Showing posts with label lucas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lucas. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

How to Bowl Like a Sportsblogger

When Jordan Hill took us bowling and showed off some Lebowski-esque skills (just your standard nonchalant behind-the-back-through-the-legs roll. No biggie), Lucas also took the opportunity to show off a trick shot of his own. The "Sportsblogger Shot" leverages the specific contours of the Sportsblogger's body type/hunch, to maximize both accuracy and irony.





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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Winning Team has Winning Choreography

This video of Utah state's Winning Team/Losing Team cheer is making the rounds of the interwebs today. Aside from it getting me completely psyched up before I figured out what they were actually saying ("lyrics" below), I would like to point out that based on the commentators' discussion, the Modern Tabernacle Choir apparently has choreography.



Is that not a score board?
Yes that is a score board!
Is that not a 74?
Yes that is a 74!
Is that not a 62?
Yes that is a 62!
Is that not the winning team?
Yes that is the winning team!
Is that not the losing team?
Yes that is the losing team!
WINNING TEAM! LOSING TEAM! WINNING TEAM! LOSING TEAM! WINNING TEAM! LOSING TEAM! WINNING TEAM! LOSING TEAM!


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Thursday, October 1, 2009

Blogs With Balls Radio, Episode 6


This week’s Blogs With Balls Show on the JoeSportsFan Radio Network is now available.

Download Episode 6 Here.



Changing up the show's format this week as we get right down to brss tax with guest Dan Levy - host of On the DL Podcast, BwB 1.0 veteran, moderator at BwB 2.0 in Vegas and organizer of the "Blogs with Balls Charity Poker Shootout" featuring Annie Duke and some of the top pro poker players in the world.

Before hyping up the tourney, Levy talks about two things he knows best - podcasting and marketing. Lucas then flips the tables and puts Dan "on the DL" during "Skyped Up."

This week's links of interest:

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Saturday, August 22, 2009

Before Jon, There was Greg

In 2001, the Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year was Greg Montalbano. A fierce lefthander, Montalbano was a local-boy-makes-good story when drafted by the Red Sox. At the time he was 3 years removed from his battles with cancer. Two years later he was a top prospect.

Sadly, after several recurrences of his illness over the last few years, he succumbed to his illness today.


Just 10 months ago, the Boston Globe ran a moving feature story on Greg detailing his continuous battles with cancer as a ballplayer right up to 2007. While every member of Red Sox Nation has heard of Jon Lester and his brave fight with cancer, Greg's story was lesser known, and Greg probably would have wanted it that way. Like Lester, he did not define himself as a great pitcher with cancer, but as a great pitcher who happened to be fighting cancer. The difference between the two is Greg fought cancer over and over and over again.

This section from the Globe's article is very telling:
Montalbano's surgery was scheduled for January 2007. Until then, he spent as much time as he could outdoors, fishing or hunting. Alone.
"If this is going to be my one month, I'm going to breathe the fresh air and enjoy it while my body can," he said. "What am I going to do, sit and pout for a month? I might never get out of treatment until they put me in a wooden box.
"I know I'm bald. I know my facial hair is not growing. But I don't look in the mirror and say, 'Oh, Greg, your life sucks.' Crying? I've done it. It's overrated."
On Jan. 2, 2007, doctors removed a tumor. Seven days later, they operated again to remove another tumor.
Carlos Peña, a former Northeastern teammate and now a star first baseman for Tampa Bay, was one of the first to visit Montalbano.
"He never complains," says Peña. "The best way to describe him is his courage. He's got the mind of a champion, the way he lives everyday life.
"It's so easy to give up but he does the total opposite. We just love him. God bless him. To go through this with a smile on his face, it's amazing to watch. If we can only be half the man Greg Montalbano is, we'd be all right."
Somewhere around this time, Montalbano's dream of playing in the major leagues died. Getting 27 outs on a baseball diamond was no longer the most important thing in life.

In the interest of full disclosure, I knew Greg when I was younger. He was on my little league team for years, and definitely the best pitcher we had. He was the consummate teammate - older, cooler and way more talented than any of us, but he never acknowledged those traits in himself.

Before Jon Lester there was Greg Montalbano, and throughout Greg's all too brief life, he worked tirelessly to not be defined by his fight with cancer.  I will grant him that much. I will remember him by how he chose to fight his illness - with an attitude that was determined, courageous, stubborn, and optimistic - the attitude of every great pitcher.

UPDATE: Since word got out, there are a lot of stories you can read about Greg. In a great tribute, two players who knew him well gave him the highest honor a ballplayer can give another:
[Kevin] Youkilis was a teammate of Montalbano in Double-A Portland during the 2003 season while [Carlos] Pena was with Montalbano at Northeastern.
After one of the homers, Youkilis, who tied a career high with two homers and six RBI, he pointed to the sky in honor of Montalbano and had the initials “GM’’ on his hat. When he got to the locker room after the game, Youkilis saw Pena’s homer against the Rangers on television.
“I just saw Carlos Pena hit a home run and he had a sign that said, ‘That was for you, Monty,’” said Youkilis. “It’s an unbelievable feeling that two guys who played with him hit home runs today. It was a great thing.


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Sunday, June 14, 2009

Blogs with Balls 1.0 is in the Books

A thorough breakdown of Blogs with Balls will be up soon, but for now feel free to check out what people are saying right now about the event.

We have lots of pictures and videos to come, but this one is one of my favorites, if only because it went from being an idea of ours late Wednesday to being shot and edited by Thursday night.



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Friday, May 22, 2009

So. Not. Hip.

It's no EPIC DOUCHE, but damn if this doesn't make the Bostonian in me just as sad. From the geniuses at "Look at This Fucking Hipster"
“So, I’m wearing my 1985 New England Patriots t-shirt. And here is my Ralph Nader tattoo. Basically, my body is a shrine to epic losers. “

If people like this aren't supposed to get punched in the neck, why would God have invented the roll of quarters?

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Friday, May 8, 2009

Champions of the Pole Position

If it's a championship, that means it's a competition, which suggests it's a sport, which means we OWE it to everyone to post it.



via 3NE Media


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Every Team Needs an Official Musk

Earlier we showed you the goodie-bag at the NFL Draft Classic. What you didn't see in other video was a Sex-Panther-powerful scent 9IX Rocawear. Why they didn't want a scrawny white dude to pitch it, I'll never know. Feel free to enjoy my attempts as a pitchman. It's official though - it is the official musk of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Football Giants. My work here is done.





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Tuesday, May 5, 2009

HHR at the NFL Draft Classic: Melyssa Ford is Bad at Easing Pain

In describing her premonition of the Giants Super Bowl victory over the Pats, Melyssa Ford manages to make me feel simultaneously ashamed and tingly. Well Played.

HHR @ NFL Draft Classic - Melyssa Ford is Bad at Easing Pain. from HHR on Vimeo.




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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

HHR at the NFL Draft Classic

We mentioned it earlier, and now we have something a bit better than fuzzy pictures taken on a Blackberry to give you the full NFL Draft Classic experience. A few videos below - with more to come - courtesy of our friend Ben at Beryllium Pictures and Rob of rrbaker.

This first one gives you the best idea of the environment. Sadly I could not get the women with the sparklers to take a moment to discuss the important issues of the day. Which in my mind were the patron shots they were carrying.


When asked what the rookies had to look forward to, I never got an answer like, "They will be treated with the utmost respect and concern for their image." Half the time they would just cackle, and keep their lips tight. Ray Rice at least had advice beyond 'shave your head now because it's gonna get cut anyway, meat.'


This gentleman was probably the most articulate dude in the club. Which is why his well reasoned, logical, and thoughtful answers belong nowhere on this site.


And finally, we have a great montage that shows why I think the Jacksonville Jaguars locker room may be one of the most fun, well-dressed, and 'deceptively' well-read in the NFL. I just realized now that Uche actually says, "Cause the Goose gon' get loose!" at the end. Even with the new unis? That may be too ambitious.


We have more to come, including a very unfiltered Brandon Jacobs as well as Uche himself saying he would give all this up to go to BLOGS WITH BALLS.

All in all a great night, and as someone said to me earlier, "I think I found my Cheers." I've never done the reporter gig before, but aside from the insane hours, the sobriety, and being hated by some of the people who you were there to see, it's all around a good time.

Related question - do I go somewhere to pick up my Pulitzer Prize now or do they just send it to me? I don't want to get stuck with any shipping charges.

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Monday, April 27, 2009

Have I Got a STEAL for You!


Hi there. I'm Jacoby Ellsbury, starting center fielder for the Boston Red Sox and recent stealer of home. As your girlfriend, wife, daughter or closeted son has probably told you, I'm quite an attractive guy. And like all attractive men, there are certain things I have to have in order to accommodate the lifestyle I live - Millions of dollars, my pick of the player's wives/daughters, natural athletic ability, and the land speed of a leopard set aflame. But there is one thing that I can't live without - and neither should you.

I am happy to make available my personal secret - the Jacoby Ellsbury UNDIE-Brella - for a limited time offer of $49.99.

Sometimes (OK, one time) you just want to go from the office to your multi-million dollar condo without having women of all shapes and sizes instinctively throwing their undergarments at you. Since that will never happen, I use the Undie-Brella. Swiss-designed, it protects the bearer from air-delivered thongs, granny-panties, bikini briefs, bras, leggings, panty-hose, and even flannel boxers, while providing unparalleled visibility to navigate in all directions.

If you call in the NEXT THIRTY MINUTES you can order the "Double-Steal" package and have it reinforced to withstand hotel-swipe cards and housekeys thrown from as high as 4 stories.

Don't let THIS happen to you!

I was trapped in this sea of undergarments for at
least three and half hours.
I only have myself to blame for showing my abs.

Without my Undie-Brella I was literally covered in women's
clothes from the brief walk between center field and the dugout!


So make sure you call 1-800-UNDY-BRL now. Operators are standing by. All major credit cards accepted. Daughters may be used as collateral. Or just used.


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Friday, April 24, 2009

HHR & Yardbarker at NFL Draft Classic

Behold the glory of the Yardbarker microphone. This simple, small, wireless mic is capable of magical powers, enabling he (or she) who holds it to be pursued by athletes, celebrities, and every curious gold-digger within a 15 foot radius. On assignment for Yardbarker, I attended the NFL Draft Classic hosted by Vernon Davis, and as the pictures (and forthcoming video) will show, Vernon was looking to talk to me. Clearly word got to him that I put him on my fantasy team early in his career. I assumed he intended to apologize.

Ha. Kidding.
Sort of. Not really.

Instead, he and his younger brother Vontae, who is a draft pick today but by Sunday night will be an NFL rookie, took time to hang out and talk shop with a scrawny bobbleheaded guy who is pasty white in a way only New England can produce. The fuzzy blackberry pics tell the story for now.

As you can see, Vernon Davis plays cool and acts unaffected by my celebrity status...


Vontae, however - his enthusiasm knows no bounds.

We have lots of video to come - as we were one of only 4 outlets allowed to shoot the inside of the party, so after an early trip out of NYC this morning, we're getting down to editing out all the crap where I keep asking why 3 drinks costs $55 and they only take cash.

But elsewhere in there we talked with players (and a Yardbarker blogger or two) from the Jets (Calvin Pace) the Giants (Brandon Jacobs and Terrence Pennington), the Jaguars, the Ravens, R&B singer Monica, Melyssa Ford, and D Woods from Making the Band (who gets a mention because she's from Springfield, MA and loves the Pats. Melyssa Ford gets a nod because she spent 30 seconds ripping into Patriots and then after realizing I was from Boston, cackled in my face and half-apologized. In that order.).


Aside from the part where she reveled in the Pats Superbowl loss
to the Giants with a mix of glee and sadism, Melyssa Ford was quite lovely.

Stay tuned -we have lots of video to come. Enjoy the draft!

ALSO: A very special thanks (and happy birthday) to Ben at Beryllium Pictures for making the trek and shooting on the last full night of his 20's. I did manage to get a drunk girl to sing happy birthday to him while he filmed, so in a way, it's kind of like he owes me now.

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Sunday, April 5, 2009

The A-Roid Cocktail: Part 2 of 2

Last week, I took a performance enhancer of my own. Casting aside the level playing field presented to me, I opted for the opportunity to elevate my own situation above those I count as friends and colleagues. I speak of course of my sneak preview of the A-ROID COCKTAIL. In short, it is definitely a game changer.


Concocted by Bonfire's in-house mixologist Heather, and surely designed to be ordered in the company of Yankee fans, it is $11 of pure cruelty, and a credit to this year's Red Sox menu. Thankfully you do not have to listen to Madonna while imbibing. But I'll be honest - it was so good I would have lip synced to "This Used to be My Playground" over and over.

The bartender Paul was a great guy ("Senior Bartender by age" he says) who was kind enough to suffer my inane questions like "What would you Serve A-Rod himself?"
"I don't think he'd be too happy with anything I serve him."
His answer was well-played even if it was a trick question. A-Rod would never be allowed in the establishment.

In order to make the experience as authentic as possible, I initially enlisted my cousin Vicky to come to the bar to administer the shot while I looked away and became distracted by something else. When that plan fell through, I saw the opportunity presented to me. I realized this beverage was less about the experience of taking it, but more about the personal confession to follow. I had to look my wife in the eyes and apologize for taking tequila shots and spicy tomato juice from a syringe. The only way to do that was to lean on the shoulders of the kind of people A-Rod did. And I had them in my back pocket. Literally.


On one hand, it's extremely tough to admit mistakes.
But on the other hand, it feels great to take a shot of tequila.

It was the support of Derek and Jorge that got me through such a difficult time. I even found a brief bit of solace in that I didn't wait several years before my name was part of a report linking me to something I repeatedly denied over and over while taking on huge contracts that weakened the organizations at the time I was with them, before discarding them for the next, more lucrative victim of my dishonesty. That's the kind of behavior that will turn a man's lips purple.

All of the Sox-themed drinks (the Green Monster, the RBI, and a Dice-K themed sake drink) will be available to the Fenway Faithful throughout the Sox season this year, not just on game days. Paul said he expects this drink to become popular around the Yankees games, and wouldn't be surprised to see a few syringes "being autographed." Not that he suggested it, but to those autograph-seekers at Fenway, I recommend gingerly handing (throwing) the syringe to (at) the Yankee dugout personnel (A-Rod) while politely requesting an autograph (Hey Mr. April, you forgot to take yer medicine!!! You SAAACK!)

In the end, it comes highly recommended. I'm looking forward to sampling the entire Red Sox Menu, and maybe contributing some ideas of my own. In fact today I began working on a "Clay Buchholz" idea - A drink with a name impossible to spell, that would be amazingly delicious the first time only, and every time after it's so bad, you wonder if it's worth trading for half-eaten nachos.

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Monday, February 23, 2009

Julio Lugo Has Lost a Step

If you are fighting to prevent being replaced in the lineup by an up-and-comer still recovering from a wrist injury, it's a good idea to demonstrate in clear terms what makes you the superior player. The best way to do that, as Julio Lugo correctly decided, is to race a small child in front of everyone. Beat him soundly and show you are not one to be trifled with.


But, much like a straightforward groundball, Lugo bobbles this opportunity as well. It appears he selected his son to race him; a huge miscalculation on his part. Little Julio Jr. has seen more than anyone how terrible his father is at shortstop. He's only three, but this kid understands he's got a rep to protect someday. By beating or even keeping pace with his dad he virtually ensures Jed Lowrie is in the lineup as the starter, thus preventing Julio Sr. from sullying his good name.

This is either the act of a very very mature three year old or a three year old being represented by Scott Boras.

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