My baseball historian anonymous friend was looking over some stuff this evening on MLB.com, when the headline and a red banner both screamed "Lance McCullers perfect through 5!".
My friend notified me and said, "The A's get a hit in the 6th."
TWO PITCHES INTO THE SIXTH INNING, bye-bye perfect-o, Mark Canha, clean single to center.
You dumbshits at MLB.com -- The Curse is real. You start talking about that shit too soon, and...
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Friday, April 27, 2018
The Greatest Royal Propaganda Exercise, and why Vince McMahon is a pig.
Today, and you wouldn't know it if you didn't know about it, was a WWE pay-per-view/Network special.
It was one of the most unique cards the company has ever put on. It was a massive sold show (WWE was paid in advance for the show, ticket prices for other than the propaganda were minimal), in which the company was paid a reported nine figures (somewhere in the area of $100 million to $200 million) just to put on a show...
In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Now, let's be honest here: There's a lot more to this than meets the eye. The House of Saud is purporting a massive ten-year reform effort, and has signed on the WWE to help out -- modernizing entertainment, allowing some ability to recognize women as more than just cattle, etc.
A lot of wrestling fans (myself included) sat out the card almost completely. The number of red flags this card has put up, however, is startling. Not only that, but it is almost scary to think of the ramifications, especially as you know Vince McMahon and Donald Trump are good friends, with wife Linda the head of the Small Business Administration.
This has been some degree of true throughout the Middle East, but there have been inroads. WWE itself did a show last year in the United Arab Emirates, and two women wrestled on it. Yes, in full body suits so as not to show off against local custom. But it was still a progress.
No such progress here. The women had to stay home. However, a point has been made that the women will be paid per the money the show made -- which could be a massive payday because of the ridiculous Saudi millions.
In fact, the only women allowed to attend were special "family seating" at ringside with the Saudi royals (this was truly the Greatest Royal Rumble, the name of the show) to make people believe there were reforms going on...
That was the amount of space Saudi custom required to keep the common riff-raff from the Royals (and their propaganda instruments). It was literally a $100-200M show for... 3,000 people, the rest on the outside looking in?
But I look at all the cultural problems with this card, and I am left to recall:
The only difference (if he's actually religious, and not just for himself and what he, in one angle, used to call "McMahonism") is Allah vs. Christ.
And if you don't like it, this is probably what Vince thinks of you (and me):
It was one of the most unique cards the company has ever put on. It was a massive sold show (WWE was paid in advance for the show, ticket prices for other than the propaganda were minimal), in which the company was paid a reported nine figures (somewhere in the area of $100 million to $200 million) just to put on a show...
In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Now, let's be honest here: There's a lot more to this than meets the eye. The House of Saud is purporting a massive ten-year reform effort, and has signed on the WWE to help out -- modernizing entertainment, allowing some ability to recognize women as more than just cattle, etc.
A lot of wrestling fans (myself included) sat out the card almost completely. The number of red flags this card has put up, however, is startling. Not only that, but it is almost scary to think of the ramifications, especially as you know Vince McMahon and Donald Trump are good friends, with wife Linda the head of the Small Business Administration.
- The first and largest issue many of us have had with the card is the backwards mentality Saudi Arabia has with women.
This has been some degree of true throughout the Middle East, but there have been inroads. WWE itself did a show last year in the United Arab Emirates, and two women wrestled on it. Yes, in full body suits so as not to show off against local custom. But it was still a progress.
No such progress here. The women had to stay home. However, a point has been made that the women will be paid per the money the show made -- which could be a massive payday because of the ridiculous Saudi millions.
In fact, the only women allowed to attend were special "family seating" at ringside with the Saudi royals (this was truly the Greatest Royal Rumble, the name of the show) to make people believe there were reforms going on...
- Oh, the seating itself... Well, if you need any idea of how little The Powers That Be view the rest of the commoners in Saudi Arabia, someone posted to Reddit's professional wrestling forum this picture, just as Universal Champion Brock Lesnar was coming in, showing the cultural divide between the elites (and their propaganda "actors" -- no, the families aren't acting/faking, but they are being actors in the Saudi propaganda) and the "lesser people":
That was the amount of space Saudi custom required to keep the common riff-raff from the Royals (and their propaganda instruments). It was literally a $100-200M show for... 3,000 people, the rest on the outside looking in?
- That the card, sans Ronda Rousey's star turn in the mixed-tag in New Orleans, was probably better than the one for Wrestlemania 34 in the first place.
- Undertaker facing Rusev in a casket match, rather than a 90-second squash to John Cena in New Orleans.
- A rematch for the Smackdown main title, better than Mania.
- A steel-cage rematch for the Raw main title, with a shocking twist that once again Vince rim-job Roman Reigns fails to beat Brock Lesnar.
- A ladder match for one secondary title...
- In fact, all the men's championships defended on the show, just like Mania.
- And the topper is a 50-man, 90-minute Royal Rumble match, the largest in history, for a trophy and an apparent Saudi Championship which was won by fan favorite "Monster Among Men" Braun Strowman.
- At least one wrestler, because of concerns, opted out of the card. Sami Zayn is of Syrian descent, and that would've been an obvious political problem.
- One wrestler had to change his gimmick. Finn Balor has become an inclusive voice in the WWE with his character ("Finn Balor is for everyone."), including rainbow representation.
- The "foreign heat" segment which was used to get over Saudi trainees for the WWE Performance Center almost went very badly. The two heels who had to work to get the trainees over (the Daivari brothers, in their first, and probably last, WWE appearance together) decided to dip their feet into the Saudi-Iran proxy war, which ruffled more than a few feathers.
- And then there's Vince McMahon himself.
But I look at all the cultural problems with this card, and I am left to recall:
- Vince is a Republican.
- He's friends with President Fat Q*Bert.
- It's almost clear that a misogynistic, big-money-only society like Saudi Arabia's would be central to the type of society he would like to see here!
The only difference (if he's actually religious, and not just for himself and what he, in one angle, used to call "McMahonism") is Allah vs. Christ.
And if you don't like it, this is probably what Vince thinks of you (and me):
The NFL doesn't know what the fuck it's really saying here -- or does it?
Two stories from the ongoing NFL Draft:
December 4, 2017, Shazier was almost killed on Monday Night Football during a fateful game between his Pittsburgh team and Cincinnati.
Head down, to the opposing player's ribcage.
Helmet shot. Compressed his neck, no feeling in the legs...
Until January.
He's out for the 2018 season already, but, Thursday night, walked on the stage in Dallas to announce the first-round pick of the Steelers.
This guy is now the poster boy for what is about to happen to someone in this league. We've now had two frighteningly close calls with respect to players nearly dying on the field.
And the NFL, trying to purport a "feel-good moment" in all of this -- and, yes, Shazier DOES want to play again!! -- has, instead, reminded everyone of why their sport is about to collapse.
I put the over-under on the number of headshot reviews in the Thursday Night opener at about twelve.
He asked for an NFL investigation, the NFL closed ranks and declared nothing amiss...
And the first-round prospect fell nearly to the end of the second round as a result, #59 to Washington.
- The first is a "What the Hell were you thinking?" moment.
December 4, 2017, Shazier was almost killed on Monday Night Football during a fateful game between his Pittsburgh team and Cincinnati.
Head down, to the opposing player's ribcage.
Helmet shot. Compressed his neck, no feeling in the legs...
Until January.
He's out for the 2018 season already, but, Thursday night, walked on the stage in Dallas to announce the first-round pick of the Steelers.
This guy is now the poster boy for what is about to happen to someone in this league. We've now had two frighteningly close calls with respect to players nearly dying on the field.
And the NFL, trying to purport a "feel-good moment" in all of this -- and, yes, Shazier DOES want to play again!! -- has, instead, reminded everyone of why their sport is about to collapse.
I put the over-under on the number of headshot reviews in the Thursday Night opener at about twelve.
- And, once again, you don't rock the NFL boat, especially as it relates to the NFL's status as the No F_____s League.
He asked for an NFL investigation, the NFL closed ranks and declared nothing amiss...
And the first-round prospect fell nearly to the end of the second round as a result, #59 to Washington.
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Well, someone has, at the least, made their statement against the cabal of college football...
In it's own way, it's that self-aggrandizing thing which usually aggravates people and all that shit.
But the circumstances do appear to indicate that the University of Central Florida athletic director has decided to tell the CFP Cabal to go fuck themselves.
Denied a national title only by the design of every playoff system from the Alliance to the Coalition to the BCS to the CFP, UCF AD Danny White decided he was going to declare his undefeated team national champions, fuck the entire system.
They were the only team to go undefeated. They did defeat an Auburn team with wins over Alabama and Georgia, both #1 at the time. When UCF beat them in the Bigot Bowl (who sponsors the Peach Bowl, people?), White promised to have them treated as national champions, and he made good.
But the circumstances do appear to indicate that the University of Central Florida athletic director has decided to tell the CFP Cabal to go fuck themselves.
Denied a national title only by the design of every playoff system from the Alliance to the Coalition to the BCS to the CFP, UCF AD Danny White decided he was going to declare his undefeated team national champions, fuck the entire system.
They were the only team to go undefeated. They did defeat an Auburn team with wins over Alabama and Georgia, both #1 at the time. When UCF beat them in the Bigot Bowl (who sponsors the Peach Bowl, people?), White promised to have them treated as national champions, and he made good.
- T-shirts
- Parade at Disney World
- Parade in the streets of Orlando
- Today at the spring game, the team got national championship rings (is that legal under the NCAA rules? Yes, the NCAA authorizes national championship rings in football, but I believe only when SOMEONE with an authority on the subject so declares -- could make for an interesting counterpoint here!)...
- And, after a short highlight video, a tarp was pulled from the facing of Spectrum Stadium (UCF's home stadium) with the declaration "2017 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS"
Adam Silver, you had best get control of your playoffs, and you best get control of them now.
I think I've now counted at least a half a dozen at least medium-level incidents in the last 24-48 hours.
This NBA Playoffs began with a very real dialogue as to whether a season of simmering discontent between the players and the referees (led by the Golden State Thugs getting 10 ejections this year, Kevin Durant FIVE OF THEM -- and I'll tell you right now they're not winning the title this year) was going to carry over into the playoffs.
Looks like it may actually be becoming on-floor altercations between players...
First off, here, again for the record, is the definition of an ejection Flagrant 2 from the NBA:
"A flagrant foul-penalty (2) is unnecessary and excessive contact committed by a player against an opponent. It is an unsportsmanlike act and the offender is ejected immediately."
Robert Covington should've been thrown out for a Flagrant 2.
Moore should've been tossed for the shove on McCollum, the original foul should also have been looked at, as McCollum made no effort on the ball.
Collins should've been tossed for shoving Rondo.
The fact is that the referees, to prevent a full-out Malice at the Palace situation, are going to have to start enforcing the WORDING of Flagrant-2, not just the execution of it in normal parlance.
I mean, I'll say it: The only reason you haven't seen more out of the Warriors in their series (and there has been some there too) is unfortunate real-life events intervening.
Commissioner Silver, time to get control. NOW.
This NBA Playoffs began with a very real dialogue as to whether a season of simmering discontent between the players and the referees (led by the Golden State Thugs getting 10 ejections this year, Kevin Durant FIVE OF THEM -- and I'll tell you right now they're not winning the title this year) was going to carry over into the playoffs.
Looks like it may actually be becoming on-floor altercations between players...
- Today, Philadelphia-Miami Game 4: Unnecessary post-whistle altercation after Ben Simmons of Philadelphia fouls Miami's Goran Dragic, and Johnson decides to continue to drive until Robert Covington of Philadelphia shoves him down, leading to a scrum and extra technicals for Covington and Miami's James Johnson. (ESPN)
- Today, New Orleans-Portland Game 4: New Orleans sweeps the Trailblazers, but not before two first-half incidents. The first has E'Twaun Moore fouled hard on a drive by Portland's C.J. McCollum. Moore shoves McCollum, leading to one scrum.
- Right at the end of the second quarter, a second altercation breaks out when Zach Collins commits a foul on a rebound and then shoves New Orleans' Rajon Rondo. (Yardbarker)
- Last night, Washington/Toronto Game 3: 2 1/2 minutes into the game, Markieff Morris of the Wizards and OG Anunoby of the Raptors get into it and need to be separated.
- Kyle Lowry of the Raptors swiped across Bradley Beal's forehead in the third quarter of the same game and got a Flagrant 1.
- John Wall and Serge Ibaka nearly came to blows in the third quarter. (ESPN)
First off, here, again for the record, is the definition of an ejection Flagrant 2 from the NBA:
"A flagrant foul-penalty (2) is unnecessary and excessive contact committed by a player against an opponent. It is an unsportsmanlike act and the offender is ejected immediately."
Robert Covington should've been thrown out for a Flagrant 2.
Moore should've been tossed for the shove on McCollum, the original foul should also have been looked at, as McCollum made no effort on the ball.
Collins should've been tossed for shoving Rondo.
The fact is that the referees, to prevent a full-out Malice at the Palace situation, are going to have to start enforcing the WORDING of Flagrant-2, not just the execution of it in normal parlance.
I mean, I'll say it: The only reason you haven't seen more out of the Warriors in their series (and there has been some there too) is unfortunate real-life events intervening.
Commissioner Silver, time to get control. NOW.
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Off-Season Suspension Blotter: I will ask again: HOW IS VONTAZE BURFICT ALLOWED TO PLAY FOOTBALL?
I usually don't do the first Suspension Blotter for drugs and the like this early in the off-season, but I do it here to make a point:
This will be the third consecutive year that Vontaze Burfict will be suspended for at least the first three games of the regular season. Twice suspended three games for his long record as one of the dirtiest players in football, Burfict was banned four games on April 12.
As a result, he no longer has any guaranteed contract left with the Bengals. He had a $11.2 million guaranteed portion of his contract -- that's gone. But the Bengals, to this point, have made it clear: An oft-suspended Burfict is so valuable for being a dirty piece of shit that, even though all parties within the Bengals have discussed cutting him, they won't.
Just saying, bitch...
--
Other early-offseason drug suspensions:
- Cincinnati Bengals: Vontaze Burfict, strike one on the drug policy, 4 games, PEDs.
This will be the third consecutive year that Vontaze Burfict will be suspended for at least the first three games of the regular season. Twice suspended three games for his long record as one of the dirtiest players in football, Burfict was banned four games on April 12.
As a result, he no longer has any guaranteed contract left with the Bengals. He had a $11.2 million guaranteed portion of his contract -- that's gone. But the Bengals, to this point, have made it clear: An oft-suspended Burfict is so valuable for being a dirty piece of shit that, even though all parties within the Bengals have discussed cutting him, they won't.
- Week 7, 2017: $12K for kicking
- After the playoffs, 2016: 3 games for his continuing record.
- November, 2016: $12K for flipping fans the bird.
- October 2016: After serving his first on-field suspension, fined $75K for two late hits.
- After the playoffs, 2015: 3 games for almost decapitating Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown...
- Playoffs, 2015: ... one game after being fined $50,000 for a late hit!
- December, 2015: Multiple unsportsmanlike conduct incidents, $70,000 in fines.
- October, 2014: $25,000 for intent to injure, including attempting to break the ankle of Cam Newton.
- November, 2013: $21,000 for spearing.
- October, 2013: $7,875 for a face mask, could've been fined twice more for late hits in the same game!
- September, 2013: $21,000 for a defenseless-player incident, and, in the same game, another $10,000 for kicking a player in the nuts!
Just saying, bitch...
--
Other early-offseason drug suspensions:
- New Orleans Saints: Josh Huff, two games, 2016 marijuana arrest which got him bounced the from the Eagles. Played three games with Tampa and got bounced there. Signed January 2018 to a "future/reserve contract" with the Saints, making the Saints responsible for his suspension.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Cory Liguet, four games, PEDs.
- New York Giants: Four days after signing with the Giants, Josh Mauro was suspended four games for PED's. As such, the Giants are responsible for any penalty under the rules.
- Carolina Panthers: Thomas Davis, the first four games of what he wants to be his final season, PEDs.
I reiterate to the little gaming shits of America, you are about to lose it all...
One of the readers of this blog has proposed a gigantic sign:
NUMBER OF DAYS SINCE LAST VIDEO GAME/E-SPORTS SCANDAL
... with the number perpetually frozen at zero.
But a broadcaster for Korean coverage of the Overwatch League finally admitted it: They are NOT ALLOWED to mention any achievement or gameplay by OGE by name. It is unclear as to whom has made the edict, but given the complete incompetence of Blizzard regarding this league (to the point I believe, and have stated, it should be shut down entirely!), I would have to think this is a Korean sponsor issue.
The only argument against that is that one has to wonder what sponsors would continue to put up with this abomination of an e-sports league.
--
Gaming is, more and more, becoming a haven for racists, bigots, misogynists, pedophiles, trolls, and a lot of the worst of what we have to offer as a youthful society.
Keep it up much longer, and someone like Mike Pence is going to punish us all for you fucks being unable to control yourselves.
NUMBER OF DAYS SINCE LAST VIDEO GAME/E-SPORTS SCANDAL
... with the number perpetually frozen at zero.
- In an article reporting that Korean broadcasters (probably under some duress either from Blizzard or from sponsors) are refusing to even report the play of account-boosting cheat-pro Son "OGE" Min-Seok of the Dallas Fuel (more on this team in a moment), Kotaku e-sports site Compete reports that the Philadelphia Fusion had drafted Su-min "Sado" Kim, banned for the first three-quarters of the entire first season (THIRTY MATCHES -- three full ten-match stages of the four in the regular season) for the same offense.
But a broadcaster for Korean coverage of the Overwatch League finally admitted it: They are NOT ALLOWED to mention any achievement or gameplay by OGE by name. It is unclear as to whom has made the edict, but given the complete incompetence of Blizzard regarding this league (to the point I believe, and have stated, it should be shut down entirely!), I would have to think this is a Korean sponsor issue.
The only argument against that is that one has to wonder what sponsors would continue to put up with this abomination of an e-sports league.
- Counter-Strike has been forced to ban a player for a racial slur, a player calling a Brazilian opponent a "monkey", Compete reports.
- The coach of the controversial Dallas Fuel has finally been fired. (Compete)
--
Gaming is, more and more, becoming a haven for racists, bigots, misogynists, pedophiles, trolls, and a lot of the worst of what we have to offer as a youthful society.
Keep it up much longer, and someone like Mike Pence is going to punish us all for you fucks being unable to control yourselves.
The NHL isn't really going to go through with it, are they?
There's been something percolating under the radar ever since the NHL season began last October...
#VegasStrong
I can tell you from being in Las Vegas last August that the expected outcome for the Golden Knights was to be a historically bad expansion franchise. I believe the official over/under for points for the season was somewhere in the range of 40.
The Buffalo Sabres were the worst team in the NHL this year with 62 points.
Vegas' expansion team was near the President's Trophy for all but about the last month of the season. They finished off with 109 points, first in the Pacific Division, third in the Western Conference, and fifth overall in the NHL.
By the current format of the NHL playoffs, the divisions, as much as possible, are kept together. So the two teams better than Las Vegas in the regular season in the Western Conference (Nashville and Winnipeg) would have to play each other first before playing the Golden Knights.
But that's not the reason I write this post.
It's that we're already seeing a pattern of officiating in these playoffs which is indicative that the NHL wants to promote #VegasStrong...
Even Deadspin has picked it up: The officiating, so far, dangerously bad.
Just watch the animated GIF for a good idea. It got NO PENALTY, and only a one-game suspension for Winnipeg's Josh Morrisey for trying to almost decapitate Eric Staal with a cross-check to the head.
If I were Player Safety, that's balance of the series at minimum, and maybe far longer than that!
Another suspension that go no on-ice penalty impacted the first Vegas series (a 4-0 sweep victory over the LA Kings, who only scored three goals in the series and were shut out twice): Drew Doughty of the Kings was suspended for Game 2 (and didn't like the decision!) for a hit on William Carrier of the Golden Knights. (Video is also in the Deadspin article.)
Nikita Kucherov of Tampa Bay was not penalized in Game 4 of their series with Detroit for a very similar hit. Today, it was announced he was NOT suspended for Game 5.
Oh really, Player Safety? That Kucherov hit was worse than the Doughty hit -- and the Deadspin article shows both!
I'm getting the sinking suspicion the NHL is on the bandwagon of national tragedy comebacks for sports propaganda purposes. And, like baseball, a very real possibility that an improbable run here (locals have now pushed the Golden Knights to co-favorite status to win the Stanley Cup!) could be made on the back of a national tragedy.
Anyone with an understanding of things related to such events can only think of one thing: When does the next major domestic terror attack that ends up at the feet of some whackjob come with the attached expectation that same whackjob is doing it to get his obsession a championship?
We've already seen it once. We may well see it twice.
(For the record: However, I will NOT put the Houston Rockets in the same boat here unless the NBA officiating gets crazier than the NHL stuff is getting. #HoustonStrong may well push them over the top, but the fact is that, unlike the other two cases, the Rockets have been on that next tier, ready to ascend, a couple of years now.)
#VegasStrong
I can tell you from being in Las Vegas last August that the expected outcome for the Golden Knights was to be a historically bad expansion franchise. I believe the official over/under for points for the season was somewhere in the range of 40.
The Buffalo Sabres were the worst team in the NHL this year with 62 points.
Vegas' expansion team was near the President's Trophy for all but about the last month of the season. They finished off with 109 points, first in the Pacific Division, third in the Western Conference, and fifth overall in the NHL.
By the current format of the NHL playoffs, the divisions, as much as possible, are kept together. So the two teams better than Las Vegas in the regular season in the Western Conference (Nashville and Winnipeg) would have to play each other first before playing the Golden Knights.
But that's not the reason I write this post.
It's that we're already seeing a pattern of officiating in these playoffs which is indicative that the NHL wants to promote #VegasStrong...
Even Deadspin has picked it up: The officiating, so far, dangerously bad.
Just watch the animated GIF for a good idea. It got NO PENALTY, and only a one-game suspension for Winnipeg's Josh Morrisey for trying to almost decapitate Eric Staal with a cross-check to the head.
If I were Player Safety, that's balance of the series at minimum, and maybe far longer than that!
Another suspension that go no on-ice penalty impacted the first Vegas series (a 4-0 sweep victory over the LA Kings, who only scored three goals in the series and were shut out twice): Drew Doughty of the Kings was suspended for Game 2 (and didn't like the decision!) for a hit on William Carrier of the Golden Knights. (Video is also in the Deadspin article.)
Nikita Kucherov of Tampa Bay was not penalized in Game 4 of their series with Detroit for a very similar hit. Today, it was announced he was NOT suspended for Game 5.
Oh really, Player Safety? That Kucherov hit was worse than the Doughty hit -- and the Deadspin article shows both!
I'm getting the sinking suspicion the NHL is on the bandwagon of national tragedy comebacks for sports propaganda purposes. And, like baseball, a very real possibility that an improbable run here (locals have now pushed the Golden Knights to co-favorite status to win the Stanley Cup!) could be made on the back of a national tragedy.
Anyone with an understanding of things related to such events can only think of one thing: When does the next major domestic terror attack that ends up at the feet of some whackjob come with the attached expectation that same whackjob is doing it to get his obsession a championship?
We've already seen it once. We may well see it twice.
(For the record: However, I will NOT put the Houston Rockets in the same boat here unless the NBA officiating gets crazier than the NHL stuff is getting. #HoustonStrong may well push them over the top, but the fact is that, unlike the other two cases, the Rockets have been on that next tier, ready to ascend, a couple of years now.)
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Video gaming, get your asses under control YESTERDAY, or get banned by some Republican fuck.
Two more video-gaming stories which might indicate it's far past time for somebody within the industry to finally force the issue of fair play, decency, and law-abiding game players by force, lest the continuing "Video Games Iz Bad" meme nail us all and the "PROTECT THE CHILLRUNS" bullshit cost us gaming entirely.
ANOTHER scandal hit the league this week.
Jonathan "DreamKazper" Sanchez was thrown off the Boston Uprising team earlier this week under at least investigation that he attempted to take advantage of two underage girls on the Internet -- their stories, with changed names, are on the linked article.
One actually "met" Sanchez through the Overwatch League, as apparently Sanchez appears to have basically scouted people following the matches for potential victims. The 16 year-old claims to have been singled out for responses from Sanchez, which she, at first, found thrilling.
The second was 15, and Sanchez knew it. Also got nudes of her as well.
Appears to be the standard story of two girls being groomed for a potential sexual situation with Sanchez at a later date. You really need to read the article to see how stereotypical this guy was getting fast.
Sanchez apparently purchased a flight to Los Angeles for the first girl. She responded by accepting his request for nudes, according to the article.
When you're done reading that, you can read THIS: California Penal Code 288.4.
Arranging a meeting with a minor (though most charges are under the age of 14, the age in question in the law is under 16 -- though one example on the website!) for lewd purposes is a sex offense in the state of California, where the Overwatch League is played.
And when that's done, you have sexting charges for child pornography against Sanchez, and that's both girls -- the age on that is a full eighteen under Penal Code 311.
But it is far past time for this whole charade to end.
Shut the Overwatch League down because the organizations are unable to find professional e-athletes who are willing to conduct themselves in legal, much less professional, manners.
The Overwatch League is now (at least before the expulsion on April 9) harboring a probable child predator, and certainly a purveyor of child pornography, and using his position in the Overwatch League to feed it.
Shut the whole damn thing down. There's too many for people to avoid.
The real question has to become what kind of cabal Twin Galaxies had to protect all this. We know it involved at least one child rapist and a very real possibility of a second predator, on top of all the cheating, collusion, and all that kind of shit.
The decision was made after months of research, and technical expertise which indicated that there was real possibility that Mitchell's premiere Donkey Kong records were actually done on modified hardware.
It is now clear that action must be taken with respect to Mitchell's frauds, on both monetary and award bases. It is clear that a cabal of individuals have conspired to illegally monopolize the record books of Twin Galaxies, and Jace Hall has a near-impossible task of cleaning the mess (and that's if -- unlike what a number of video-game aficianados believe -- he wishes to) Mitchell and his cabal have caused.
But just keep it up -- it's soon going to get far beyond "I'm ashamed to play video games." to somebody like a Mike Pence saying "You can't be trusted to."
- It's time to shut down the Overwatch League. (Compete, Kotaku's e-sports side blog.)
ANOTHER scandal hit the league this week.
Jonathan "DreamKazper" Sanchez was thrown off the Boston Uprising team earlier this week under at least investigation that he attempted to take advantage of two underage girls on the Internet -- their stories, with changed names, are on the linked article.
One actually "met" Sanchez through the Overwatch League, as apparently Sanchez appears to have basically scouted people following the matches for potential victims. The 16 year-old claims to have been singled out for responses from Sanchez, which she, at first, found thrilling.
The second was 15, and Sanchez knew it. Also got nudes of her as well.
Appears to be the standard story of two girls being groomed for a potential sexual situation with Sanchez at a later date. You really need to read the article to see how stereotypical this guy was getting fast.
Sanchez apparently purchased a flight to Los Angeles for the first girl. She responded by accepting his request for nudes, according to the article.
When you're done reading that, you can read THIS: California Penal Code 288.4.
Arranging a meeting with a minor (though most charges are under the age of 14, the age in question in the law is under 16 -- though one example on the website!) for lewd purposes is a sex offense in the state of California, where the Overwatch League is played.
And when that's done, you have sexting charges for child pornography against Sanchez, and that's both girls -- the age on that is a full eighteen under Penal Code 311.
But it is far past time for this whole charade to end.
Shut the Overwatch League down because the organizations are unable to find professional e-athletes who are willing to conduct themselves in legal, much less professional, manners.
The Overwatch League is now (at least before the expulsion on April 9) harboring a probable child predator, and certainly a purveyor of child pornography, and using his position in the Overwatch League to feed it.
Shut the whole damn thing down. There's too many for people to avoid.
- And someone else who probably needs to go to prison, and the entire gaming industry might feel the aftershocks if he does
The real question has to become what kind of cabal Twin Galaxies had to protect all this. We know it involved at least one child rapist and a very real possibility of a second predator, on top of all the cheating, collusion, and all that kind of shit.
The decision was made after months of research, and technical expertise which indicated that there was real possibility that Mitchell's premiere Donkey Kong records were actually done on modified hardware.
It is now clear that action must be taken with respect to Mitchell's frauds, on both monetary and award bases. It is clear that a cabal of individuals have conspired to illegally monopolize the record books of Twin Galaxies, and Jace Hall has a near-impossible task of cleaning the mess (and that's if -- unlike what a number of video-game aficianados believe -- he wishes to) Mitchell and his cabal have caused.
But just keep it up -- it's soon going to get far beyond "I'm ashamed to play video games." to somebody like a Mike Pence saying "You can't be trusted to."
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Look, I know Wrestlemania was bad, but Rob Manfred is taking over for Vince McMahon!
It's rare when you can get one full-scale dustup in baseball, it seems.
Today had TWO, and you could've seen both of them coming!
Earlier in the day, we had the culmination of a National League West bean-fest between San Diego and Colorado.
San Diego's Manuel Margot got beaned last night, and was sent to the 10-day DL for what happened.
That set off a war in the third inning today.
Luis Perdomo threw behind and hit Nolan Arenado, and it was ON.
By the end of that, five players were ejected (Perdomo, Arenado, San Diego's A.J. Ellis, and Colorado's German Marquez and Gerardo Parra), and it's clear that the league offices are going to have a busy day.
One made busier at ESPN's favorite rivalry. Yep, it's round eleventybillion of Red Sox-Yankees, after the Yankees got drubbed 14-1 the night before:
And this one had more violence before it!
Tyler Austin slid late into second base in the first inning, clearing the benches when Brock Holt of the Red Sox took exception. That was just words.
Wade's at bat in the seventh (above) was not!
98 MPH to the back by Joe Kelly, and this one is on too!
Austin and Kelly were tossed, as was the third-base coach of the Yankees.
Somebody is going to have to understand that this violence (and another line-drive takeout of a pitcher with the juiced balls, this one Jordan Zimmerman of the Tigers, with a bruised jaw now) is exactly what the piece of shit in New York wants.
This is Rob Manfred-ball...
Today had TWO, and you could've seen both of them coming!
Earlier in the day, we had the culmination of a National League West bean-fest between San Diego and Colorado.
San Diego's Manuel Margot got beaned last night, and was sent to the 10-day DL for what happened.
That set off a war in the third inning today.
Luis Perdomo threw behind and hit Nolan Arenado, and it was ON.
By the end of that, five players were ejected (Perdomo, Arenado, San Diego's A.J. Ellis, and Colorado's German Marquez and Gerardo Parra), and it's clear that the league offices are going to have a busy day.
One made busier at ESPN's favorite rivalry. Yep, it's round eleventybillion of Red Sox-Yankees, after the Yankees got drubbed 14-1 the night before:
And this one had more violence before it!
Tyler Austin slid late into second base in the first inning, clearing the benches when Brock Holt of the Red Sox took exception. That was just words.
Wade's at bat in the seventh (above) was not!
98 MPH to the back by Joe Kelly, and this one is on too!
Austin and Kelly were tossed, as was the third-base coach of the Yankees.
Somebody is going to have to understand that this violence (and another line-drive takeout of a pitcher with the juiced balls, this one Jordan Zimmerman of the Tigers, with a bruised jaw now) is exactly what the piece of shit in New York wants.
This is Rob Manfred-ball...
Another offshoot of the way-too-long and way-too-irrelevant, hence way-too-rigged, NBA regular season...
And this one isn't about direct tanking.
Russell Westbrook has, for the second year in a row, averaged a triple-double for the entire season.
And he needed his teammates to bend over and take oneup the ass for the team to do it.
Many saw it coming before tonight's regular-season finale, including Deadspin.
Westbrook had to take questions this morning, needing 16 rebounds tonight to finish the year averaging 10+ points, rebounds, and assists a game.
He got 20, and most reports had him vacuuming up every defensive rebound while the rest of his team got everyone else out of the way.
Adam Silver: This is what happens when no one has to care. At least we can say with honesty Oklahoma City tried -- they won by 14.
Then you look at some of the others: 18 rebounds against the Heat in a game no other OKC player had more than 5.
But this is what happens when your regular season means nothing. Squat. Diddly.
It becomes about me-first, dare we say Jordonesque ballhoggery...
This one just wasn't about shots and points. He took care of that some time ago...
Time to shorten the regular season to force it to be meaningful. But THE SHOW MUST GO ON!!!
Russell Westbrook has, for the second year in a row, averaged a triple-double for the entire season.
And he needed his teammates to bend over and take one
Many saw it coming before tonight's regular-season finale, including Deadspin.
Westbrook had to take questions this morning, needing 16 rebounds tonight to finish the year averaging 10+ points, rebounds, and assists a game.
He got 20, and most reports had him vacuuming up every defensive rebound while the rest of his team got everyone else out of the way.
Adam Silver: This is what happens when no one has to care. At least we can say with honesty Oklahoma City tried -- they won by 14.
Then you look at some of the others: 18 rebounds against the Heat in a game no other OKC player had more than 5.
But this is what happens when your regular season means nothing. Squat. Diddly.
It becomes about me-first, dare we say Jordonesque ballhoggery...
This one just wasn't about shots and points. He took care of that some time ago...
Time to shorten the regular season to force it to be meaningful. But THE SHOW MUST GO ON!!!
Friday, April 6, 2018
Hey, New York! Regret legalizing MMA and UFC yet?
I have a reader of this blog who's referred to MMA as an alleged sport of two maniacs just mauling each other.
The last thing Dana White and UFC needed was Conor McGregor proving that reader absolutely CORRECT!
It's all over the media, but Conor McGregor snapped yesterday. Feloniously and violently SNAPPED.
UFC 223, which, until yesterday, was scheduled to be held in Brooklyn on Saturday.
Probably still will, but varying reports have two or three of the fights cancelled after Conor McGregor threw a pissy fit that the UFC is finally stripping his championship.
Because he then did THIS:
That's a different video than some of what you've seen around the Net, but still...
Today, he was charged with three counts of misdemeanor assault, one count of felony criminal mischief.
For this, he was released on $50,000 bail. (Funny, a certain civilian did far less and got $25,000 cash bail ($250,000 in reality), and wasn't even charged with a felony! But I guess that's what you get when you are the most important person in this situation, right Conor???)
The New York authorities need to fucking cancel tomorrow's card as if lives depended on it.
According to information yesterday:
They need to call off this fucking card. Good, fast, and in a hurry.
Conor McGregor, to one extent or another, has cancelled FOUR of the thirteen fights on this card.
Banned for life doesn't even BEGIN to describe this. That's the start, but someone needs to basically say if this guy shows up within 500 yards of the site of this thing, they need to shoot the fucker.
And with members of his posse involved, there's no way I think this card can go forward.
And then there's the question that must be put to the athletic commissions: Between the drugs and the outside-of-ring situations, how much more are we going to tolerate until someone does a full-blown investigation into the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Dana White, and all other relevant parties?
An investigation that I believe will see White jailed... It's becoming clear to anyone paying attention they're either employing the wrong people or turning them into ticking time bombs...
And Brock's supposed to be back come Tuesday... Joy.
The last thing Dana White and UFC needed was Conor McGregor proving that reader absolutely CORRECT!
It's all over the media, but Conor McGregor snapped yesterday. Feloniously and violently SNAPPED.
UFC 223, which, until yesterday, was scheduled to be held in Brooklyn on Saturday.
Probably still will, but varying reports have two or three of the fights cancelled after Conor McGregor threw a pissy fit that the UFC is finally stripping his championship.
Because he then did THIS:
That's a different video than some of what you've seen around the Net, but still...
Today, he was charged with three counts of misdemeanor assault, one count of felony criminal mischief.
For this, he was released on $50,000 bail. (Funny, a certain civilian did far less and got $25,000 cash bail ($250,000 in reality), and wasn't even charged with a felony! But I guess that's what you get when you are the most important person in this situation, right Conor???)
The New York authorities need to fucking cancel tomorrow's card as if lives depended on it.
According to information yesterday:
- The Michael Chiesa-Anthony Pettis fight is off. Chiesa suffered facial lacerations when the bus got attacked.
- The Ray Borg-Brandon Moreno fight is off. Borg may never fight again: Corneal abrasions.
- The New York State Athletic Commission has already banned McGregor teammate Artem Lobov from his fight with Alex Caceres for Lobov's involvement in two incidents, the second one being with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
- Nurmagomedov, who was supposed to fight Tony Ferguson for the belt the UFC stripped from Conor, had that fight cancelled for the FOURTH TIME because of a knee injury to Ferguson. He then was scheduled to fight Max Holloway, and the NYSAC said no to that, given the amount of weight he'd have to cut on short notice.
- So now, Khabib will fight Al Iaquinta for that belt. The NYSAC won't allow Iaquinta to win the 155 pound belt should he win, but Dana White's already made it clear that two-tenths of a pound won't matter to him.
They need to call off this fucking card. Good, fast, and in a hurry.
Conor McGregor, to one extent or another, has cancelled FOUR of the thirteen fights on this card.
Banned for life doesn't even BEGIN to describe this. That's the start, but someone needs to basically say if this guy shows up within 500 yards of the site of this thing, they need to shoot the fucker.
And with members of his posse involved, there's no way I think this card can go forward.
And then there's the question that must be put to the athletic commissions: Between the drugs and the outside-of-ring situations, how much more are we going to tolerate until someone does a full-blown investigation into the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Dana White, and all other relevant parties?
An investigation that I believe will see White jailed... It's becoming clear to anyone paying attention they're either employing the wrong people or turning them into ticking time bombs...
And Brock's supposed to be back come Tuesday... Joy.
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