Home Run Derby

So help me God, I LOVE THE HOME RUN DERBY.

• Even though it might be glorified batting practice. 
• Even though it might get boring after oh, 10 Home Runs. 
• Even though it might be “all that’s wrong with the game”
• Even though ESPN keeps trying to overhype and destroy it with its predictable coverage of the event. 

Wait … predictable coverage of a television event? 

You know what that means … DRINKING GAME!!

To celebrate this blog’s namesake, Home Run Derby brings you our Third Annual HOME RUN DERBY DRINKING GAME !! 

I’m going for three straight years that I don’t show up for work the day after the Derby.  (2007, 2008)

Get on your drinking jerseys and let’s get started.

(more…)

Okay … what’s wrong with this ESPN SportsCenter screen grab?

Uh-oh.  Somebody at ESPN goofed.  That’s not Jonathan Papelbon in that inset picture down there next to the B for Boston.  That’s Barry Bonds.

I get it though … PapelBON.  BONDS.  ESPN must have one really aggresive spellchecker program or something.  That or they share Big League Stew’s desire to get Barry Bonds back in baseball.

By the way, it’s about time that Paps got paid.  $6.25 MM.  Not too shabby.

Pic sent to HRD by Rizzo the Rat.  I love screen names that reference the Muppets.

Apparently, Boston ain’t big anough for two hot, blonde sideline reporters.
Specifically, ESPN’s Erin Andrews and NESN’s Heidi Watney.

Here’s a screenshot from a recent Red Sox game at Fenway with the two sideline temptresses du jour in the same picture.

Whoa. That sure looks like Erin Andrews is checking out NESN reporter Heidi Watney’s behind.
And Andrews doesn’t look happy about it. She’s got that same “pissed off look” she gave Joba Chamberlain a few months back.

Watney seems to know something is up, too. Probably because her ass is burning up from the eye-lasers Andrews is firing at it.

Does ESPN’s Alpha Hottie sense some competition? Could this turn ugly when both of them go to interview/grab the bicep of Jason Varitek at an upcoming Sawx game?

Who ya got?

 Loading ...

hat tip: Barstool Sports

Last night, the Chicago White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers on one swing of the bat by Jim Thome. Thome blasted a 3-run shot in the bottom of the first inning, which gave the White Sox a three run lead which they never relinquished, winning 5-1.

ESPN.com has a name for a three-run bomb like that … “Grand Slam“.

What? You though Grand Slams were Home Runs hit when the bases were loaded and worth four runs?
ESPN.com begs to differ.

Here’s the proof, before ESPN fixes it.

The World Wide Leader needs to hire better headline writers, if you ask me.

What’s it called when you hit a Home Run with the bases loaded?  A Super-Sized Grand Slam? 

Home Run Derby’s going to call it a BOOYAH from now on.

Update: Rats. Deadspin caught that before I did. Belated Hat Tip.

Double Update: Yahoo Sports doesn’t know how many career Home Runs Thome has.

If you know the name of this blog, you’ll know that we here at Home Run Derby LOVE the Home Run Derby.  It’s the most wonderful day of the year.

• The best thing about the MLB Home Run Derby is that it’s all just fun. 
  No pretentiousness about the sanctity of the game. 
• No forced urgency about home-field advantage during the World Series. 
• Heck, even the incoherent ramblings of Chris Berman and Joe Morgan on ESPN can’t ruin Home Run Derby for me.

But if you can’t stand the ESPN telecast… maybe you need a little something to take the edge off … like Home Run Derby’s Second Annual Home Run Derby Drinking Game!! 

We did this last year for the Home Run Derby in San Francisco and it was so much fun I had to call in sick the next day.  My arm hurt from raising my glass so much. 

I’m always in need of a day off from work … so let’s do it again !! 

Short Version

• Put 911 on speed dial
• Take a drink every time Chris Berman says “Back” as in “Back-Back-Back”
• Take a drink every time Joe Morgan says something stupid.
• Wake up next week

Longer (and more fun) version

(more…)

Add ESPN announcer Rick Sutcliffe to the list of coaches-fans-players-announcers who have objectified Erin Andrews.

Last night, the lovely and talented Erin Andrews wore a bright yellow dress during ESPN’s telecast of the Braves-Cubs game at Wrigley Field.  Sutcliffe and his broadcast partner Dave O’Brien made mention of the dress … which prompted Sutcliffe to say …

“I got a new favorite color, I know that”

and

“I’m more worried about Erin than I was me … wearin that skirt in the windy City?  You think all eyes weren’t on her during batting practice?”

Here’s the video …

(more…)

Sometime before the White Sox played the New York Yankees on Wednesday, ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews had a chat with Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain.

Chamberlain was talking about his father, who apparently has been getting better after collapsing earlier this month. 

But as Andrews wrapped up the interview … she reached out and held his arm in support  … and it looked as if Chamberlain said something that made her roll her eyes and scrunch up her face.

Okay – who can read lips?  Does he say “I love you” or something like that? 

Whatever Chamberlain said isn’t picked up by the microphone … but it made Erin Andrews wince in exasperation, if not disgust.  She looks like  she got Punk’d after showing genuine emotion towards Chamberlain about his family situation.

If that’s the case (and it might not be – I really can’t tell what the heck Chamberlain said or if that’s what caused her reaction) – that’s just obnoxious.

Andrews gets and takes a lot of crap from horny college students (and coaches) at NCAA basketball and football games – solely because she’s an attractive woman.  But this is the first time I think I’ve ever seen her catch it from a professional athlete.

Somebody out there really knows me (actually, full disclosure: I do have a friend at ESPN Zone that forwarded this on to me) and designed the perfect contest for me, and probably many readers of this site.

Yep a “watching TV, eating, and drinking as much as you want all while sitting in a perfect recliner” contest. The ESPN Zone in Chicago is running its 6th annual (who knew they had already run 5 of these before), Ultimate Couch Potato Competition. 

This is no joke, it is a real competition. 

The rules are simple: sit in a comfy DreamSeat recliner in the front row of the Screening Room facing a wall of HD TVs, all showing non-stop sports programming and featuring the college bowl games. 

Participants can order unlimited food and beverages compliments of ESPN Zone, however they may not sleep or leave their chair and restroom breaks are permitted every eight hours.

The ESPN Zone in New York is going to have their first one this New Year’s Day.   Second City my ass.

Five lucky participants (including last year’s champ) have a duel to see who can sit on the recliner the longest while watching sports, eating and drinking without falling asleep. You get a bathroom break every 8 hours.  According to the site, last year’s winner made it 40 hours.

I think this Greek could take this in a breeze, but alas, there is NO way I get a 2 or 3 day hall pass to compete, especially from work (the contest starts on New Year’s Day and this finance guy can’t miss year end close).

It really is too bad, because among the prizes you win if you are the last person awake is a 42 inch HD TV, which I really need.  And get this … no matter win or lose, if you make it 12 hours, you get to the keep the recliner!!  12 hours … any amateur sports watcher should be able to do that.

Maybe one of you guys out there have the right stuff to do this!  Check out the site and enter if you so choose.  Maybe Richie will throw in a Homerderby.com T-shirt if you win …

Do we have those Richie?

So Dick Vitale, the overcaffeinated and bombastic NCAA basketball analyst for ESPN, recently made some predictions for the Major League Baseball playoffs a little while ago on ESPN Radio with Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic. 

I wonder how those turned out?

Let’s hear what Dickie V had to say about the MLB playoffs and how his predictions held up …

(more…)