bitch down and got me some sleep.
This brings me to today. Knee movement is good... I can't get it fully straight, but I can bend it ALMOST 90 degrees, which for no PT, is pretty good I think. The pain on my foot has gone down, my first PT appointment is Wednesday and I've taken off the initial gauze/bandages. So I'll probably update again after that first PT appointment.
bigbadbowes@gmail.com
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