Dec
24
Christmas Open Thread
ByHappy Holidays to you and yours from all of us at RAB. Christmas Eve is always the bigger event with my family, we all get together for dinner and to exchange presents and all that stuff. Christmas Day itself is almost like a day to unwind. I hope you’re having a wonderful holiday season no matter what you celebrate or what your plans may be. Merry Christmas.






Perhaps my all time favorite Christmas song, which was adapted from a poem. That poem was written, as you can see, in what I regard as the last year before the world was forever changed.
Great stuff Pat. I love this album.
figgy pudding. It’s a pudding made with figs… And bacon.
How about “Santa Baby?” Add to that song’s Xmas list: A-Rod retires; no trades of top prospects; 1 more great year from Mo. The rest has to be earned.
best Rock ‘n’Roll Christmas song ever?
What’s your opinion?
Mine? (Christmas) Baby Please Come Home, Darlene Love
I’d say Jingle Bell Rock, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree or Little Saint Nick.
I prefer The Muppets’ version of Little Saint Nick to The Beach Boys’ original, however.
Totally forgot about John Lennon’s “Happy Christmas (War Is Over).”
There’s also the very obscure Beatles’ “Christmas Time Is Here Again,” which Ringo Starr covered some 30 years later on his Christmas album. It’s not really much of a song, though.
It’s a tie between Christmas in Hollis by Run DMC and Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses.
80′s 4 Life
+1 80
Emerson Lake & Palmer – I Believe in Father Christmas
The Kinks – Father Christmas
The Waitresses – Christmas Wrapping
The Boss. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.
The pogues Fairytale of New York
Word. And it is not remotely close.
It’s more jazz than rock, but I love this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooc5eJc5SHA
All I need for Christmas is Matt Diaz and/or Juan Rivera on a one-year incentive-laden deal. Okay, and Jason Kubel. And maybe an out of nowhere trade for a starting catcher.
I usually do the Italian thing with the fish with my mothers side of the family in the Bronx, and my fathers side comes up Christmas Day. They are both equal in terms of food. Though I have no idea what the significance is of the fish during Christmas Eve. I am a very uninformed Italian.
Fish on the Eve is the main reason I like Christmas Day over the Eve. Never been a fish person and my family’s always on my case about it, haha.
I looked into this a bit earlier today because my wife wants to do a meat dish Christmas Eve and I keep telling her no.
The Catholic religion signifies Christmas eve (along with Friday’s in Lent) as “fasting” or “abstinence” days. If you don’t eat meat, that’s considered fasting, hence the fish. Italians typically celebrate the feast of the 7 fishes, but it’s not really clear when this feast became popular.
Interesting, thanks. Wednesdays and Fridays were fast days since those were the days of the Betrayal and the Crucifixion.
More here:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesa.....-on-friday
Hasn’t been a post about Matt Diaz yet, has there? I personally think he fills the RH platoon role perfectly. He’s a good contact hitter who has rocked lefties to a tune of .324/.364/.498 throughout his career. Compare that to Hairston’s .276/.325/.500 vs. lefties, and I would argue he’s a better hitter vs. lefties than Hairston is. Throw in the fact that he’s unlikely to get more than 1 year, $2M, and he’s easily the more cost effective option.
Honestly at this point I think Diaz and Rivera make more sense. Juan is murder on lefties. Fan graphs compared him favourably to Cody Ross.
Which means he gets overpaid…. But if the money is right, I can digs it.
+1
I got an early present with news of Mike Tannenbaum’s imminent demotion.
I thought David Wells was a southpaw?
Happy holidays to everyone on this wonderful website.
Hey all,
Just hoping everyone can keep the firefighters who were killed and injured today in my hometown of Rochester NY in your thoughts and prayers. As a volunteer FF, this hits close to home.
Thanks.
I live in Rochester, too, and we’re all still in shock over it.
Same here, had a buddy at the scene. Really terrible stuff and let’s not forget the 7 families that lost their homes on Christmas Eve as well. Really tragic.
Missed this comment.
Thanks for sharing. Peace to you and your family tonight.
itt, yanks should offer Soriano a 2yr 10mil contract. 5m per year seems good. might be the only offer he gets, lol.
Have a hard time seeing him fall that low.
Bing and Bowie. It’s still a bit of a surreal pairing, as both represented two different generations, yet both had a cool factor with their generations. Bowie was at the height of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which made this very traditional appearance by Bowie all the more powerful and odd. I can’t think of any pairing that would represent the equivalent today since Bowie can out-weird anyone. Out of it all came a very traditional sounding “classic” from men of very different generations, and maybe that’s why it worked so well. Merry Christmas, all.
I’ve always loved this.
About generational cool: certainly true for Crosby, called by the impeccably cool Artie Shaw “the first hip white man born in the United States”–as one can tell from Crosby’s early recordings.
He had a monster of a career: top of the record charts, top of the sheet music charts (a big deal then), top of the radio charts, and even top of the film charts. There’s a story that he sold so many records world-wide that his company, Decca, couldn’t keep up with the accounting.
I don’t think there’s ever been a 20th century performer–not Sinatra nor Elvis nor the Beatles–who had such fantastic success in so many areas.
Hell, he even pioneered the taping of shows, i.e., his radio show. It enabled him to spend more time at the track.
The Funny or Die re-enactment with John C. Reilly doing Crosby and Will Ferrell doing Bowie is funny. Especially when they insult each other at the end.
Too bad that for all of his “cool,” Crosby was such an abusive asshole in real life.
In attempted defense of Crosby, much of the abusive story came from his oldest son Gary, who wrote a tell-all book after his father died. I frankly had forgotten about this, so I googled it and it all came back.
There seems to be a tale of two cities with Crosby’s families, with the children from his first marriage, led by oldest son Gary, making much of the abusive accusations. One son denied it, with another sort of supporting it. The fact that two of Bing’s older children committed suicide, coupled with Gary’s claims, certainly does not paint a Norman Rockwellesque picture of family life. Yet what I also discovered was Bing Crosby’s first was was highly depressive and an alcoholic. One person quoted basically said if Bing dies when Gary was born, Gary would still be messed up and would be looking to blame someone else for how he felt.
Bing’s second family, including his wife and children, painted a very different picture of Bing, one that actually fits the image of America’s father figure, or eventually grandfather figure.
Anyway, I’m not attempting a defense of Bing or questioning Gary’s story. I’m a product of Bowie’s generation, not Bing’s and have no idea which is true. My guess is that first marraige was a nightmare at least for Gary Crosby, and that the later-year Bing Crosby seemed to fit the image of who people thought Bing was.
Bing Crosby’s first *wife* was depressive…
Yea, I’ve read the stories, too. I tend to believe that where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
There was smoke, alright.
The backstory here is phenomenal. As a massive Bowie fan (a couple of the guys here can tell you to what extent I’m a fan), I’ve always loved this.
I have about ten of Bowie’s CDs, although by your statement, I’m guessing that would make me a minor Bowie-phile!
I never knew this existed until sometime in the 80s when I heard it played on the radio. I thought it was some studio creation since Crosby had been dead for years. (In fact, passing away just weeks after Bowie and Crosby recorded this.) It just didn’t make sense to me that they once sang a Christmas song together. Further, I don’t think I ever saw the video clip until about a year ago when it suddenly dawned on me that it’s probably somewhere on YouTube.
I, um, named my son after him, and sent him a birth announcement to his actual address, which I got from a guy who is friends with Tony Visconti, his old producer.
I do own every album and can discuss any of them at the drop of a hat.
David Tilapia? or did you use his character’s name, Ziggy Tilapia?
Hehe. Zingy Tilapia. Very witty.
No, I named him David Jones. *snare*
No, I named him David Jones. *snare*
Monkee Davy Jones?
David Bowie’s name was David Jones, but changed it as the Monkee’s became popular.
Yes, I know.
This was actually after the Ziggy years, though. ’77 would put him right smack in the middle of the “Berlin” trilogy with Brian Eno.
I can get annoying with the Bowie stuff quickly.
You’re right. I knew this was from ’77, and confirmed it right before I put up that link, yet then my mind was placing it in ’73, which would have been Ziggy years.
Mental note to self: Do not challenge Robinson to a David Bowie trivia contest!
What I love the most about him is that, other than a couple of shitty 80′s albums, he’s never rested on his laurels and, even into his 60′s, was releasing challenging, independent-minded music.
I hope we haven’t seen the last of him.
Plus, wham bam Thankyou ma’am.
Ooh. Also just flashed to Pretty Pink Rose with Adrien Belew. Could be my favorite most obscure song.
Adrian Belew. That’s a name only real music lovers are familiar with.
Dude can make a guitar sound like no other. Saw him live in the early 90s and it was pretty epic.
Indeed. Real music geek’s kind of guitar player. Did some work with Reznor, though, so maybe some folks will know him through that.
Then again, Reznor’s pushing 40, if he didn’t pass it already, at this point.
No. He has to be over 40. If “Pretty Hate Machine” came out when I was in high school, and I’M PUSHING 40, then Reznor’s pushing 50.
Merry Christmas everybody!!
I (still) enjoy this site, Thank you Mike, and all the RAB crew, for the hard work. Thanks to the commenters, you guys make me laugh, although i don’t post that much.
Again, i wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!!
Thanks to all my favorite commentators…..
Merry Christmas everybody, I love you all
Love, The beer and scotch I’ve had this evening.
Anyone else looking forward to Chinese food tomorrow? If you know what I mean.
Our synagogue takes over the Chinese places around here…
Shalom
Streamed dumplings all around!
Me! Lol, my family is christian but all my friends are jewish and huge Doctor Who fans, so tomorrow after an early afternoon lunch-dinner thing with my family I’m going to my jewish friend’s house and we’re all gonna order chinese and watch Doctor Who. I’m gonna see how the other side lives this x-mas.
Excellent new handle
Also excellent life choices
Remember to share.
Congrats on the new handle. It is both timeless and completely irrelevant at the same time……much like Robinson Tilapia.
Looking forward to watching “A Christmas story ” 4-5 times tomorrow.
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-ni.....g/1177606/
At my house, at this time of year, we sing, to the tune of “Blue Christmas”:
I’ll have a Jew Christmas without you..
I’ll have a Jew Christmas without you.
Chinese food..
Movie show..
(There’s no Kosher Mistletoe)
So I’ll have a Jew..
Jew Jew Jew Christmas!
I can’t imagine I’ll be around much regularly tomorrow, so here’s a Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate. Santa knows who’s been good and who’s been trolling under 20 different screen names. There will be a couple of lumps of coal waiting for some of you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gzJFwB0JzE
since everybody else is posting their favorite Christmas songs, here’s mine. Favorite version of it too.
Merry Christmas to all on RAB!
Keep up the good work!
Personal favorite (NSFW if you happen to find this later): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP4-7VQV42k
Merry f’ing Christmas RAB
(Actual favorite: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDIQtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DoJx2cXR3iq4&ei=hlLZUKDJNqjqigKo84GoBg&usg=AFQjCNEAyKYnLPtrEpK-eWw55YPVlTv-pA )
merry christmas to everyone, and thanks mike for all your great work
#toomuchbrisket
Merry Christmas to all RABers. . You make passing the time a lot more enjoyable and a special thanks to Mike for giving us a place where we can all get together and fight like cats and dogs…. In a nice way, of course.
Hope Santa treats each and every one of you well (even Ted). Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
Merry Christmas from Switzerland everyone. This place is really amazing!
RAB? Or Switzerland?
Hey you bunch of maniacs. To the best Yankee fans in the world (and also, of the best trolls too…. Yeah I said it, #EddardWorld bitches!) have a merry merry merry Christmas.
Thank you Mike (and sometimes Ben and Joe) for keeping the great content up all year. Seriously, you guys didn’t slow down this year just because there were no games on, and that’s just awesome. Happy holidays guys.
A cap of celery to everyone!
Merry Christmas everyone! Whether you celebrate it or not, I hope you all have a great day!
Merry Christmas RAB!! Headed to NY from NC tonight, wish me luck! I’m coming through DC and into PA before making a turn west toward Buffalo. Hope the snow holds off!!
The Boss – Santa Claus is coming to town has always been one of my favorites.
I hope everybody here has a wonderful Christmas, and don’t forget about the real reason for the season.
Merry Christmas to every one!
Now that the presents have all been opened and the wrapping paper thrown away (my son got me a new Yankees polo-type shirt, understated in gray with the famous interlocking NY on the left side), it’s time to sit back and relax with the family. Roast Beef for Dinner tonight. I hope everyone has plenty to eat, a warm place to stay and friends and family to enjoy the day with.
what’s with the chatter about the future of third base by the way? move cano and his cannon arm there, and slot in adams or nunez or some other FA guy at second base. there don’t seem to be that many 2B players who mash in mlb compared to other positions
When you realize we have lost Damon, Matsui, Posada, and Swisher off our last champion team you begin to realize how far we have fallen. .
Yeah three guys who can’t play any more would really come in handy in 2013!
If you wanted to nitpick, I would be more worried about the number of players still on the team from 2009 (they being an older team then)….
But hey, whatever man, it’s your narrative.
lol
Why stop there? Let’s list all the guys we’ve lost since ’98. Ah, fuck it….since ’78.
This is stupid even on the dalelama scale.
Why? We lost that great talent and haven’t replaced it. The reactionary rump lickers on this board are delusional.
Added Granderson, Kuroda, Ichiro, Soriano and Martin since 09. See, it works both ways.
The most downright idiotic part of what you’re saying is that that the only person on that list who wasn’t lost to, basically, old age, was Nick Swisher. Every time someone gets old, a team is supposed to hit a button and, voila, new younger superstar shows up? Who’s done this, ever?
Your screen name being what it is would be the most ironic thing ever if it really just wasn’t plain dumb and not really that important.
All I want for christmas is for everyone including myself to start ignoring your idiocy.
Here’s my Christmas wish…
We trade for Alfonso Soriano and Matt Garza…
Then trade Granderson and a reliever/prospect to the Tigers and get back Austin Jackson and John Jaso… Rick Porcello goes to Seattle… and another player from the Mariners goes to the Tigers!
Your trade proposals suck. Merry Christmas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRW2poUfJ34
I AM SANTA CLAUS!
I know they lost ca. 95 2012 hr’s with the departures of Martin, Ibanez, Swisher, Chavez, and Jones. (Yes, 2012 is over, but those numbers have a bit more weight at this point than 2013′s do.)
And I guess they get about 19 2012 hr’s back (what’s that? Raul’s number?) with Youkilis (and some number n with Fearsome Frankie).
So, I guess they’re counting on an as-yet-unacquired X, Y, and maybe Z to achieve a reasonable downpayment–my own Christmas wish–on the residual lost hr’s.
But “too many homerz” was a thing like 6 months ago, wasn’t it? Am I having a stroke? Is that burnt toast I smell?
Counting HRs lost as an indicator of how a team has changed is comparable to judging a player’s offensive output by BA alone.
Sure, Jones hit 14 HRs in 2012. His overall output, though, was well below league average at a corner OF spot (according to fWAR Brett Gardner matched his overall production in 16 games). Ibanez hit a hair over league average from a corner spot despite the 19 HRs. From 09-11, Gardner put up the same wRC+ as and a better wOBA than Ibanez (with much better defense and baserunning on top of it). Youkilis might not hit as well as Chavez did in 2012, but he’ll probably do it for 66% more PAs. Theoretically eating into PAs taken by Nix, McGehee, Pearce, Ibanez, Jones… if we’re comparing 2013 to 2012.
I don’t expect that they’ll fully replace the offense of Swisher and Martin. If Romine, Ichiro, and a RH OF can hold their own, though, Granderson, Teixiera, Nova, and Pettitte might make up for some of the lost production by bouncing back to have healthy and/or productive years.
He ain’t smilin’ any more:
https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/yankee-jones-arrested-battery-charges-article-1.1227303?localLinksEnabled=false
Too much Egg Nog?
His middle name is Rudolf. Timing is everything.
Ha… He looks more like Coco Crisp in the mugshot when he’s not smiling. Perception is reality…
YES WE CAN order chinese food, as a Christian, on Christmas evening because I had to come home alone due to having to work tomorrow.
I hope everybody had a happy Christmas.
Anyone see the Doctor Who special? Looking at you Dalek Jeter/Raul/Voldemort.
Absolutely. I’m honestly in love with Clara/Oswin like I haven’t been in love w/ a fictional character since like…Hermoine Granger when I was 9 and Harry Potter (the book series) premiered. (Is that weird?)
In all seriousness here no, not at all.
Maybe a bit, but who really cares it’s happened to me more than once lately and I’m certainly more than 9 years old. I may have even developed a man crush for 10 (only half kidding). Just go with the flow and cry your eyes out when something inevitably happens to her. Anyway, for the shallow analysis of Clara, she’s very pretty, but after Amy I’m pretty sure every companion is just downhill in attractiveness. She was drop dead gorgeous, and I don’t even normally like redheads.
Beyond that, really liked the way it moved back into things. Interesting to see a less whimsical 11 in the wake of tragedy, gives him some more depth. I liked him a lot before (albeit not as much as Tennant, never will), but I like him to have this added depth.
Didn’t feel as detached as a lot of the Christmas specials have, largely because it didn’t get bogged down with Christmasy-wismasy stuff. Entertaining as always and can’t wait for more.
I agree 100% with your last paragraph, but then again, there is obviously something incredibly odd about Clara Oswin. I know there are a few more Whovians on the board, so I don’t want to spoil anything. However, because of the aparant strangeness and timey-whimey-ness that is Clara’s character I think that this episode will be slightly more detached by the end of the season. Also, it was in the middle of the season, that seems odd for a totally detatched Christmas episode.
As for the rest of your comment I couldn’t disagree with you more. The 9th Doctor was just cooler than the 10th, and Clara and Martha are hotter than Amy IMO.
Well everyone has opinions, certainly about what makes someone attractive so no reason to dwell on that. I loved 9, just didn’t get particularly great episodes. Probably liked Tennant best anyway, but he and Smith have certainly been aided by better stories. The fact that 10′s regeneration is one of the most emotional moments I’ve experienced also aids my love for him… Not t mention the beauty of it being Tennant’s lifelong dream.
Anyway the story itself will be totally detached, I just can’t remember any Christmas special that did anything as important as setting up that timey-whimeyness of Clara you mentioned. Really, really looking forward to seeing how that goes. I was thinking the whole thing would somehow work back towards Asylum of the Daleks, but now anything could happen.
Yeah, I’m really upset in retrospect that 9 only did one season. Also, don’t take it wrong. I loved 10, and the episodes w/ Tennant where definitely overall stronger than with Eccelson, though I will put The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances against any two parter that isn’t a season finale. I will agree with you though that Tennant’s back story of growing up wanting to be the Doctor is awesome, and he definitely brought a lot of that enthusiasm to the screen. I just kind of feel like he got really whiney in The End of Time Part 2. Eccelson went out with a little bit of dignity at least, Tennant was basically in tears before he regenerated. Also, The End of Time was just meh at best, so he didn’t go out on his highest note. It’s hard to rate them, but as of right now I like them right in order, 9 best, 10 second, 11 third.
Also, I am so sorry to any Not Dr. Who Yankee Fans…I tend to Geek out when Doctor Who is involved.
I apologize too… I promise we’ll restrict this to open threads. It will remain in my pants at other times… Mostly.
I can see that, I was just moved by how genuine Tennant’s performance was. He legitimately just did not want to go. It was a bit whiny, but at that point he’d gained amazing friends whereas 9 lost nobody, Rose was right there to see him regenerate. 10 knew he was leaving them all behind to save them. I do agree End of Time wasn’t Tennant’s finest story, but I thought the ending was incredible. Particularly the New Years moment. Again, I do understand your opinion, and “You were fantastic… Absolutely fantastic. And you know what? So was I!” remains one of my favorite lines of all time.
The Empty Child was amazing, I liked a few episodes before that I like a lot, but I think it was the story that made me really fall in love with the series. Personally my favorites are The Girl in the Fireplace, Doomsday, and Vincent and the Doctor. Blink might be up there but I feel like the hype surrounding the episode before I watched it hurt a bit.
And on one final note, I found out my friend got me this today: http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/ee4a/
I got him a “Bowties are cool” shirt… Talk about getting upstaged.
Uh should just be “saw a few episodes I before it that I liked a lot”
Also, click this link: http://25.media.tumblr.com/f0d.....o1_500.png
then if you also watch Sherlock, click this link: http://media.tumblr.com/1b923a.....qj2ldt.png
You honestly just named my 3 favorite episodes apart from Empty Child. I did enjoy Blink, but I didn’t even realize the hype it had before I saw it. I just think it was a great episode that existed outside of the story of The Doctor and Martha, also the line “The Angels have the Phone Box” is just a great line, plus my introduction to the Weeping Angels(idk if they existed in Classic Who) and they are my favorite monsters.
Also, I NEED THAT REMOTE. NEED. IT.
Wow, a man of good taste I see. Actually if I had to describe your taste, I’d say it’s http://gifsoup.com/webroot/ani.....9666_o.gif
Don’t watch Sherlock yet, but the friend who got me into Doctor Who says they’d recommend it over even Dr. Who so I’ve gotta watch it eventually.
And yeah, I’m really excited to get it. Still hasn’t come in the mail, he only told me he got it because I told him I was considering buying it haha. I will never stop using it. Ever.
You really must watch Sherlock. Warning though: Moffat’s a really big fan of throwing loved characters off of buildings. Amy, Rory, and Clara are not the only ones.
Will do… And I’ll prepare for building jumping.
Let me just get this off my chest: Tom Baker. Thank you. Now back to the conversation you all finished five hours ago.
1. Tom Baker
2. Jon Pertwee
3. Matt Smith
4. David Tennant
I can’t remember the rest of my rankings.
Hahaha Tilapia I get the sentiment there, it seems like the popular choices are either Baker or Tennant, Tennant getting the edge these days. I haven’t seen Classic Who but I definitely feel that I should at least check out some Baker episodes.
Stop spoiling the Doctor Who episode, you crazy people!
That being said, I’d like to make a public service announcement. My dad and I went to a late showing of Django Unchained. It was more crowded than I expected, which generally isn’t good for me considering how uncomfortable my knee (and apparently rest of my leg and hip now) can feel while sitting in a movie theater.
But let me just say this: Just because there is someone around to clean up after you in a movie theater, that doesn’t mean you SHOULD make them. Seriously. I walked out of the theater and saw nothing but leftover popcorn buckets and soda cups all over the place. This had to be the dirtiest I’d ever seen a theater when leaving, and that includes sold out midnight shows.
So, honestly, if you’re going to the movies, please do the right thing and throw away your own fucking trash.
Sorry we tried to keep it minimal but some vague things might’ve slipped out.
I’m on board with you there, my dad always leaves everything and when I tell him it’d be very easy to save them the trouble he says something about it being their job. An effortless gesture that collectively makes someone’s job a hell of a lot easier is worth it. It’s not like they’re rolling in cash, they’re already earning what they make.
This would be the polar opposite of my wife, who pre-stacks our dishes at restaurants to make it easy for the runners.
It’s a much nicer world when you do things like this.
OK so besides the degenerates in your neck of the woods and the barking knee/hip/leg…
Can a brotha get a movie review!?!?!?!?!?! No spoilers, just a “worth sitting in a theater for” or “Hit it on Redbox” would suffice…
Has anything not-directly-Tarantino-directed ever been a stinkbomb?
“From Dusk to Dawn” was basically Tarantino and Rodriguez jerking off on the screen for about 80 minutes, but it was still memorable for the right/wrong reasons.
The only real complaint I had about “Django” is that it’s probably a bit overlong, but definitely go see it.
back to reality……..1500 dollars seats…and a very hard cap of 189,189,189,189,189,………………..
http://s623.beta.photobucket.c.....L.jpg.html (SFW)
Your shtick is played out.
just like that yankee cheapness..played out
I think you don’t know what played out means.
189,189,189,…..let me know if this is played out enough for you.