Just got back from the game. Kia won 8-1! It was one of the better games I've been to. I wish I could watch the re-broadcast right now but my TV is now an expensive and not very comfortable ottoman. It was different for many reasons. VERY different! Let me splain.
First of all because of the death of Roh Moo Hyun there were no cheerleaders. I didn't know that was the case until I got to the game. That was strange.
Secondly I am so sick of baseball game chicken I stopped by Im Shil Pizza and got a pie to bring to the game. That difference was very nice!
Thirdly, because of the pizza and because I was late I had to take a taxi to the game. First time this year I didn't walk there.
Fourthly, I sat on the 3rd base side of the stadium because I was late for the game and that side fills up slower. NOT because there were no cheerleaders. (Cheerleaders are on the 1st base side). Also it gave me a good chance to get close to the 3rd base coach, who calls the signs for the batters and I could see into the dugout to see what the players and coach were doing. Maybe I'm dreaming but I just might have had an effect on the outcome tonight.
Let me set the scene. It was the 4th inning. Kia was ahead 3-0. The lead-off hitter got on. I just KNEW Jo was gonna call the bunt. So I was yelling and screaming and making X signs with my arms but they bunted anyway. It was a perfect sac bunt. But then the next hitter walked nullifying it. That usually happens. They managed to score a run in the inning but they left two guys on. Without bunting they would have had another at bat with two runners aboard. THAT is what you sacrifice when you sac. bunt. I was not happy with the one run.
Later in the 7th inning Kim Weon Seop is the lead-off hitter. He gets on. Next is Lee Jong Beom, a great contact hitter and one of the best players in the HISTORY of Korean baseball. Kim Weon Seop is the fastest guy on our team. Kia is up 4-1. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT hit and run opportunity. Lee Jong Beom squares around to bunt. I got NUTS! A couple people called me and told me I was on TV tonight. I'm hoping THIS is when. Luckily the bunt attempt was foul. Then it happened. Somehow, I don't know how, maybe they saw me on TV, maybe they heard me yelling or saw me doing bunt gestures and shaking my head or making a big X with my arms, or maybe someone else knocked some sense into the coaches, I don't know but on the next pitch Lee Jong Beom did NOT square around to bunt. A pitch or two later might be the most beautiful pitch I've ever seen here! Kim Weon Seop took off for second. The pitch was high. But Lee Jong Beom took a very ugly swing at it anyway. I get the feeling he hasn't done the hit and run a lot because it was an AWFUL swing! But it was a swing nonetheless. Hallelujiah, the HIT AND RUN!!! The ball was a perfect double play ball straight to the second baseman and instead of jumping over it Kim Weon Seop slowed down and let it pass in front of him but he was STILL safe at second. The throw to first was NOT IN TIME!!! YEEHAW!!! Nobody out and two guys on!
Next hitter gets a base hit. Run scored! Next hitter flies out but the runner on third scores! One out and two runs in. Next hitter got out but because there was no damn sacrifice we still had one more chance with two runners on. BAM! Two MORE runs scored! We got four runs in the inning and put the game out of reach at 8-1. So technically it turned out we didn't NEED those runs but I was high fiving total strangers while they were coming around.
I bash Jo Beom Hyun for NOT calling the hit and run and bunting too much so I better give him credit for NOT bunting and calling the hit and run. That was SWEET to watch. I hope I see it again! And I hope I had just a little to do with it although I really don't think I did.
However, one other time the starter, Guttormson, had loaded the based with only one out and the pitching coaches came out for the second time in the game and I was yelling in English and Korean for them NOT to take him out. I don't remember ever seeing them visit the mound for a second time without pulling the pitcher. But this time they DID. And Guttormson got the next two guys out! You can bet one of the relief pitchers would have allowed at least one of them to score.
Whether they did any of this even partially because of me is doubtful. But they played the game RIGHT today and look what happened! 8-1!
So I guess I'll hold off on becoming a Lotte Giants fan for a little while.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Two conspiracy theories for the price of one
It's quite a news weekend here in Korea! Former president Roh, (pronounced No), Moo Hyun is said to have committed suicide. Here's the article from a local English paper. I have a feeling we haven't heard the last of this. Read it and tell me if you find anything suspicious. I sure do.
First of all does he often go hiking alone with a security guard? I know he's a public figure but was he THAT famous? And it was pretty dog gone early in the morning to be so worried about being mobbed by adoring, (or not adoring), fans. I think it's probably scumbag businessmen he's worried about more than fans. But I want to know more about this security guard who is presumably tough enough to stop people from killing Roh but not tough enough to stop him from kiling himself. AND who gave him a last cigarette as if he were the firing squad commander. Very suspicious.
I am also kind of puzzled by his selection of location. If I were to kill myself I might do it in nature like that, instead of an office building, but a 30-meter cliff? That's just high enough to break a few bones. And he WASN'T dead until the first response and medical services of Korea, (whose ineptitude I have written about before), got ahold of him. They say it nicely in the article but what they did was they took him to the wrong hospital then had to transfer him again. Par for the course. And brain massage? That might be a genuine medical procedure but it conjures up images of Koreans pounding themselves or each other in injured areas. I wonder what "brain massage" entailed.
They found suicide notes but please, anyone can type a suicide note on someone's computer. I'm thinking of the situation he was in. Here is a president who two of my friends have told me, (spookily enough within the last month!), was one of Korea's best. From what I've heard he actually DID do some things to fight corruption in Korea. That alone would be a very good reason for him to have a security guard with him at all times. And now, (huMONGOUS surprise!), it's been found out that he may have been corrupt himself. Although I don't think a measly 6.4 mil. would even be enough to QUALIFY as corruption here! He'll still be fondly remembered as a relatively squeaky clean politician. To me, a small amount of corruption like that seems more like a hastily manufactured explanation for suicide.
In a country that may be more capitalist than any other, where money is the measure of a man by traditional and modern social ideals, where you'd be more likely to sight Bigfoot than an honest businessman, (and where more people believe the former exists than the latter), politics is gonna be a cesspool of deceit. What if there really WAS a guy who was honest? An uncorruptable politician who made it to the presidency and made it harder for dishonest, not-so-hard-working guys to steal a buck. Or a won. What would you do with a guy like that. You'd try realy hard to pass the money disease on to him of course. But if that failed, you'd make him look like he was corrupt. Just so nobody else thinks there can be such a thing as an honest politician in Korea and no future Roh Moo Hyun admirers will rise up to disrupt the well oiled capitalist corruption machine that is the Korean economy. And then just so he can't defend himself against the corruption charges, (or reveal anything that might reveal real corruption on YOUR part), you'd rub him out. Really, in a place like this how hard would it be to corrupt, say, a body guard or an ambulance driver or a doctor?
Maybe I've been watching too much CSI but I have a feeling there's more to this than meets the public eye. I said earlier that we may not have heard the last of this but on second thought even if this IS all an elaborate assassination of a former president, I doubt anyone will ever know. Intriguing though. It may not be the Kennedy assassination but I bet they'll make a movie soon.
At any rate, I may be the last guy in the country to hear about it. One of the reasons is that for the second time in two years my damn TV blew up! How can that happen to one guy so often? This time it wasn't as smoky an explosion but it set off a kind of alarm and it wouldn't stop beeping until I unplugged the TV. That is not easily done since in any room here you are VERY lucky to have more than one electrical outlet so behind every stick of furniture and appliances are tangles of dusty, disgusting extension chords. I had to go through all that to find the TV plug, which eventually required me to move the TV, a big cabinet full of stuff, a table and the fridge. By the time I'd done all that a fuse had blown and everything on one side of my room was powerless including my fridge, cable TV box, Wii, computer, toaster, and microwave.
The top plug in the outlet was the only one with anything in it. And it had a series of extension chords that lead to all the things listed above. It was burnt out. I couldn't get any power from it. So just for kicks I tried plugging into the BOTTOM plug. It worked. I tell you, OINK!
So now I have a big TV on the floor in my room. I have no idea how to throw it away and I have a feeling I might have to pay for it if I do. I doubt I'll be able to fenagle a new one out of the college. At least not till re-contracting time. AND I can't watch Kia Tiger games any more. Although I may just become a Lotte Giant fan if things continue the way they're going with the Tigers.
I went to the game on Friday with a Kasia, Maria and another couple of friends. The game on Thursday was yet another frustrating effort for the Tigers. Or for the Tigers coaches to be exact. It was 10-10 in the 6th inning. It was 10-6 but my fave player Son Young Min gave up 2 runs then a couple other pitchers gave up two more all in the L.G. Twins half of the 6th inning. In the bottom of the 6th Kia's lead-off hitter got on. So OF COURSE, IN A 10-10 ballgame! In the 6th inning!!! Sacrifice bunt. God I hate that pussy baseball. And I'm positive the Kia players do too. Then the next Kia batter walked. The next guy got a hit, the next guy got a hit and Kia had three runs before the next two guys got out. There was a shot of Tiger coach Jo Beom Hyun in the dugout clapping about it like he had been the cause of it. The fact if he hadn't sacrificed they'd still have two guys on base with two out. But he'll never understand that.
So it's 13-10 and Yoon Seok Min comes out for the 9th. He's the best pitcher in Korean baseball being wasted as the closer for Kia. He proceeds to allow two runners on. Then the LG coach applies some Jo baseball and tries to bunt the two runners over. HELLO? You're down by 3 runs!!! Best pitcher in the league? So the bunt goes right to Yoon, the pitcher who fields it with loads of time to throw to third and get the lead runner, a double play or even a TRIPLE play. He double clutches then throws the ball two feet out of the reach of the third baseman. This is a pitcher who makes his living throwing the ball with pinpoint accuracy. I think he might have done it on purpose. Again I was kind of glad because I don't want Yoon Seok Min to do TOO well as the closer because then it would make a collossally stupid coaching move look good. Maybe that's Yoon's thinking too and I support it if it is. Again it's a conspiracy theory of mine and I don't think we will ever know.
BUT perhaps as punishment??? the next night, (when we went), there were only three regular starters on the field for the Tigers and the pitcher was a guy, (Lee Dae Jin), who hasn't been in the starting rotation since the opening week of the season and I don't think he'd pitched since then. Now okay, maybe Jo was resting guys because the Thursday game went into extra innings and it took 6 hours before the final 13-13, which is a loss for both clubs. One of the few things I hate about Korean baseball. But I don't know because the next night, the game I couldn't watch because my TV blew up, Jo throws out three guys who are even WORSE! The starter hasn't pitched all year. He went 2 innings with a 27 ERA. One of the guys who relieved him was a guy who Jo threw out there the previous week who got shelled for 3 runs in 1 1/3 for a 20 ERA and yesterday he pitched for a 15 ERA. Getting better!
Now I'm all for giving the new guys a chance but the way the Tigers are hitting these days they could field half decent pitchers and get wins. Jo isn't even doing that. He's managing to mess up the best thing his team has going for it: starting pitching. But the Tigers continue to win despite him. I just hate seeing a good team being managed into mediocrity. Still think Jo must go. Maybe today he'll choose one of the back-up catchers to pitch. I'll have to go to the game to find out...
Here's Kasia and Maria with Soju Man.
Here they are looking pretty bored, (cuz they WERE), in the 6th inning after Kia fell behind 7-2 and Jo kept the best players on the bench. They decided to leave and I don't know if I was mad or bored but I left with them. The final was 8-3. I've never left a game early until that one. I think I'll go today but I might leave early if this coaching nonsense continues.
First of all does he often go hiking alone with a security guard? I know he's a public figure but was he THAT famous? And it was pretty dog gone early in the morning to be so worried about being mobbed by adoring, (or not adoring), fans. I think it's probably scumbag businessmen he's worried about more than fans. But I want to know more about this security guard who is presumably tough enough to stop people from killing Roh but not tough enough to stop him from kiling himself. AND who gave him a last cigarette as if he were the firing squad commander. Very suspicious.
I am also kind of puzzled by his selection of location. If I were to kill myself I might do it in nature like that, instead of an office building, but a 30-meter cliff? That's just high enough to break a few bones. And he WASN'T dead until the first response and medical services of Korea, (whose ineptitude I have written about before), got ahold of him. They say it nicely in the article but what they did was they took him to the wrong hospital then had to transfer him again. Par for the course. And brain massage? That might be a genuine medical procedure but it conjures up images of Koreans pounding themselves or each other in injured areas. I wonder what "brain massage" entailed.
They found suicide notes but please, anyone can type a suicide note on someone's computer. I'm thinking of the situation he was in. Here is a president who two of my friends have told me, (spookily enough within the last month!), was one of Korea's best. From what I've heard he actually DID do some things to fight corruption in Korea. That alone would be a very good reason for him to have a security guard with him at all times. And now, (huMONGOUS surprise!), it's been found out that he may have been corrupt himself. Although I don't think a measly 6.4 mil. would even be enough to QUALIFY as corruption here! He'll still be fondly remembered as a relatively squeaky clean politician. To me, a small amount of corruption like that seems more like a hastily manufactured explanation for suicide.
In a country that may be more capitalist than any other, where money is the measure of a man by traditional and modern social ideals, where you'd be more likely to sight Bigfoot than an honest businessman, (and where more people believe the former exists than the latter), politics is gonna be a cesspool of deceit. What if there really WAS a guy who was honest? An uncorruptable politician who made it to the presidency and made it harder for dishonest, not-so-hard-working guys to steal a buck. Or a won. What would you do with a guy like that. You'd try realy hard to pass the money disease on to him of course. But if that failed, you'd make him look like he was corrupt. Just so nobody else thinks there can be such a thing as an honest politician in Korea and no future Roh Moo Hyun admirers will rise up to disrupt the well oiled capitalist corruption machine that is the Korean economy. And then just so he can't defend himself against the corruption charges, (or reveal anything that might reveal real corruption on YOUR part), you'd rub him out. Really, in a place like this how hard would it be to corrupt, say, a body guard or an ambulance driver or a doctor?
Maybe I've been watching too much CSI but I have a feeling there's more to this than meets the public eye. I said earlier that we may not have heard the last of this but on second thought even if this IS all an elaborate assassination of a former president, I doubt anyone will ever know. Intriguing though. It may not be the Kennedy assassination but I bet they'll make a movie soon.
At any rate, I may be the last guy in the country to hear about it. One of the reasons is that for the second time in two years my damn TV blew up! How can that happen to one guy so often? This time it wasn't as smoky an explosion but it set off a kind of alarm and it wouldn't stop beeping until I unplugged the TV. That is not easily done since in any room here you are VERY lucky to have more than one electrical outlet so behind every stick of furniture and appliances are tangles of dusty, disgusting extension chords. I had to go through all that to find the TV plug, which eventually required me to move the TV, a big cabinet full of stuff, a table and the fridge. By the time I'd done all that a fuse had blown and everything on one side of my room was powerless including my fridge, cable TV box, Wii, computer, toaster, and microwave.
The top plug in the outlet was the only one with anything in it. And it had a series of extension chords that lead to all the things listed above. It was burnt out. I couldn't get any power from it. So just for kicks I tried plugging into the BOTTOM plug. It worked. I tell you, OINK!
So now I have a big TV on the floor in my room. I have no idea how to throw it away and I have a feeling I might have to pay for it if I do. I doubt I'll be able to fenagle a new one out of the college. At least not till re-contracting time. AND I can't watch Kia Tiger games any more. Although I may just become a Lotte Giant fan if things continue the way they're going with the Tigers.
I went to the game on Friday with a Kasia, Maria and another couple of friends. The game on Thursday was yet another frustrating effort for the Tigers. Or for the Tigers coaches to be exact. It was 10-10 in the 6th inning. It was 10-6 but my fave player Son Young Min gave up 2 runs then a couple other pitchers gave up two more all in the L.G. Twins half of the 6th inning. In the bottom of the 6th Kia's lead-off hitter got on. So OF COURSE, IN A 10-10 ballgame! In the 6th inning!!! Sacrifice bunt. God I hate that pussy baseball. And I'm positive the Kia players do too. Then the next Kia batter walked. The next guy got a hit, the next guy got a hit and Kia had three runs before the next two guys got out. There was a shot of Tiger coach Jo Beom Hyun in the dugout clapping about it like he had been the cause of it. The fact if he hadn't sacrificed they'd still have two guys on base with two out. But he'll never understand that.
So it's 13-10 and Yoon Seok Min comes out for the 9th. He's the best pitcher in Korean baseball being wasted as the closer for Kia. He proceeds to allow two runners on. Then the LG coach applies some Jo baseball and tries to bunt the two runners over. HELLO? You're down by 3 runs!!! Best pitcher in the league? So the bunt goes right to Yoon, the pitcher who fields it with loads of time to throw to third and get the lead runner, a double play or even a TRIPLE play. He double clutches then throws the ball two feet out of the reach of the third baseman. This is a pitcher who makes his living throwing the ball with pinpoint accuracy. I think he might have done it on purpose. Again I was kind of glad because I don't want Yoon Seok Min to do TOO well as the closer because then it would make a collossally stupid coaching move look good. Maybe that's Yoon's thinking too and I support it if it is. Again it's a conspiracy theory of mine and I don't think we will ever know.
BUT perhaps as punishment??? the next night, (when we went), there were only three regular starters on the field for the Tigers and the pitcher was a guy, (Lee Dae Jin), who hasn't been in the starting rotation since the opening week of the season and I don't think he'd pitched since then. Now okay, maybe Jo was resting guys because the Thursday game went into extra innings and it took 6 hours before the final 13-13, which is a loss for both clubs. One of the few things I hate about Korean baseball. But I don't know because the next night, the game I couldn't watch because my TV blew up, Jo throws out three guys who are even WORSE! The starter hasn't pitched all year. He went 2 innings with a 27 ERA. One of the guys who relieved him was a guy who Jo threw out there the previous week who got shelled for 3 runs in 1 1/3 for a 20 ERA and yesterday he pitched for a 15 ERA. Getting better!
Now I'm all for giving the new guys a chance but the way the Tigers are hitting these days they could field half decent pitchers and get wins. Jo isn't even doing that. He's managing to mess up the best thing his team has going for it: starting pitching. But the Tigers continue to win despite him. I just hate seeing a good team being managed into mediocrity. Still think Jo must go. Maybe today he'll choose one of the back-up catchers to pitch. I'll have to go to the game to find out...
Here's Kasia and Maria with Soju Man.
Here they are looking pretty bored, (cuz they WERE), in the 6th inning after Kia fell behind 7-2 and Jo kept the best players on the bench. They decided to leave and I don't know if I was mad or bored but I left with them. The final was 8-3. I've never left a game early until that one. I think I'll go today but I might leave early if this coaching nonsense continues.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Playing Games
One of my recent comments on facebook was how one of my classes gave me some really nice teachers day gifts and threw me a party. I said something like "sometimes this job is pretty good." That class wanted to play a game that day and I had a boring lesson prepared for them. We didn't do the lesson but we didn't really play a game either. Just chatted. Most of us chatting in Korean. They are my best class in every way. So I decided to make a game especially for them. Because there are fifty of them it was gonna be a real challenge to play a game. I've done little game-like exercises with them before and they have turned out okay. But to play an actual game that involves listening to instructions and following them - I don't know what possessed me to be so optimistic!
The construction of the game was a(n?) Herculean task! First I had to think of a game that related to what we were doing in class. I thought of the game Whozit that my family played when I was young. We had just finished talking about jobs in class and were concentrating on present tense questions. PERFECT! So I surfed the net for hours and hours choosing just the right pictures of people of varying race, age, and gender doing interesting jobs. Then I had to make the pictures the right size to not only fit on a game board but onto little cards too. Then I had to print out five copies of the board pics, (24 jobs in all so that's 120), and 120 job cards. I had to take them to the print shop down the street because my printer ran out of ink as I was doing it. There I also bought 5 boards, some lamination paper to stick on the boards and I got them to laminate all the cards. Four cards to a page so that's 30 pages of lamination. Plus I copied out some homework for this week. It all cost me about $30.00. I took everything home and measured, cut and pasted for a few hours and had a fairly decent board figured out. Then I tried to laminate the board and THIS
was the result. See all the wrinkles? But I thought I'd still be able to use it. So I started cutting out the cards. In order to try to make the cards cheat-proof, (cuz I play games A LOT and have never played one without somebody trying to cheat), I double up the paper. I put a piece of paper behind the paper with the pics on it. Not ingenius I know. So of course they separated when I cut them out. And because the lamination plastic is heated it shrinks causing the paper to bend. So the result is two bent pieces of paper. Here's a pic of the sheet of four and a pic of the curly cards you get when you cut them out.
So I figured I'd just RE-laminate them with the self-lamination paper I had bought. That sounds a lot easier than it is. This was the horrifying and demoralizing result:
SOooo, I chucked the whole works against the wall, cracked open a beer and sat down in front of the computer. I complained about the whole process on facebook and one of my friends, Sharon, was also online. She was very supportive. After cooling down a bit I decided I'm not the kind of guy to give up that easily. I'm too stupid. So I went down to the stationary store AGAIN and had the whole works of cards, (for the four remaining games), laminated AGAIN. It worked! So I came home and after a couple hours of cutting and pasting I had a better board design with all the questions they could ask incorporated into the board. Then it was time to laminate again. This time I did it on the floor instead of my bed. Aside from the few hairs it picked up it was a success! This is what the new board looked like:
Not too shabby! And the cards are okay too. So it was time to test it out. I had a class on Monday that was almost ready for the game. So I brought it and with three students played it. It was a huge success! They had no problem understanding what to do because I was playing with them and they just learned as we went along. I didn't TELL them, I SHOWED them.
Then I went home and it took me all night but I made the rest of the boards for my good class on Tuesday. My big class. The ones who were nice enough to throw me a teachers day party. This morning, (Tuesday), I went in with 4 games all ready to give them the game they wanted. I explained in English and the looks got blanker and blanker and I got sweatier and sweatier. You have to understand with a class of 50 you can't sit down and play with everyone. I had to try to explain. I wished I could SHOW them but I had to try to TELL them. The game is fairly simple. Every person gets a card. That is their character. Written on the card is every possible answer to every possible question and all possible questions are written on the gameboard. Each person asks one question to one person at a time. They take notes on the answers. After many questions if they think they know the identities of every other player they guess. You can only guess on your turn and if you don't guess all other players correctly, it's the next player's turn. When someone guesses everybody correctly they win.
When you try to explain something you are fighting all kinds of inherent problems in the Korean student.
First of all their listening skills, no matter WHAT the language, are abysmal. For English, even worse.
Secondly there are always a couple of "translators" in the class. They think they are helping but what they are doing is discouraging learning. 48 people tune out while the English explanation is giving them a chance to improve their listening skills and 2 people listen and try to translate as I'm explaining. Usually they translate wrong or the others HEAR wrong. What they don't realize is if they ALL listen to the explanation in English maybe NObody will understand it all but if they work together and combine what they each understood, they'll get the gist.
Thirdly for most Korean students, the gist is nowhere near enough for them to have the confidence to start playing. They feel, (wrongly), that they need to understand every nuance, every facet, every jot and tittle of the game before they can begin to play it.
Fourthly, while I am explaining there are always a lot of people talking, in Korean, thinking that they'll just get someone else to explain it to them in Korean.
Fifthly, Koreans ALWAYS want to learn English through Korean. They're trained that way. So there are going to be things that don't really translate well.
Sixthly, when they know it's a game they get eager to play and they don't finish listening. They assume they know what I'm gonna say, even the translators, and they start playing the wrong way.
For example, the first group I went to was all asking questions to one person. Then they were all guessing willy nilly trying to get the one person's identity. Then when someone got it right they asked questions to the next person. So I had to demonstrate. Another group was just sitting there. Some were talking on their phones some were sleeping so I went to them. I told the first person to ask a question. He said he couldn't cuz he didn't know how to play the game. "Just do it!" I said about 5 times. Finally he picks up the board and studies it for 10 minutes and says, "Are you a man?" All the other players say, "Yes, no, no, yes, no." I'm thinking, "WHAT THE F?" "NO," I exclaim, "One person, one question." Then the next person asks the same person a question. Then the next person then the next. All to the same person. Another group calls me over and says they don't understand. So I go over. One of them is looking through the cards that haven't been dealt out. SIGH! I take all the cards and deal out new ones. "Okay, now ask any question," I say. She looks at her card. She's the ballerina, "Are you the ballerina?" she asks. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!
Every group was having every problem you could think of. And some you can't. We spent about 80 minutes struggling with the game and not one of the four groups figured it out. It took 2 minutes for me to explain and start doing it in my Monday class. This is why we shouldn't EVER have classes of 50. It's counterproductive to any kind of education. It's okay for training but not education.
The thing is, in the game when a person guesses everybody is supposed to put a piece of paper with "YES" or "NO" written on it into a container so that the person who guesses is the only one who knows how many were right or wrong. But he/she doesn't know who. I DIDN'T EVEN DO THAT PART. I just let them give answers verbally because they were all having such a hard time figuring out the easy part of the game.
Try to explain this to my boss. All I can say is I can't do some things with such a big class. He just thinks I'm being lazy cuz I don't want to mark that many exams or correct that many homework assignments.
Anyway, some days my job IS pretty good. But then again some days it ISN'T!
*In case you don't know you can click on any picture to get the full sized image. For some of these you need to.
The construction of the game was a(n?) Herculean task! First I had to think of a game that related to what we were doing in class. I thought of the game Whozit that my family played when I was young. We had just finished talking about jobs in class and were concentrating on present tense questions. PERFECT! So I surfed the net for hours and hours choosing just the right pictures of people of varying race, age, and gender doing interesting jobs. Then I had to make the pictures the right size to not only fit on a game board but onto little cards too. Then I had to print out five copies of the board pics, (24 jobs in all so that's 120), and 120 job cards. I had to take them to the print shop down the street because my printer ran out of ink as I was doing it. There I also bought 5 boards, some lamination paper to stick on the boards and I got them to laminate all the cards. Four cards to a page so that's 30 pages of lamination. Plus I copied out some homework for this week. It all cost me about $30.00. I took everything home and measured, cut and pasted for a few hours and had a fairly decent board figured out. Then I tried to laminate the board and THIS
was the result. See all the wrinkles? But I thought I'd still be able to use it. So I started cutting out the cards. In order to try to make the cards cheat-proof, (cuz I play games A LOT and have never played one without somebody trying to cheat), I double up the paper. I put a piece of paper behind the paper with the pics on it. Not ingenius I know. So of course they separated when I cut them out. And because the lamination plastic is heated it shrinks causing the paper to bend. So the result is two bent pieces of paper. Here's a pic of the sheet of four and a pic of the curly cards you get when you cut them out.
So I figured I'd just RE-laminate them with the self-lamination paper I had bought. That sounds a lot easier than it is. This was the horrifying and demoralizing result:
SOooo, I chucked the whole works against the wall, cracked open a beer and sat down in front of the computer. I complained about the whole process on facebook and one of my friends, Sharon, was also online. She was very supportive. After cooling down a bit I decided I'm not the kind of guy to give up that easily. I'm too stupid. So I went down to the stationary store AGAIN and had the whole works of cards, (for the four remaining games), laminated AGAIN. It worked! So I came home and after a couple hours of cutting and pasting I had a better board design with all the questions they could ask incorporated into the board. Then it was time to laminate again. This time I did it on the floor instead of my bed. Aside from the few hairs it picked up it was a success! This is what the new board looked like:
Not too shabby! And the cards are okay too. So it was time to test it out. I had a class on Monday that was almost ready for the game. So I brought it and with three students played it. It was a huge success! They had no problem understanding what to do because I was playing with them and they just learned as we went along. I didn't TELL them, I SHOWED them.
Then I went home and it took me all night but I made the rest of the boards for my good class on Tuesday. My big class. The ones who were nice enough to throw me a teachers day party. This morning, (Tuesday), I went in with 4 games all ready to give them the game they wanted. I explained in English and the looks got blanker and blanker and I got sweatier and sweatier. You have to understand with a class of 50 you can't sit down and play with everyone. I had to try to explain. I wished I could SHOW them but I had to try to TELL them. The game is fairly simple. Every person gets a card. That is their character. Written on the card is every possible answer to every possible question and all possible questions are written on the gameboard. Each person asks one question to one person at a time. They take notes on the answers. After many questions if they think they know the identities of every other player they guess. You can only guess on your turn and if you don't guess all other players correctly, it's the next player's turn. When someone guesses everybody correctly they win.
When you try to explain something you are fighting all kinds of inherent problems in the Korean student.
First of all their listening skills, no matter WHAT the language, are abysmal. For English, even worse.
Secondly there are always a couple of "translators" in the class. They think they are helping but what they are doing is discouraging learning. 48 people tune out while the English explanation is giving them a chance to improve their listening skills and 2 people listen and try to translate as I'm explaining. Usually they translate wrong or the others HEAR wrong. What they don't realize is if they ALL listen to the explanation in English maybe NObody will understand it all but if they work together and combine what they each understood, they'll get the gist.
Thirdly for most Korean students, the gist is nowhere near enough for them to have the confidence to start playing. They feel, (wrongly), that they need to understand every nuance, every facet, every jot and tittle of the game before they can begin to play it.
Fourthly, while I am explaining there are always a lot of people talking, in Korean, thinking that they'll just get someone else to explain it to them in Korean.
Fifthly, Koreans ALWAYS want to learn English through Korean. They're trained that way. So there are going to be things that don't really translate well.
Sixthly, when they know it's a game they get eager to play and they don't finish listening. They assume they know what I'm gonna say, even the translators, and they start playing the wrong way.
For example, the first group I went to was all asking questions to one person. Then they were all guessing willy nilly trying to get the one person's identity. Then when someone got it right they asked questions to the next person. So I had to demonstrate. Another group was just sitting there. Some were talking on their phones some were sleeping so I went to them. I told the first person to ask a question. He said he couldn't cuz he didn't know how to play the game. "Just do it!" I said about 5 times. Finally he picks up the board and studies it for 10 minutes and says, "Are you a man?" All the other players say, "Yes, no, no, yes, no." I'm thinking, "WHAT THE F?" "NO," I exclaim, "One person, one question." Then the next person asks the same person a question. Then the next person then the next. All to the same person. Another group calls me over and says they don't understand. So I go over. One of them is looking through the cards that haven't been dealt out. SIGH! I take all the cards and deal out new ones. "Okay, now ask any question," I say. She looks at her card. She's the ballerina, "Are you the ballerina?" she asks. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!
Every group was having every problem you could think of. And some you can't. We spent about 80 minutes struggling with the game and not one of the four groups figured it out. It took 2 minutes for me to explain and start doing it in my Monday class. This is why we shouldn't EVER have classes of 50. It's counterproductive to any kind of education. It's okay for training but not education.
The thing is, in the game when a person guesses everybody is supposed to put a piece of paper with "YES" or "NO" written on it into a container so that the person who guesses is the only one who knows how many were right or wrong. But he/she doesn't know who. I DIDN'T EVEN DO THAT PART. I just let them give answers verbally because they were all having such a hard time figuring out the easy part of the game.
Try to explain this to my boss. All I can say is I can't do some things with such a big class. He just thinks I'm being lazy cuz I don't want to mark that many exams or correct that many homework assignments.
Anyway, some days my job IS pretty good. But then again some days it ISN'T!
*In case you don't know you can click on any picture to get the full sized image. For some of these you need to.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Hiking on Cinquo De Mayo
Okay the title might be a bit misleading. I DID go hiking but that wasn't the plan and this won't JUST be a post about that. It's ANOTHER Kia Tigers post too. Aww come on! If you were following the Tigers you might be having as much fun as I am too! I will essplain...
I only work Monday of this week because it's sports week here at Seokang University so I had planned to go to Seoul to watch my first Kia Tigers road game of the year. I called up the guy I was gonna go with but he didn't answer his phone. So instead I went hiking at Moodeung Mountain with David, Angie and Rebecca. It was a good day. I managed to get home at exactly 6:30 to watch the game on TV. I knew it was coming on a channel that I get. Unfortunately I forgot it was Children's Day here in Korea. So the game took place at 1:00 in the afternoon. There is no way I would have made it to Seoul by 1:00 to watch it live so I'm glad I didn't try to go. Also I had fun at the mountain. BUT, I sure would have loved to be at the game!!! There is ALL kinds of drama happening with the Tigers! "Bronx is Burning" ppppbbbtthhhhbbbbtttt! I got a REAL baseball drama here and now!
First the good news, two players I haven't seen in ages played today, both of whom I really like: Hong Sae Weon (a good hitter) and Lee Beom Seok the pitcher I figure was Kia's second best last year. He was starting today. He starts the game and he's not doing too bad but not too great either. In the 4th inning after getting two out he loads the bases with a few very close walks. So what do you do if you're the Kia coach? I leave a warmed up Lee in the game every time before I take any member of the Kia bullpen and put him in the game cold. But you be the coach. You REALLY REALLY NEEEEED one out. Who do you bring in? If you read my last entry you will know the obvious thing to do. KIM YOUNG SOO! With all of Jo Beom Hyun's games he's been playing with Kim Young Soo all we really know about him is he is AWESOME at getting one guy out! Who do you bring in if you are not a baseball guy and have a man crush on a really really bad pitcher? Son Young Min. Of course that's Kia Tiger coach Jo Beom Hyun I'm taking about and of course he calls for his beloved Son Young Min. Son faces 4 guys gives up two hits and a walk. ALL THREE of Lee's runners score blowing his E.R.A. way up and before Son's runners score he's taken out with his E.R.A. still at zero after giving up three runs. Then the next pitcher gets the outs Son couldn't, (because he's a team guy), and KEEPS Son's E.R.A. at zero. This is what Jo has done for Son for the past few years so as to make a bad pitcher seem like he's good by artificially raising his stats at the expense of the team.
But the Kia bats are hot. With the aid of two-run homers from Na Ji Wan and Hong Sae Weon they go into the 8th with a 6-5 lead. Here's where the drama begins! Out to the mound comes Yoon Seok Min, the greatest pitcher in Korean baseball who is being wasted on this team as it's closer. In the 8th Yoon is Yoon. He strikes out the side. Three batters, three strikeouts. Bam, Bam, Bam!
Then in the ninth inning a strange thing happens. Here is what I mean when I say I'm seeing signs of frustrated players. I saw Na Ji Wan bunt straight to the pitcher (ON PURPOSE) to get the double play because Jo stupidly told him to bunt in the 5th inning of a 4-3 game. I've seen other guys fake like they are trying to bunt when he stupidly makes these calls too. And today I think I saw Yoon Seok Min throwing beach balls in the 9th to make a statement. He had to do it after pitching like the champ he is in the 8th to make the statement clear. I think he was successful.
Kia lost 7-6 but I am very happy. I think the statement is to teams around the league and to Kia management, there needs to be a trade: Jo Beom Hyun and his pet Son Young Min for a jock strap and a box of baseballs. Any takers?
Anyway, I didn't go to that game or watch it on TV but I caught the highlights of it and I was doing the hand wash gesture and saying, "HOO HOO HAAA HAAAAAH!" as I watched. Jo's days have GOT to be numbered now! I kinda hope the team just keeps on losing like this. With the pitching staff they have 6 runs is MORE than enough for them to win when they are playing for a coach who the players like and who knows what he's doing. Sooner or later management will realize what's going on. Although it has been my experience in Korea that they'll get rid of a lot of players, (teachers), who aren't the problem before getting rid of the coach, (supervisor), who is. We shall see. You can be sure I'll keep you posted.
As for the hike, we went to a part of the mountain I'd never been to before. We were gonna go to a temple I forget the name Jeo Bool Sa or something like that by way of the temple named Yak Sa Sa. A nice hike on the southern side of Moodeung Mountain along a cool stream. We stopped at a picnic area and had some kimbap, hotdogs, fruit, veggies and Rice Tard! Ha ha ha ha. I'm not kidding. And we played a little catch with the mini football, which must have been tasty because I think Rebecca liked it the best. There were a LOT of stairs! And it was a really nice day so a good sweat was enjoyed by all. We ran out of bottled water but I was drinking the water we got from a tap at Yak Sa Sa. I put 500 weon into the charity box there so Buddha will protect me from any parasites. I hope.
Bus 51 comes right back to the intersection down the road from where I work. VERY convenient! I just might do that little hike again sometime.
The best thing about the hike was that there were absolutely NO mosquitoes! I'm sure they are soon to come but it sure makes for better hiking!
It was a bit windy at the biginning of the hike. This Charlie Brown umbrella was intact when we started out. Oh well. Who has fun without breaking something?
I hope my next post includes a link to an article about Kia's coach being shitcanned. Fingers crossed!
I only work Monday of this week because it's sports week here at Seokang University so I had planned to go to Seoul to watch my first Kia Tigers road game of the year. I called up the guy I was gonna go with but he didn't answer his phone. So instead I went hiking at Moodeung Mountain with David, Angie and Rebecca. It was a good day. I managed to get home at exactly 6:30 to watch the game on TV. I knew it was coming on a channel that I get. Unfortunately I forgot it was Children's Day here in Korea. So the game took place at 1:00 in the afternoon. There is no way I would have made it to Seoul by 1:00 to watch it live so I'm glad I didn't try to go. Also I had fun at the mountain. BUT, I sure would have loved to be at the game!!! There is ALL kinds of drama happening with the Tigers! "Bronx is Burning" ppppbbbtthhhhbbbbtttt! I got a REAL baseball drama here and now!
First the good news, two players I haven't seen in ages played today, both of whom I really like: Hong Sae Weon (a good hitter) and Lee Beom Seok the pitcher I figure was Kia's second best last year. He was starting today. He starts the game and he's not doing too bad but not too great either. In the 4th inning after getting two out he loads the bases with a few very close walks. So what do you do if you're the Kia coach? I leave a warmed up Lee in the game every time before I take any member of the Kia bullpen and put him in the game cold. But you be the coach. You REALLY REALLY NEEEEED one out. Who do you bring in? If you read my last entry you will know the obvious thing to do. KIM YOUNG SOO! With all of Jo Beom Hyun's games he's been playing with Kim Young Soo all we really know about him is he is AWESOME at getting one guy out! Who do you bring in if you are not a baseball guy and have a man crush on a really really bad pitcher? Son Young Min. Of course that's Kia Tiger coach Jo Beom Hyun I'm taking about and of course he calls for his beloved Son Young Min. Son faces 4 guys gives up two hits and a walk. ALL THREE of Lee's runners score blowing his E.R.A. way up and before Son's runners score he's taken out with his E.R.A. still at zero after giving up three runs. Then the next pitcher gets the outs Son couldn't, (because he's a team guy), and KEEPS Son's E.R.A. at zero. This is what Jo has done for Son for the past few years so as to make a bad pitcher seem like he's good by artificially raising his stats at the expense of the team.
But the Kia bats are hot. With the aid of two-run homers from Na Ji Wan and Hong Sae Weon they go into the 8th with a 6-5 lead. Here's where the drama begins! Out to the mound comes Yoon Seok Min, the greatest pitcher in Korean baseball who is being wasted on this team as it's closer. In the 8th Yoon is Yoon. He strikes out the side. Three batters, three strikeouts. Bam, Bam, Bam!
Then in the ninth inning a strange thing happens. Here is what I mean when I say I'm seeing signs of frustrated players. I saw Na Ji Wan bunt straight to the pitcher (ON PURPOSE) to get the double play because Jo stupidly told him to bunt in the 5th inning of a 4-3 game. I've seen other guys fake like they are trying to bunt when he stupidly makes these calls too. And today I think I saw Yoon Seok Min throwing beach balls in the 9th to make a statement. He had to do it after pitching like the champ he is in the 8th to make the statement clear. I think he was successful.
Kia lost 7-6 but I am very happy. I think the statement is to teams around the league and to Kia management, there needs to be a trade: Jo Beom Hyun and his pet Son Young Min for a jock strap and a box of baseballs. Any takers?
Anyway, I didn't go to that game or watch it on TV but I caught the highlights of it and I was doing the hand wash gesture and saying, "HOO HOO HAAA HAAAAAH!" as I watched. Jo's days have GOT to be numbered now! I kinda hope the team just keeps on losing like this. With the pitching staff they have 6 runs is MORE than enough for them to win when they are playing for a coach who the players like and who knows what he's doing. Sooner or later management will realize what's going on. Although it has been my experience in Korea that they'll get rid of a lot of players, (teachers), who aren't the problem before getting rid of the coach, (supervisor), who is. We shall see. You can be sure I'll keep you posted.
As for the hike, we went to a part of the mountain I'd never been to before. We were gonna go to a temple I forget the name Jeo Bool Sa or something like that by way of the temple named Yak Sa Sa. A nice hike on the southern side of Moodeung Mountain along a cool stream. We stopped at a picnic area and had some kimbap, hotdogs, fruit, veggies and Rice Tard! Ha ha ha ha. I'm not kidding. And we played a little catch with the mini football, which must have been tasty because I think Rebecca liked it the best. There were a LOT of stairs! And it was a really nice day so a good sweat was enjoyed by all. We ran out of bottled water but I was drinking the water we got from a tap at Yak Sa Sa. I put 500 weon into the charity box there so Buddha will protect me from any parasites. I hope.
Bus 51 comes right back to the intersection down the road from where I work. VERY convenient! I just might do that little hike again sometime.
The best thing about the hike was that there were absolutely NO mosquitoes! I'm sure they are soon to come but it sure makes for better hiking!
It was a bit windy at the biginning of the hike. This Charlie Brown umbrella was intact when we started out. Oh well. Who has fun without breaking something?
I hope my next post includes a link to an article about Kia's coach being shitcanned. Fingers crossed!
Friday, May 01, 2009
Jo Dont Know. Jo MUST GO!!!
Another Kia Tigers post. If are somebody who doesn't like baseball, stop reading now. I'm gonna get into some little things that are only interesting to us baseball fans.
Jo Beom Hyun, the coach of the Kia Tigers is not a baseball guy. He has always been a below average coach who makes a lot of questionable little calls. Now he's making some BIG mistakes and it's pretty obvious to me that he's alienating players and fans alike. He's gotta go. Kia still has most of the season left and they could easily recover from a bad start to the season under a new coach that the players like. Why do I think the players don't like him? Many reasons.
First I have to mention the braindead move he just made last week. There is no question that the Tigers' closer situation hasn't been very steady. I've blogged about Han Ki Joo before. He's one of the big salaries I said the Tigers should have dumped at the start of the season. He's young and he throws really hard. He used to throw so hard people couldn't hit him. Now he just throws so hard and so straight that he actually makes it easier for opposing batters to hit homeruns. And they do. I'm just guessing but I think maybe his celebrity has been too hard for him to handle at such an early age. He almost cost Korea the gold medal at the Olympics. He got labelled as a choker after really bad performances vs. the U.S., Taipei and Japan there. And he's continued to blow as many saves as he gets. So aparently Jo decided that rather than stop calling him into the game at all, he'll let Han blow the game in the 7th or 8th innings and replace him with someone else who could be the closer.
So you go down the list of pitchers on the team. Lopez who was a closer for the Toronto Blue Jays and got 14 saves in the majors. He's been used on Kia as a starting pitcher but Kia has a 6-man rotation, another really dumb idea that NEVER works. Yoon Suk Min, Yang Hyun Jong, Guttormson, Seo Jae Eung, Lopez, Kwag Jong Cheol or Lee Dae Jin. Both Kwag and Lee have looked very hittable although Kwag DID get one win, but either would be fine for just one inning. Cut the rotation down to 5 so that your best starting pitchers can pitch more often and use Kwag or Lee as a fireman. Since Han Ki Joo and Son Young Min will blow a lot of close games in the late innings there won't be as many opportunities for a closer to save a game so you don't want to waste a really good pitcher here. Or use Lopez and put Kwag or Lee in the #5 slot.
OR trade Han and get another pitcher who can go one inning without fucking the game up.
Here's a better idea: Kim Young Soo. This has been a guy that Jo has used strictly to make himself look like a coach. He has been brought in repeatedly in the late innings to face one or two batters. His record against those batters has been fantastic and every time he's pulled I am upset. Not just that he's pulled but for all the time wasted bringing out two new pitchers. Can't we just leave him in for THREE batters instead? He's been striking guys out and getting guys out with regularity. A good baseball guy would consider that. Jo is NOT a good baseball guy.
* See if you can figure just what the hell Jo is trying to do with this guy. Here's his record this year so far: Apr. 4- 1 batter 1 strikeout; Apr. 7- 1 batter, 1 walk; Apr. 8- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 9- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 15- 1 batter, 1 hit (and because Son Young Min followed him and gave up a walk and a hit the run scored and Kim took the loss); Apr. 18- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 21- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 22- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 23- 1 batter- 1 strikeout; Apr. 24- 2 batters, 2 outs, 1 strikeout; Apr. 28- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 30- 1 batter, 1 out; May 3- 1 batter, 1 strikeout. So overall he's made 13 appearances, faced 14 batters, got 12 outs, 1 walk, 1 hit, 4 strikouts, and one loss he didn't deserve. You figure that out and it's 4 2/3 innings of one-hit ball with 4 K's. ANOTHER pitcher Jo is wasting. And he's come off the mound more than once shaking his head. You can bet a lot of the players and fans like me who are noticing this are shaking heads too. It's like he's just playing around.
ORRR why not let your starters pitch? Jo is nothing if not predictable. It doesn't matter how well a starter is doing he'll be yanked after 7 innings. He could have a no-hitter going and a pitch count of 80 and Jo will pull him. The only guy who Jo has allowed to stay in the game for 9 innings is Kia's best pitcher, Yoon Suk Min. On April 11th he pitched 9 innings and had a 1-1 tie going till his defence cost him a win. Again!
So what did Jo do? None of the above. In fact one might believe that Jo is TRYING to LOSE when you wonder what the hell he could have possibly been thinking to choose Yoon Suk Min as the new closer. The only thing I can guess is that Jo remembered that shitty games Han pitched in the Olympics. Who came in to get the win for Korea when Han blew a lead vs. the U.S.? Yoon Suk Min. Then in a game vs Japan Yoon Suk Min was brought in as a reliever when Korea was behind 2-0 and pitched a few innings while Korea got 5 runs to make it 5-2. Even though Han Ki Joo came in and gave up a run in THAT game Yoon and Korea ended up winning 5-3. Or maybe he was thinking of the game vs. Chinese Taipei in which Korea was ahead 8-2 when Han Ki Joo came in. He inherited some runners from starting pitcher, Bong, and they all scored. Then Han gave up two of his own next inning. He left after pitching 2.1 innings and changing an 8-2 game to an 8-8 game. Luckily for Han Korea scored after he got yanked for Kwon in the 7th. Kwon got two outs then Yoon Suk Min came in to get the last 5 outs and the save. Han Ki Joo got the win. Yoon did some relief pitching in the recent World Baseball Classic too. He got holds vs. Venezuela and Japan. Maybe Jo thinks that Yoon wasn't brought to the Olympics and the W.B.C. as a reliever. Or maybe he's thinking of his first two years with the Tigers when he was used successfully as a reliever and a closer. But, hello? He's evolved into arguably the best Korean STARTING pitcher period! He got 2 wins in the Olympics and had a 2.34 E.R.A. He got two wins in the W.B.C. with an incredible 1.13 E.R.A. and 13 strikeouts in 16 innings. He's a proven starter. The best on the team. The only guy Jo trusts to pitch a complete game. A national hero. Now Jo has busted him back to his rookie days. The absolute WORST choice to be the closer especially on a team that doesn't figure to get many save opportunities. In essence Jo has just wasted the best pitcher on his team. A stupid move that NObody's happy about.
What else does he do to piss off fans and players? He is in love with the bunt and the walk. Hitters are constantly frustrated when they have to waste an at bat hoping for the pitcher to miss the strike zone and staring at pitches they could be bashing for hits. Or when the coach takes the bat out of their hands, (almost always unnecessarily), by telling them to sacrifice bunt. Kia walks more than any other team. It's not so much that the hitters are selective, I think it's because the coach is selective. He tells the hitters to "take" a lot. I could be wrong but I think I see a lot of Kia hitters taking. It really has produced a lot of walks. Kia probably leads the league in that stat. But they just never seem to hit the guys home. I can't remember the last time I saw a Kia Tiger swing at the first pitch. When I was a ball player I LOVED the first pitch because it was usually a strike. Pitchers like to work ahead in the count so they often start batters with a strike. I think a lot of Kia batters are being told to wait until the pitcher throws at least one strike. Again there's no way of knowing for sure but I can recognize signs of frustrated players and I'm seeing them on Kia.
Bunting. Probably once a game Jo calls a bunt when he shouldn't. I think the best example of how he screws things up this way would be April 21st. The score was 4-3 in the 5th inning. NOT a defensive, pitchers duel sort of game. There was no reason to expect the run scoring to stop. But in the 5th Kia's lead off hitter got on and out comes Na Ji Weon sacrifice bunting. The message Jo was sending to Na Ji Weon was that not only did he not believe Na Ji Weon could hit the ball, he didn't think he could hit a sac fly, ground ball, work a walk, or even bunt for a base hit. Just give up a good hitter early in the game. Also there are other things that could happen that result in better situations than you'd get with the bunt like a passed ball, wild pitch, batter hit by pitch, balk, error, walk, stolen base, botched pick-off attempt, or the HIT and RUN: another thing Jo don't know. He's eliminating all of these good things from happening. STUPID! Also he's sending a message to the OTHER hitters that he doesn't expect THEM to score any more runs in the next 5 innings, (2 at bats each at least), so he wants to manufacture one run now. Players know these little things and they DON'T like it when a coach does shit like this. So what happened? Na Ji Weon bunted right to the pitcher who threw to second to start the 1-4-3 double play. Then in the 7th inning with the score 4-3 Na Ji Weon comes up again with the leadoff guy aboard and no outs. A situation in which I might have forgiven Jo for calling the sac bunt but still was happy to see Na swinging away. What happened? 2-run home run, Kia takes the lead 5-4. Han Ki Joo managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in THAT game too and the Tigers lost it but who knows what would have happened if Jo would just stop trying to LOOK like a coach and start letting his players play? A sacrifice bunt is something that should be used in emergencies only. It's WAY overused by Jo.
Another way he tries to tinker and make it APPEAR as though he knows what he's doing when he really doesn't is playing the infield and the outfield shallow and player positioning in general. He doesn't know when or how to do this. The best example would be opening day, which I have already written about in my Kia Tigers Season Opener post. May have cost Yoon a win. And if I'm not mistaken I think Lee Yong Gyu, the team MVP, was playing shallow when he shouldn't have been and had to run back to the wall to get a fly ball and jumped into it thereby breaking his ankle. Who knows how much of a difference HE would have made so far? A couple more things Jo Don't Know: It's a lot easier for fielders to run forward and catch a blooper over the infielder's heads than it is to run backwards and get a blooper over the outfielders' heads. Also the former when missed results in a single, the latter almost always a double or triple. You play the outfield in to guard against a single when a deep ball, even if caught, will score a run. Jo pulls the infield in A LOT aparently on a whim and it has cost the team.
And as mentioned before he NEVER calls the hit and run and this team is built for it. I am pretty sure Jo doesn't even RECOGNIZE the hit and run. Again April 21st against Doosan, probably his worst game, Jo proved this. Guttormson wasn't pitching a gem by any means but there was a situation early on when the Bears had a runner on first and one out and Guttormson induced a perfect double play ball. BUT the guy on first was running and by the time Lee Hyun Gon got the ball and tagged second base the Doosan player was already there - safe. AND Lee Hyun Gon was just thrown off enough by the sliding player that he threw the ball over the head of 6'5 Choi Hee Seop - batter on 2nd advances to 3rd, batter on 1st advances to 2nd. THAT'S what the hit and run can do! Suddenly play stops and the two assistant pitching coaches are walking out to the mound to check on Guttormson after he had just made the perfect pitch! It never entered the coaches head that it was just well-timed aggressive base running by the other team that caused all of that. Later in the game aggressive baserunning got Doosan the win. Other teams kill Kia with the hit and run but Jo don't know.
I think Doosan has a great team this year and will likely win it all. Barring any debilitating injuries. But Kia has a good shot at second if they get rid of Jo. I think so anyway. As it is they have really great starting pitching. Probably the best in the league from top to bottom. Early in the year they had Lee Beom Seok closing. That's almost as bad as Yoon closing. Lee was excellent last year. What they did with him I don't know. Probably in his wisdom Jo sent him to the minors. If Jo wasn't so in love with his crappy bull pen Kia would be where they should: in second place. With rookie An Chi Hong doing well and newcomer Kim Sang Hyun's clutch hitting it looks like Jo has made some good moves so his coaching days with Kia might be extended. Also Choi Hee Seop is playing a LOT better than last season. When Lee Yong Gyu comes back Kia will be a stacked team. They are probably going to start winning and making Jo look a whole lot better than he's been. Right now he's coaching the second best team in the league into 5th place. I think Kia will win in spite of and not because of Jo. And probably that'll keep him employed. But I still think they'd do better without him.
Jo Beom Hyun, the coach of the Kia Tigers is not a baseball guy. He has always been a below average coach who makes a lot of questionable little calls. Now he's making some BIG mistakes and it's pretty obvious to me that he's alienating players and fans alike. He's gotta go. Kia still has most of the season left and they could easily recover from a bad start to the season under a new coach that the players like. Why do I think the players don't like him? Many reasons.
First I have to mention the braindead move he just made last week. There is no question that the Tigers' closer situation hasn't been very steady. I've blogged about Han Ki Joo before. He's one of the big salaries I said the Tigers should have dumped at the start of the season. He's young and he throws really hard. He used to throw so hard people couldn't hit him. Now he just throws so hard and so straight that he actually makes it easier for opposing batters to hit homeruns. And they do. I'm just guessing but I think maybe his celebrity has been too hard for him to handle at such an early age. He almost cost Korea the gold medal at the Olympics. He got labelled as a choker after really bad performances vs. the U.S., Taipei and Japan there. And he's continued to blow as many saves as he gets. So aparently Jo decided that rather than stop calling him into the game at all, he'll let Han blow the game in the 7th or 8th innings and replace him with someone else who could be the closer.
So you go down the list of pitchers on the team. Lopez who was a closer for the Toronto Blue Jays and got 14 saves in the majors. He's been used on Kia as a starting pitcher but Kia has a 6-man rotation, another really dumb idea that NEVER works. Yoon Suk Min, Yang Hyun Jong, Guttormson, Seo Jae Eung, Lopez, Kwag Jong Cheol or Lee Dae Jin. Both Kwag and Lee have looked very hittable although Kwag DID get one win, but either would be fine for just one inning. Cut the rotation down to 5 so that your best starting pitchers can pitch more often and use Kwag or Lee as a fireman. Since Han Ki Joo and Son Young Min will blow a lot of close games in the late innings there won't be as many opportunities for a closer to save a game so you don't want to waste a really good pitcher here. Or use Lopez and put Kwag or Lee in the #5 slot.
OR trade Han and get another pitcher who can go one inning without fucking the game up.
Here's a better idea: Kim Young Soo. This has been a guy that Jo has used strictly to make himself look like a coach. He has been brought in repeatedly in the late innings to face one or two batters. His record against those batters has been fantastic and every time he's pulled I am upset. Not just that he's pulled but for all the time wasted bringing out two new pitchers. Can't we just leave him in for THREE batters instead? He's been striking guys out and getting guys out with regularity. A good baseball guy would consider that. Jo is NOT a good baseball guy.
* See if you can figure just what the hell Jo is trying to do with this guy. Here's his record this year so far: Apr. 4- 1 batter 1 strikeout; Apr. 7- 1 batter, 1 walk; Apr. 8- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 9- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 15- 1 batter, 1 hit (and because Son Young Min followed him and gave up a walk and a hit the run scored and Kim took the loss); Apr. 18- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 21- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 22- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 23- 1 batter- 1 strikeout; Apr. 24- 2 batters, 2 outs, 1 strikeout; Apr. 28- 1 batter, 1 out; Apr. 30- 1 batter, 1 out; May 3- 1 batter, 1 strikeout. So overall he's made 13 appearances, faced 14 batters, got 12 outs, 1 walk, 1 hit, 4 strikouts, and one loss he didn't deserve. You figure that out and it's 4 2/3 innings of one-hit ball with 4 K's. ANOTHER pitcher Jo is wasting. And he's come off the mound more than once shaking his head. You can bet a lot of the players and fans like me who are noticing this are shaking heads too. It's like he's just playing around.
ORRR why not let your starters pitch? Jo is nothing if not predictable. It doesn't matter how well a starter is doing he'll be yanked after 7 innings. He could have a no-hitter going and a pitch count of 80 and Jo will pull him. The only guy who Jo has allowed to stay in the game for 9 innings is Kia's best pitcher, Yoon Suk Min. On April 11th he pitched 9 innings and had a 1-1 tie going till his defence cost him a win. Again!
So what did Jo do? None of the above. In fact one might believe that Jo is TRYING to LOSE when you wonder what the hell he could have possibly been thinking to choose Yoon Suk Min as the new closer. The only thing I can guess is that Jo remembered that shitty games Han pitched in the Olympics. Who came in to get the win for Korea when Han blew a lead vs. the U.S.? Yoon Suk Min. Then in a game vs Japan Yoon Suk Min was brought in as a reliever when Korea was behind 2-0 and pitched a few innings while Korea got 5 runs to make it 5-2. Even though Han Ki Joo came in and gave up a run in THAT game Yoon and Korea ended up winning 5-3. Or maybe he was thinking of the game vs. Chinese Taipei in which Korea was ahead 8-2 when Han Ki Joo came in. He inherited some runners from starting pitcher, Bong, and they all scored. Then Han gave up two of his own next inning. He left after pitching 2.1 innings and changing an 8-2 game to an 8-8 game. Luckily for Han Korea scored after he got yanked for Kwon in the 7th. Kwon got two outs then Yoon Suk Min came in to get the last 5 outs and the save. Han Ki Joo got the win. Yoon did some relief pitching in the recent World Baseball Classic too. He got holds vs. Venezuela and Japan. Maybe Jo thinks that Yoon wasn't brought to the Olympics and the W.B.C. as a reliever. Or maybe he's thinking of his first two years with the Tigers when he was used successfully as a reliever and a closer. But, hello? He's evolved into arguably the best Korean STARTING pitcher period! He got 2 wins in the Olympics and had a 2.34 E.R.A. He got two wins in the W.B.C. with an incredible 1.13 E.R.A. and 13 strikeouts in 16 innings. He's a proven starter. The best on the team. The only guy Jo trusts to pitch a complete game. A national hero. Now Jo has busted him back to his rookie days. The absolute WORST choice to be the closer especially on a team that doesn't figure to get many save opportunities. In essence Jo has just wasted the best pitcher on his team. A stupid move that NObody's happy about.
What else does he do to piss off fans and players? He is in love with the bunt and the walk. Hitters are constantly frustrated when they have to waste an at bat hoping for the pitcher to miss the strike zone and staring at pitches they could be bashing for hits. Or when the coach takes the bat out of their hands, (almost always unnecessarily), by telling them to sacrifice bunt. Kia walks more than any other team. It's not so much that the hitters are selective, I think it's because the coach is selective. He tells the hitters to "take" a lot. I could be wrong but I think I see a lot of Kia hitters taking. It really has produced a lot of walks. Kia probably leads the league in that stat. But they just never seem to hit the guys home. I can't remember the last time I saw a Kia Tiger swing at the first pitch. When I was a ball player I LOVED the first pitch because it was usually a strike. Pitchers like to work ahead in the count so they often start batters with a strike. I think a lot of Kia batters are being told to wait until the pitcher throws at least one strike. Again there's no way of knowing for sure but I can recognize signs of frustrated players and I'm seeing them on Kia.
Bunting. Probably once a game Jo calls a bunt when he shouldn't. I think the best example of how he screws things up this way would be April 21st. The score was 4-3 in the 5th inning. NOT a defensive, pitchers duel sort of game. There was no reason to expect the run scoring to stop. But in the 5th Kia's lead off hitter got on and out comes Na Ji Weon sacrifice bunting. The message Jo was sending to Na Ji Weon was that not only did he not believe Na Ji Weon could hit the ball, he didn't think he could hit a sac fly, ground ball, work a walk, or even bunt for a base hit. Just give up a good hitter early in the game. Also there are other things that could happen that result in better situations than you'd get with the bunt like a passed ball, wild pitch, batter hit by pitch, balk, error, walk, stolen base, botched pick-off attempt, or the HIT and RUN: another thing Jo don't know. He's eliminating all of these good things from happening. STUPID! Also he's sending a message to the OTHER hitters that he doesn't expect THEM to score any more runs in the next 5 innings, (2 at bats each at least), so he wants to manufacture one run now. Players know these little things and they DON'T like it when a coach does shit like this. So what happened? Na Ji Weon bunted right to the pitcher who threw to second to start the 1-4-3 double play. Then in the 7th inning with the score 4-3 Na Ji Weon comes up again with the leadoff guy aboard and no outs. A situation in which I might have forgiven Jo for calling the sac bunt but still was happy to see Na swinging away. What happened? 2-run home run, Kia takes the lead 5-4. Han Ki Joo managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in THAT game too and the Tigers lost it but who knows what would have happened if Jo would just stop trying to LOOK like a coach and start letting his players play? A sacrifice bunt is something that should be used in emergencies only. It's WAY overused by Jo.
Another way he tries to tinker and make it APPEAR as though he knows what he's doing when he really doesn't is playing the infield and the outfield shallow and player positioning in general. He doesn't know when or how to do this. The best example would be opening day, which I have already written about in my Kia Tigers Season Opener post. May have cost Yoon a win. And if I'm not mistaken I think Lee Yong Gyu, the team MVP, was playing shallow when he shouldn't have been and had to run back to the wall to get a fly ball and jumped into it thereby breaking his ankle. Who knows how much of a difference HE would have made so far? A couple more things Jo Don't Know: It's a lot easier for fielders to run forward and catch a blooper over the infielder's heads than it is to run backwards and get a blooper over the outfielders' heads. Also the former when missed results in a single, the latter almost always a double or triple. You play the outfield in to guard against a single when a deep ball, even if caught, will score a run. Jo pulls the infield in A LOT aparently on a whim and it has cost the team.
And as mentioned before he NEVER calls the hit and run and this team is built for it. I am pretty sure Jo doesn't even RECOGNIZE the hit and run. Again April 21st against Doosan, probably his worst game, Jo proved this. Guttormson wasn't pitching a gem by any means but there was a situation early on when the Bears had a runner on first and one out and Guttormson induced a perfect double play ball. BUT the guy on first was running and by the time Lee Hyun Gon got the ball and tagged second base the Doosan player was already there - safe. AND Lee Hyun Gon was just thrown off enough by the sliding player that he threw the ball over the head of 6'5 Choi Hee Seop - batter on 2nd advances to 3rd, batter on 1st advances to 2nd. THAT'S what the hit and run can do! Suddenly play stops and the two assistant pitching coaches are walking out to the mound to check on Guttormson after he had just made the perfect pitch! It never entered the coaches head that it was just well-timed aggressive base running by the other team that caused all of that. Later in the game aggressive baserunning got Doosan the win. Other teams kill Kia with the hit and run but Jo don't know.
I think Doosan has a great team this year and will likely win it all. Barring any debilitating injuries. But Kia has a good shot at second if they get rid of Jo. I think so anyway. As it is they have really great starting pitching. Probably the best in the league from top to bottom. Early in the year they had Lee Beom Seok closing. That's almost as bad as Yoon closing. Lee was excellent last year. What they did with him I don't know. Probably in his wisdom Jo sent him to the minors. If Jo wasn't so in love with his crappy bull pen Kia would be where they should: in second place. With rookie An Chi Hong doing well and newcomer Kim Sang Hyun's clutch hitting it looks like Jo has made some good moves so his coaching days with Kia might be extended. Also Choi Hee Seop is playing a LOT better than last season. When Lee Yong Gyu comes back Kia will be a stacked team. They are probably going to start winning and making Jo look a whole lot better than he's been. Right now he's coaching the second best team in the league into 5th place. I think Kia will win in spite of and not because of Jo. And probably that'll keep him employed. But I still think they'd do better without him.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Round 2 of '09
I'm pretty stoked about the second round of the NHL playoffs starting. I'm surprised, but not saddened by the loss of two of my most hated teams, the Devils and the Sharks. Other than that the first round went as expected although the Rangers, (lead by Markus Naslund), gave the Capitals a harder time than expected. I think this next round is up for grabs. ANY team can win any series. I pick Vancouver, Anaheim, Boston and Pittsburgh but they could ALL be wrong.
Anaheim has a VERY hot goalie. I'd pick him if he were in ANY of my pools. I've been listening to the Anaheim games and Hiller's standing on his head. Getzlaf, Perry, S. Neidermayer and Pronger are all playing great. No surprise. But they've got a young guy and an old guy who might be the difference in this series, Bobby Ryan and Teemu Selanne respectively. I don't think Detroit has had enough Swedish saunas and massages to prepare them for the beating they'll take from Anaheim. They gave the Sharks nightmares. Thornton and Getzlaf even fought! And Detrpot's traditional big weakness will finally kill them. Osgood can really suck. I think he'll get scored on regularly. Anaheim in 6 is probably an upset.
Carolina doesn't get any respect. They have one of those teams that IS a team. Of course buddies Eric Staal and Ray Whitney are at the top of the scoring so far for the team in the playoffs. But tied with them is Chad LaRose? They have some players whose names a hockey fan might recognize, Cole, Samsonoff, Brind'Amour, but they have a pile of no-namers with more heart than talent. And in Cam Ward they have good goaltending. They beat the Devils and they could beat the Bruins too. But they won't. Boston is too strong and they have LOTS of names a hockey fan will recognize, Savard, Kessel, Krejci, Chara, Ryder, Recchi, Bergeron, Wheeler and Tim Thomas. Boston in 6.
I can't wait to see the Pittsburgh/Washington series. I hope they break a record for goals in a series. They've got the offensive guns to do it. But because it's the playoffs and everybody falls in love with defence at this time of year they both might start worrying more about the other team scoring on them than attacking, the scaredicat hockey that plagues the playoffs every year. I REALLY hope this doesn't happen because I wanna see, (or hear), guys like Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom, Green, Fedorov, Malkin, Crosby, Gonchar, Guerin and the other guys on their teams go crazy scoring! And I think it might happen. I don't think the goaltending or the defence is strong enough to stop it. I give Pittsburgh an edge because Washington is tired. I hope it goes 7 games but I think Pittsburgh wins in 5.
Vancouver and Chicago. I was super happy the way the end of the season went so that Calgary had to deal with the Hawks in the first round instead of the Canucks. They were the team that scared me. Young and hungry. But that could be said about the Canucks too. Although Chicago has some of the strangest name spellings in the league, (What kind of way is that to spell Taves and Bufflin?!), they've got some exciting players. Versteeg, Havlat, Kane, Sharp, Toews, Campbell, Byfuglien, Barker, Seabrook. I think they are the deepest team in the playoffs. And if the Boulin wall goes up the Canucks are in trouble.
The Canucks have DEFENCE. And they want to make Roberto Luongo into Richard Brodeur. And that's not the only parallel between the '82 Canucks and this year's team that can be drawn. Gradin/Sundin, Sundstrom/Henrik, Tanti/Daniel, Smyl/Kesler, Hlinka/Demitra, Edler/Molin, Mitchell/McCarthy, Bubla/Ohlund, Burrows/Williams, I could go on. Now I know some of these guys were injured and some came in '83 but this year's team brings me back to those days. What got the Canucks to the finals was L.A. beating the Oilers, King Richard being phenomenal every night and defence. I hate defence! In fact the way they beat the Hawks is by shadowing Denis Savard with defensive forward Gerry Minor. Savard was so frustrated he spit at a ref! Savard was a great talent. I hate the strategy of shadowing offensive stars. It makes for a boring game. Any kind of defence does! I actually WANT the Hawks to beat my favourite team and gain a victory for offense over defence. But I doubt that's the way this series will be played. I think the Canucks are strong enough to force the Hawks into playing defence and if so they'll win a 7-game yawner. Lots of close game kind of intensity, but not lots of action.
The thing is the Canucks have some players that are very underappreciated. They COULD probably make this an offensive and fun series to watch. Guys like Wellwood, Raymond, Edler, Bernier, Kesler, Bieksa, Burrows, they can play offense! I think there are some guys waiting to bust out here, especially Wellwood. But with the coach they have, I doubt it will be allowed. I'll be happy for the winner and sad for the loser of this series. But I'd rather see the Canucks lose 6-5 every game than win 1-0. That's just me.
I sure am missing Hockey Night in Canada right about now!
Anaheim has a VERY hot goalie. I'd pick him if he were in ANY of my pools. I've been listening to the Anaheim games and Hiller's standing on his head. Getzlaf, Perry, S. Neidermayer and Pronger are all playing great. No surprise. But they've got a young guy and an old guy who might be the difference in this series, Bobby Ryan and Teemu Selanne respectively. I don't think Detroit has had enough Swedish saunas and massages to prepare them for the beating they'll take from Anaheim. They gave the Sharks nightmares. Thornton and Getzlaf even fought! And Detrpot's traditional big weakness will finally kill them. Osgood can really suck. I think he'll get scored on regularly. Anaheim in 6 is probably an upset.
Carolina doesn't get any respect. They have one of those teams that IS a team. Of course buddies Eric Staal and Ray Whitney are at the top of the scoring so far for the team in the playoffs. But tied with them is Chad LaRose? They have some players whose names a hockey fan might recognize, Cole, Samsonoff, Brind'Amour, but they have a pile of no-namers with more heart than talent. And in Cam Ward they have good goaltending. They beat the Devils and they could beat the Bruins too. But they won't. Boston is too strong and they have LOTS of names a hockey fan will recognize, Savard, Kessel, Krejci, Chara, Ryder, Recchi, Bergeron, Wheeler and Tim Thomas. Boston in 6.
I can't wait to see the Pittsburgh/Washington series. I hope they break a record for goals in a series. They've got the offensive guns to do it. But because it's the playoffs and everybody falls in love with defence at this time of year they both might start worrying more about the other team scoring on them than attacking, the scaredicat hockey that plagues the playoffs every year. I REALLY hope this doesn't happen because I wanna see, (or hear), guys like Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom, Green, Fedorov, Malkin, Crosby, Gonchar, Guerin and the other guys on their teams go crazy scoring! And I think it might happen. I don't think the goaltending or the defence is strong enough to stop it. I give Pittsburgh an edge because Washington is tired. I hope it goes 7 games but I think Pittsburgh wins in 5.
Vancouver and Chicago. I was super happy the way the end of the season went so that Calgary had to deal with the Hawks in the first round instead of the Canucks. They were the team that scared me. Young and hungry. But that could be said about the Canucks too. Although Chicago has some of the strangest name spellings in the league, (What kind of way is that to spell Taves and Bufflin?!), they've got some exciting players. Versteeg, Havlat, Kane, Sharp, Toews, Campbell, Byfuglien, Barker, Seabrook. I think they are the deepest team in the playoffs. And if the Boulin wall goes up the Canucks are in trouble.
The Canucks have DEFENCE. And they want to make Roberto Luongo into Richard Brodeur. And that's not the only parallel between the '82 Canucks and this year's team that can be drawn. Gradin/Sundin, Sundstrom/Henrik, Tanti/Daniel, Smyl/Kesler, Hlinka/Demitra, Edler/Molin, Mitchell/McCarthy, Bubla/Ohlund, Burrows/Williams, I could go on. Now I know some of these guys were injured and some came in '83 but this year's team brings me back to those days. What got the Canucks to the finals was L.A. beating the Oilers, King Richard being phenomenal every night and defence. I hate defence! In fact the way they beat the Hawks is by shadowing Denis Savard with defensive forward Gerry Minor. Savard was so frustrated he spit at a ref! Savard was a great talent. I hate the strategy of shadowing offensive stars. It makes for a boring game. Any kind of defence does! I actually WANT the Hawks to beat my favourite team and gain a victory for offense over defence. But I doubt that's the way this series will be played. I think the Canucks are strong enough to force the Hawks into playing defence and if so they'll win a 7-game yawner. Lots of close game kind of intensity, but not lots of action.
The thing is the Canucks have some players that are very underappreciated. They COULD probably make this an offensive and fun series to watch. Guys like Wellwood, Raymond, Edler, Bernier, Kesler, Bieksa, Burrows, they can play offense! I think there are some guys waiting to bust out here, especially Wellwood. But with the coach they have, I doubt it will be allowed. I'll be happy for the winner and sad for the loser of this series. But I'd rather see the Canucks lose 6-5 every game than win 1-0. That's just me.
I sure am missing Hockey Night in Canada right about now!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Why are people such assholes?
Why are people such assholes? You say that and instantly there are all kinds of negative assumptions made about you. You’re a dark person, a pessimist, a glass half empty sort of guy, a cynic, unhappy, depressed, a dark cloud, someone I don’t want to talk to, no fun at all, the angel of death, a piss on the parade, crap in your Corn Flakes breath of farty air.
But…
add “to each other”, (for those of you who are drunk or slow on the uptake, “Why are people such assholes to each other?”), and now you’re a caring, deep thinking, compassionate, informed, socially conscious, make a difference, do-it-don’t-just-say-it, world shaking, life embracing, people person.
What the hell? It’s true isn’t it? Well? What the fuck? Is there that much difference? I mean grammatically, mathematically it’s three words, 11 letters, one prepositional phrase. How can it make such a big difference? You know, don’t you? It’s because, “Why are people such assholes” implies the continuation, “to me?” (For those of you who are drunk or slow on the uptake, “Why are people such assholes to me?”). We hate it when people are selfish, self-important, self-indulgent, self-involved, thinking only of themselves, making it all about themselves, narcissistic, vain, conceited, nose in the air, finger never broke through the toilet paper, shit don’t stink, possessed of a bloated sense of personal worth shitheads. There’s not much we hate any more than that is there? Well, there might be one thing. You know what it is, don’t you? I don’t think I’m an expert on human nature, but if I were there’d be no proof. I certainly don’t think any degree from any school qualifies anyone as such. However, by my reckoning, generally folks hate it even worse when people are selfish, self-important, self-indulgent, self-involved, blah blah blah, to our personal detriment.
It doesn’t take Dr. Phil McGraw to figure out what I’m saying here. Quickdraw McGraw could figure it out. Oh don’t tell me you don’t know Quickdraw! Babba Louie? “That Queekstraw, he’s got a lot of stuff up here. No brains just a lotta stuff.” El Kabang? “Now hold on there Babba Louie. I’ll do the thinnin’ around here and dooooon’t you for git eeyit!” Oh well, then…
We hate this because we do it ourselves. EVERYBODY is selfish. It’s no less human nature than dog nature. When I was young and cruel, (and for my own selfish amusement), I’d sometimes throw one doggie treat to my two dogs. Or as Quickdraw McGraw would call it, a dog "bis que eet". Oh come on you KNOW you watched that show!!!
So what do you think happened? With my dogs. It doesn’t matter if they’re full to the point of blowing up, they’ll fight over that doggie treat. You offer one job to two people and they’re not gonna have a Chip & Dale courtesy contest, “You take it. No you! No I insist! No it’s all yours. Absolutely not I must insist you take it. No no you were here first. I was not. Besides you’re more qualified. Oh surely YOU’Re the better candidate…” Wait a minute, you know Chip and Dale don’t you? Chipmunks in Donald Duck’s tree? Well if you don’t know Donald Duck I’m gonna quit now. Okay, note to self, easy on the cartoon references.
So anyhoo, the point I’m leading up to, and what a lead-up it was!!!, is today I was out walking and something happened that brought all this to mind. Well, it didn’t instantly pop into my mind complete with flashbacks to Saturday mornings as a kid and all. I was walking. In the rain. There’s narry a time when I do better thinnin’. I was waiting for the walk signal to cross the street at the main entrance of Seokang University. The light turned green. I looked both ways anyway, unlike most Koreans who tend to blindly walk across streets even when they HAVEN’T waited for the light to turn green. Which is most of the time. It’s not just the drivers’ fault that most people in this country have been hit by a car at least once. Anyway, I am glad I looked because the driver of a big, yellow bus full of kids decided that his needs outweighed mine and superceded the law so he just blasted through the light. Now let me be clear here. There is a crosswalk, the motorists have a red light, there are people on both sides of the crosswalk waiting, there are no impediments to the sight of the bus driver at all, there are 4 lanes of traffic, two both ways AND there was a car STOPPED at the crosswalk blocking the lane closest to the center line. So this jackass changes to the lane closest to my curb and blows through a good 2 or 3 seconds after he had a red light and I had a green.
But hey! This is Korea. It wasn’t really THAT guy I was pissed off at. It was the guy BEHIND him that blew through the light a good 4 or 5 seconds after the lights had changed. It was, (no surprise to anyone I’m sure), a fucking taxi. So I jumped in front of this prick and leaned right over with a big hand held out in the internationally accepted STOP position. Probably not expecting him to stop but trying to ensure that the car behind him stopped. Don’t give these lemmings a window. Rather than stop the taxi driver missed me and the stopped car by inches, proceeded through the red light AND fucking blew his horn in annoyance at ME!
Now I know beyond a shadow of a doubt you all agree that this guy was a shithead. But, I got to thinking, cuz it’s raining and I was walking in it. Was I upset at this guy for breaking laws, endangering me and others, probably doing this sort of thing chronically like most taxi drivers, or was it the 4 to 5 seconds he cost me? I still made it across the street. I had nothing pressing to do. I gave my one exam today and I’m done. I was just out cranking baseballs and getting some exercise cuz I wasn’t quite ready to sit down and MARK those exams. And this guy made me wait 4-5 extra seconds.
I don’t need to reiterate the various doctor horror stories that I’ve blogged about. Other friends too. In fact, I was out with my friend April buying her birthday lunch at Outback Steakhouse this Sunday and she told me that she was really sick one day at work but her employer, Korea Exchange Bank, wouldn’t let her go home. So she called her boyfriend and asked him to go to the doctor, fake her symptoms and ask for medicine. The “doctor” looked him over and said, “Yeah you ARE really sick!” and gave him the medicine. April and her b/f are both Korean by the way. I would have been FUCKED if that car had hit me! Proper fucked! Like the bunny in Snatch. Are movie references okay? Snatch? Brad Pitt as a Pikey. Coursing? Dog chasing the rabbit? Betting? Hello? Is this thing on? Okay no more referencing.
So why the frig did I feel I had to endanger myself so much? I think it was at least partially selfishness in myself. I admit it. I’m a dick for doing that. I should know SO much better! There’s no way I would have taught the driver anything even if he’d hit me and killed me. He would have blown the next red light I guaran damn tee. Still I felt empowered by the first profligate motorist to righteously rebuke this taxi driver. I guess it was like chucking pearls to swine. But for reasons unbeknownst to me I had to do it. I just had to!
This worries me. I think the symptoms of that most evil of all plagues that is a worldwide epidemic, GREED, are getting worse in me. I need some medicine. I should volunteer this weekend. Or give away some money. Maybe I should give really REALLY generous grades to my students on their midterm exams. Nah, that’s not gonna happen. I already made the tests ridiculously easy. Hmmmm. I could go a day without using power. Well except fridge and stove. Maybe I’ll visit a friend who doesn’t expect it. Write a letter to my Grandma. I have to self-flagellate this greed away. Okay, I got it! I’m gonna watch the latest episode of Southpark again. AND I’m gonna post the picture of the Earth blocked off from all other planets because of its greed right here.
There I feel a bit better now. To watch it or any other South Park episode click this link. What a great website eh?
But…
add “to each other”, (for those of you who are drunk or slow on the uptake, “Why are people such assholes to each other?”), and now you’re a caring, deep thinking, compassionate, informed, socially conscious, make a difference, do-it-don’t-just-say-it, world shaking, life embracing, people person.
What the hell? It’s true isn’t it? Well? What the fuck? Is there that much difference? I mean grammatically, mathematically it’s three words, 11 letters, one prepositional phrase. How can it make such a big difference? You know, don’t you? It’s because, “Why are people such assholes” implies the continuation, “to me?” (For those of you who are drunk or slow on the uptake, “Why are people such assholes to me?”). We hate it when people are selfish, self-important, self-indulgent, self-involved, thinking only of themselves, making it all about themselves, narcissistic, vain, conceited, nose in the air, finger never broke through the toilet paper, shit don’t stink, possessed of a bloated sense of personal worth shitheads. There’s not much we hate any more than that is there? Well, there might be one thing. You know what it is, don’t you? I don’t think I’m an expert on human nature, but if I were there’d be no proof. I certainly don’t think any degree from any school qualifies anyone as such. However, by my reckoning, generally folks hate it even worse when people are selfish, self-important, self-indulgent, self-involved, blah blah blah, to our personal detriment.
It doesn’t take Dr. Phil McGraw to figure out what I’m saying here. Quickdraw McGraw could figure it out. Oh don’t tell me you don’t know Quickdraw! Babba Louie? “That Queekstraw, he’s got a lot of stuff up here. No brains just a lotta stuff.” El Kabang? “Now hold on there Babba Louie. I’ll do the thinnin’ around here and dooooon’t you for git eeyit!” Oh well, then…
We hate this because we do it ourselves. EVERYBODY is selfish. It’s no less human nature than dog nature. When I was young and cruel, (and for my own selfish amusement), I’d sometimes throw one doggie treat to my two dogs. Or as Quickdraw McGraw would call it, a dog "bis que eet". Oh come on you KNOW you watched that show!!!
So what do you think happened? With my dogs. It doesn’t matter if they’re full to the point of blowing up, they’ll fight over that doggie treat. You offer one job to two people and they’re not gonna have a Chip & Dale courtesy contest, “You take it. No you! No I insist! No it’s all yours. Absolutely not I must insist you take it. No no you were here first. I was not. Besides you’re more qualified. Oh surely YOU’Re the better candidate…” Wait a minute, you know Chip and Dale don’t you? Chipmunks in Donald Duck’s tree? Well if you don’t know Donald Duck I’m gonna quit now. Okay, note to self, easy on the cartoon references.
So anyhoo, the point I’m leading up to, and what a lead-up it was!!!, is today I was out walking and something happened that brought all this to mind. Well, it didn’t instantly pop into my mind complete with flashbacks to Saturday mornings as a kid and all. I was walking. In the rain. There’s narry a time when I do better thinnin’. I was waiting for the walk signal to cross the street at the main entrance of Seokang University. The light turned green. I looked both ways anyway, unlike most Koreans who tend to blindly walk across streets even when they HAVEN’T waited for the light to turn green. Which is most of the time. It’s not just the drivers’ fault that most people in this country have been hit by a car at least once. Anyway, I am glad I looked because the driver of a big, yellow bus full of kids decided that his needs outweighed mine and superceded the law so he just blasted through the light. Now let me be clear here. There is a crosswalk, the motorists have a red light, there are people on both sides of the crosswalk waiting, there are no impediments to the sight of the bus driver at all, there are 4 lanes of traffic, two both ways AND there was a car STOPPED at the crosswalk blocking the lane closest to the center line. So this jackass changes to the lane closest to my curb and blows through a good 2 or 3 seconds after he had a red light and I had a green.
But hey! This is Korea. It wasn’t really THAT guy I was pissed off at. It was the guy BEHIND him that blew through the light a good 4 or 5 seconds after the lights had changed. It was, (no surprise to anyone I’m sure), a fucking taxi. So I jumped in front of this prick and leaned right over with a big hand held out in the internationally accepted STOP position. Probably not expecting him to stop but trying to ensure that the car behind him stopped. Don’t give these lemmings a window. Rather than stop the taxi driver missed me and the stopped car by inches, proceeded through the red light AND fucking blew his horn in annoyance at ME!
Now I know beyond a shadow of a doubt you all agree that this guy was a shithead. But, I got to thinking, cuz it’s raining and I was walking in it. Was I upset at this guy for breaking laws, endangering me and others, probably doing this sort of thing chronically like most taxi drivers, or was it the 4 to 5 seconds he cost me? I still made it across the street. I had nothing pressing to do. I gave my one exam today and I’m done. I was just out cranking baseballs and getting some exercise cuz I wasn’t quite ready to sit down and MARK those exams. And this guy made me wait 4-5 extra seconds.
I don’t need to reiterate the various doctor horror stories that I’ve blogged about. Other friends too. In fact, I was out with my friend April buying her birthday lunch at Outback Steakhouse this Sunday and she told me that she was really sick one day at work but her employer, Korea Exchange Bank, wouldn’t let her go home. So she called her boyfriend and asked him to go to the doctor, fake her symptoms and ask for medicine. The “doctor” looked him over and said, “Yeah you ARE really sick!” and gave him the medicine. April and her b/f are both Korean by the way. I would have been FUCKED if that car had hit me! Proper fucked! Like the bunny in Snatch. Are movie references okay? Snatch? Brad Pitt as a Pikey. Coursing? Dog chasing the rabbit? Betting? Hello? Is this thing on? Okay no more referencing.
So why the frig did I feel I had to endanger myself so much? I think it was at least partially selfishness in myself. I admit it. I’m a dick for doing that. I should know SO much better! There’s no way I would have taught the driver anything even if he’d hit me and killed me. He would have blown the next red light I guaran damn tee. Still I felt empowered by the first profligate motorist to righteously rebuke this taxi driver. I guess it was like chucking pearls to swine. But for reasons unbeknownst to me I had to do it. I just had to!
This worries me. I think the symptoms of that most evil of all plagues that is a worldwide epidemic, GREED, are getting worse in me. I need some medicine. I should volunteer this weekend. Or give away some money. Maybe I should give really REALLY generous grades to my students on their midterm exams. Nah, that’s not gonna happen. I already made the tests ridiculously easy. Hmmmm. I could go a day without using power. Well except fridge and stove. Maybe I’ll visit a friend who doesn’t expect it. Write a letter to my Grandma. I have to self-flagellate this greed away. Okay, I got it! I’m gonna watch the latest episode of Southpark again. AND I’m gonna post the picture of the Earth blocked off from all other planets because of its greed right here.
There I feel a bit better now. To watch it or any other South Park episode click this link. What a great website eh?
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Game #3 Another loss and I saw it live
Folks this is fast becoming a Kia Tigers blog but I'm telling ya things are interesting in Tigerville! Tonight was the first home game for the Tigers so I went. I figured I'd get there early and beat the crowd so I left right after work at 4ish. The game didn't start till 6:30. I got into the stadium a little after 5. It was PACKED! I mean I had to sit WAY over in the lousy seats behind the light tower. There were all kinds of performances for opening day. I guess that was the reason there were so many people.
Rick Guttormson pitched his first game. He had a rough first inning but escaped down only one. The rest of the game he was pretty good. Kia was winning 3-1 in the 4th inning when he got into a bit of trouble. Gave up a legitimate run and had a guy on first. Then the opposing player hit a ball that was CLEARLY foul. I mean if that thing was fair it went 1000 meters cuz it was on the foul side of the pole for a good 3 seconds from where I was sitting. The first base ump totally blew the call. He called it a homer and I guess he was older than the home plate ump, (who has veto power in countries that don't defer that power to age), didn't overrule him although I'm sure, like everybody in the building, he saw it was foul. A riot ensued. I have never seen so many bottles and shit thrown onto the field. I don't care who's older than who, get the frigging call right!
And just to show you that I'm not just saying that cuz it cost my team the game, there was another blown call later in the game. SK had guys on 2nd and 3rd and the batter hit a line drive to the SS. He threw it home and the catcher chased the runner back to 3rd. The runner who had been on 2nd was occupying 3rd. So the throw goes to third and the Kia player tags the runner out. BUT the ump calls him safe. Bad call but okay if he's safe that means the other guy's out cuz when two guys occupy the same base the lead runner gets it and the following runner is out. Perhaps to try to make a right with two wrongs??? the ump called them both out. The guy he had just called safe got sent back to the dugout. That pissed me off too although Kia got the next guy out so it didn't make a diff. Still I like a clean game. See what happens when stupid Confucianism is carried too far? It just snowballs out of control.
This was a game that Kia LITERALLY won but they won't get the W. Now if they miss the playoffs by a game or miss first place or something I'll think of THIS game right here. The final was 4-3 but would have been 3-2 without the non-homer being called a homer. Still and all, that happened in the 4th. Kia had 6 at bats, (18 outs), to rectify the situation and they didn't. Doesn't make me feel MUCH better but a little.
But that's not the worst thing that happened. Oh no! I found out my favourite cheerleader is GONE! Not sure if she's with another team or retired. Dammit!
BUT THAT'S not the worst thing that happened! Lee Yong Gyoo, the MVP of the Tigers BROKE his ankle in the game. He was piggybacked off the field. What a blow!
3 games into the season and already things are dismal! UNREAL!
On the good news side Choi Hee Sup got a homer. He also got a really ugly strikeout but overall a good game for him. Han Ki Joo pitched well too. And the guy I've been talking about noticing in preseason, #8 Ahn Chi Hong, who's a rookie, came in for Lee Yong Gyoo and got a hit and made a couple nice catches. I think we'll need him. And while Kia didn't score to make up for that hideous call they didn't give up any runs for the last 5 innings either.
I am going to the game tomorrow I think but I probably won't report on it. But then again, you never know...
Rick Guttormson pitched his first game. He had a rough first inning but escaped down only one. The rest of the game he was pretty good. Kia was winning 3-1 in the 4th inning when he got into a bit of trouble. Gave up a legitimate run and had a guy on first. Then the opposing player hit a ball that was CLEARLY foul. I mean if that thing was fair it went 1000 meters cuz it was on the foul side of the pole for a good 3 seconds from where I was sitting. The first base ump totally blew the call. He called it a homer and I guess he was older than the home plate ump, (who has veto power in countries that don't defer that power to age), didn't overrule him although I'm sure, like everybody in the building, he saw it was foul. A riot ensued. I have never seen so many bottles and shit thrown onto the field. I don't care who's older than who, get the frigging call right!
And just to show you that I'm not just saying that cuz it cost my team the game, there was another blown call later in the game. SK had guys on 2nd and 3rd and the batter hit a line drive to the SS. He threw it home and the catcher chased the runner back to 3rd. The runner who had been on 2nd was occupying 3rd. So the throw goes to third and the Kia player tags the runner out. BUT the ump calls him safe. Bad call but okay if he's safe that means the other guy's out cuz when two guys occupy the same base the lead runner gets it and the following runner is out. Perhaps to try to make a right with two wrongs??? the ump called them both out. The guy he had just called safe got sent back to the dugout. That pissed me off too although Kia got the next guy out so it didn't make a diff. Still I like a clean game. See what happens when stupid Confucianism is carried too far? It just snowballs out of control.
This was a game that Kia LITERALLY won but they won't get the W. Now if they miss the playoffs by a game or miss first place or something I'll think of THIS game right here. The final was 4-3 but would have been 3-2 without the non-homer being called a homer. Still and all, that happened in the 4th. Kia had 6 at bats, (18 outs), to rectify the situation and they didn't. Doesn't make me feel MUCH better but a little.
But that's not the worst thing that happened. Oh no! I found out my favourite cheerleader is GONE! Not sure if she's with another team or retired. Dammit!
BUT THAT'S not the worst thing that happened! Lee Yong Gyoo, the MVP of the Tigers BROKE his ankle in the game. He was piggybacked off the field. What a blow!
3 games into the season and already things are dismal! UNREAL!
On the good news side Choi Hee Sup got a homer. He also got a really ugly strikeout but overall a good game for him. Han Ki Joo pitched well too. And the guy I've been talking about noticing in preseason, #8 Ahn Chi Hong, who's a rookie, came in for Lee Yong Gyoo and got a hit and made a couple nice catches. I think we'll need him. And while Kia didn't score to make up for that hideous call they didn't give up any runs for the last 5 innings either.
I am going to the game tomorrow I think but I probably won't report on it. But then again, you never know...
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Kia Tigers Program
As I write this the Tigers are playing, (and losing), their second game of the new KBO season. They just brought Son Young Min in to replace Lee Beom Seok. This is when I get nervous!
As promised, or threatened, I am going to give you my thoughts on the new season and who will probably be playing for the Kia Tigers. Since I love offense, I'll start with the batting line-up the way I think it oughtta be.
#15 Lee Yong Gyoo: Mr. Excitement. Definitely their MVP last year since pitchers, (who miss more games than they play), can't be MVP's. He makes things happen even when he's NOT hitting. Gets his share of walks and has great speed so he can steal a bag or reach a fly ball in center field that an average guy wouldn't. He is prone to OVER excitement and will err on the side of aggression sometimes but I don't mind that at all. I wish he'd choke down a bit on the bat after the first inning so he can hit more homers. He didn't get any last year but I know he can hit the ball out of the park. Kia needs all the dingers they can muster.
#7 Lee Jong Beom: When he's 90 he'll be playing ball somewhere. He looked great in pre-season and has a real chance to hit for a high average as usual this year. He's lost speed and won't hit many, (if any), homeruns but he's still better than most. He's a great hitter and he's very good in Right Field although he won't throw many baserunners out. I bet he'd be a fantastic playing coach too.
#1 Jang Sung Ho: Taylor made for #3 in the batting order. He can hit for power and average. But I don't think his hitting has been NEARLY what it should. Somtimes it's not the players hitting bad that makes the team lose it's the other way around. Since he's been on the Tigers for such a long drought, maybe he's a little too complacent in his mediocre hitting. If Kia can start the season off strong look for his average to be over .300. Or if his average is over .300, Kia can start the season off strong. He's a pivotal player for the Tigers. Also he's much better on first base than Choi Hee Seop.
#25 Lee Jae Joo: Yes, that's right, #25 Lee Jae Joo. Just because Choi Hee Seop lost some weight in the off season doesn't mean he's earned back the clean up hitter spot in this line-up. Lee Jae Joo should have started last season in this spot, (and I said that last season) and it wasn't till half a season of Choi's rally killing that Lee was put here. Now the coach figures fans will forget and he'll be playing Choi here at the start of the season. Let's hope he doesn't stick with him as long and Lee Jae Joo can play.
#29 Na Ji Weon: I think this will be a break-out year for Na Ji Weon and it will be good to have him protecting the #4 hitter. Who knows, if he does really well maybe he'll BE the clean-up hitter. I don't think he has as much power or size as Choi Hee Seop but he's got a much better eye at the plate. And he's not too bad in left field.
#31 Lee Hyeon Gon: It seems like #6 is late in the order for such a good hitter but if Jang Sung Ho doesn't show enough interest this year they can swap. He's a very good contact hitter. Not a lot of strikeouts. Good average too. Strong #6. And I really like his cat-like reflexes at 3B although he can also play SS.
#3 Kim Sun Bin: I'm not sure if he'll be starting shortstop or not but if he does, this is the slot in the batting order where I'd put him. I see talent in Kim but I see some problems that might be hard to overcome. He is a bit error prone for a shortstop and I think he plays a bit too nervous. Even though he gets some solid hits to right field, he never pulls the ball. I think this is a sign that he's just a fraction unsure of himself. Needs some intensive work in the batting cage. On the other hand, I saw #8??? Ahn Chi Hong at shortstop and third in pre-season and he looked good both in the field and at the plate. I like to see competition. It makes everybody play harder. Don't be surprised to see a platoon situation between these two or maybe Ahn will play himself into a regular spot. We'll see.
#22 Kim Sang Hoon: I like him. He's a good catcher, calls a good game and is great at blocking wild pitches. His average is average and his speed is catcheresque. No frills but no real weaknesses.
#16 Kim Jong Gook: He's a steady second baseman. Doesn't make many errors in the field. At the plate he's streaky. He's great to have hitting before the leadoff hitter when he's getting on base. And that's quite often. Which is why I would like to see Lee Yong Gyoo hit for a bit more power.
Other position players to watch for: #51 Kim Weon Sup, #23 Choi Hee Seop, #33 Kim Ju Hyung, #66 Choi Yong Gyoo, #6 Park Jin Young.
Now for the pitchers.
#20 Yoon Suk Min: I've predicted a 20-win season for the "Smiling Ace" this year and even though he lost his first outing he looked good. A littel smarter baseball and he would have got a no decision. At any rate, he's so good I sometimes don't like watching him pitch. I like offense, remember?
#61 Lee Beom Suk: He's a skinny, little powerhouse. I don't know how he can throw so hard but I've never even seen Han Ki Joo throw a ball as hard as him. And he did it after several innings of pitching. I feel comfortable with Lee on the mound.
#40 Seo Jae Eung: He was injured a lot last season. I don't know how he feels for this season but when he was healthy he was good. I hope he stays healthy this year.
#? Aquilino Lopez: His nickname is Senior Smoke. I remember him from the Blue Jays. He got 14 saves for them one year and had a lot of strikeouts. It'll be really cool to see a major league player I recognize. Not sure how his game is but I can't see him NOT helping a struggling bull pen. If they use him as a save guy maybe Han Ki Joo can work as a set-up guy or longer relief.
#? Rick Guttormson: All I know about this guy is he's from the States, he was the first player to pitch a no-hitter in Japanese interleague history and he was the first guy to fail a drug test too. It was not a steroid, it was a hair growing agent that can be used to mask steroids. If he can pitch no-hitters he'll be welcome on the Kia staff hair or no hair. Also, if Choi is as bad as last season and they just can't find anyone to hit for power...
#37 Yang Hyun Jong started in pre-season and looked very good. He won a 2-1 pitchers duel. I don't know where they got him but if he can keep the other team to 1 run, welcome.
#19 Son Young Min: My pick for goat of the year on the pitching staff. He blew a lot of good starting pitching performances last year. However, he did clean up his act a little late in the season and he has looked better in pre-season. I'm hoping he can pitch better because there's NO WAY Jo Beom Hyun is gonna stop calling his number! He's the baseball version of the teacher's pet. I'm hoping he'll go from goat of the year to most improved player this year.
#10 Han Ki Joo: The guy throws the ball hard. No doubt. But it's actually easier to get a hit off a hard pitch if you can time it. When the guy never throws anything else it just makes it easier to time. I'm really hoping that Seo Jae Eung or one of the other pitchers took some time in the off season to teach Han another pitch. If he could throw a breaking ball or off-speed pitch with any effectiveness he'd be dangerous.
Other pitchers I like: #45 Lee Dae Jin, #35 Im Joon Hyuk. I hope there will be others or it'll be a long season. AGAIN.
And I thought I'd include the coach.
#70 Jo Beom Hyun: "Jo don't know." I don't need to tell you I am not a big fan of this guy. I think his biggest problem is he's Korean. It sounds bad but let me splain. He's older than any of the other guys so who's gonna tell him when he's making mistakes. Doesn't happen in Korea. In fact I see that in other coaches in the league too. I won't bring up the monumental coaching errors I saw in the WBC highlighted by Kim In Shik's failure to walk Ichiro. Okay I DID bring it up. And I see the opposite for the one team that HAS a foreign coach. Look what happened when the Lotte Giants got Jerry Royster. The same thing could happen if Kia got a foreign coach. Like me for instance. Well I'm not sure about that but I AM sure I could get Kia half a run a game more with three words: HIT AND RUN! Aparently Jo don't know that strategy. Aside from two out, full count I NEVER see a hit and run and Kia has a team BUILT for it! What I DO see is more double plays against than any team I have ever witnessed; 3, even 4 hits in an inning with no runs; an INCREDIBLE number of players stranded on base; Kia outplaying, outpitching and outhitting oponents and losing. ALL of these demoralizing problems could be lowered with the hit and run. Other teams destroy the Tigers with it. He's got guys with good speed but only a couple who can actually steal. He's got a ton of good contact hitters. This is a hit-and-run team. Why Jo won't do it is beyond me.
Instead of the hit and run Jo will have a very good hitter like Jang Sung Ho SAC BUNT with a guy on first and nobody out when Kia is down by 3 or 4 runs. I've also seen him do that in the first fucking inning! This is a really good way to show your hitters you don't trust them at all. Hence, I don't think they're playing as hard as they can for this guy. You don't see it in the KBO as much as in the majors but I am starting to see Kia Tigers FAKE sacrificing. You know professional ball players can lay down a bunt. Especially if they have two chances. But some would rather try for a hit with only one chance. I.e. "miss" two bunts then swing for a hit with two strikes against. I'm positive I've seen that happen with the Tigers a few times. That's when you know the coach is pissing the hitters off.
Also, he pays very little attention to whether starting pitchers are cruising along. In the 6th or 7th it's time for his favourite: Son Young Min to come on and blow the game wide open. I'm SURE I've seen him pull pitchers working on one hitters or two hitters. The guy seems to have no faith in his starting pitching either. Only the bull pen WHICH SUCKS! I'm sorry.
There are other little coaching mistakes like player positioning, playing the infield or outfield shallow when they shouldn't be. I'm not even sure these things are Jo's calls.
Good news though! I've seen some signs that Jo HAS faith in Yoon Suk Min. And I saw him pull Son when his first hitter got a hit too. Maybe somebody disrespected him and caused him severe loss of face by telling him. Or maybe a foreigner did it. Now if we can just get him to call hit and runs...
But no team is perfect. I think the Tigers will improve this year. I'm hoping to see them in the playoffs. I think they can do it if they just read this blog!
See you at the ball park Tigers Fans!
As promised, or threatened, I am going to give you my thoughts on the new season and who will probably be playing for the Kia Tigers. Since I love offense, I'll start with the batting line-up the way I think it oughtta be.
#15 Lee Yong Gyoo: Mr. Excitement. Definitely their MVP last year since pitchers, (who miss more games than they play), can't be MVP's. He makes things happen even when he's NOT hitting. Gets his share of walks and has great speed so he can steal a bag or reach a fly ball in center field that an average guy wouldn't. He is prone to OVER excitement and will err on the side of aggression sometimes but I don't mind that at all. I wish he'd choke down a bit on the bat after the first inning so he can hit more homers. He didn't get any last year but I know he can hit the ball out of the park. Kia needs all the dingers they can muster.
#7 Lee Jong Beom: When he's 90 he'll be playing ball somewhere. He looked great in pre-season and has a real chance to hit for a high average as usual this year. He's lost speed and won't hit many, (if any), homeruns but he's still better than most. He's a great hitter and he's very good in Right Field although he won't throw many baserunners out. I bet he'd be a fantastic playing coach too.
#1 Jang Sung Ho: Taylor made for #3 in the batting order. He can hit for power and average. But I don't think his hitting has been NEARLY what it should. Somtimes it's not the players hitting bad that makes the team lose it's the other way around. Since he's been on the Tigers for such a long drought, maybe he's a little too complacent in his mediocre hitting. If Kia can start the season off strong look for his average to be over .300. Or if his average is over .300, Kia can start the season off strong. He's a pivotal player for the Tigers. Also he's much better on first base than Choi Hee Seop.
#25 Lee Jae Joo: Yes, that's right, #25 Lee Jae Joo. Just because Choi Hee Seop lost some weight in the off season doesn't mean he's earned back the clean up hitter spot in this line-up. Lee Jae Joo should have started last season in this spot, (and I said that last season) and it wasn't till half a season of Choi's rally killing that Lee was put here. Now the coach figures fans will forget and he'll be playing Choi here at the start of the season. Let's hope he doesn't stick with him as long and Lee Jae Joo can play.
#29 Na Ji Weon: I think this will be a break-out year for Na Ji Weon and it will be good to have him protecting the #4 hitter. Who knows, if he does really well maybe he'll BE the clean-up hitter. I don't think he has as much power or size as Choi Hee Seop but he's got a much better eye at the plate. And he's not too bad in left field.
#31 Lee Hyeon Gon: It seems like #6 is late in the order for such a good hitter but if Jang Sung Ho doesn't show enough interest this year they can swap. He's a very good contact hitter. Not a lot of strikeouts. Good average too. Strong #6. And I really like his cat-like reflexes at 3B although he can also play SS.
#3 Kim Sun Bin: I'm not sure if he'll be starting shortstop or not but if he does, this is the slot in the batting order where I'd put him. I see talent in Kim but I see some problems that might be hard to overcome. He is a bit error prone for a shortstop and I think he plays a bit too nervous. Even though he gets some solid hits to right field, he never pulls the ball. I think this is a sign that he's just a fraction unsure of himself. Needs some intensive work in the batting cage. On the other hand, I saw #8??? Ahn Chi Hong at shortstop and third in pre-season and he looked good both in the field and at the plate. I like to see competition. It makes everybody play harder. Don't be surprised to see a platoon situation between these two or maybe Ahn will play himself into a regular spot. We'll see.
#22 Kim Sang Hoon: I like him. He's a good catcher, calls a good game and is great at blocking wild pitches. His average is average and his speed is catcheresque. No frills but no real weaknesses.
#16 Kim Jong Gook: He's a steady second baseman. Doesn't make many errors in the field. At the plate he's streaky. He's great to have hitting before the leadoff hitter when he's getting on base. And that's quite often. Which is why I would like to see Lee Yong Gyoo hit for a bit more power.
Other position players to watch for: #51 Kim Weon Sup, #23 Choi Hee Seop, #33 Kim Ju Hyung, #66 Choi Yong Gyoo, #6 Park Jin Young.
Now for the pitchers.
#20 Yoon Suk Min: I've predicted a 20-win season for the "Smiling Ace" this year and even though he lost his first outing he looked good. A littel smarter baseball and he would have got a no decision. At any rate, he's so good I sometimes don't like watching him pitch. I like offense, remember?
#61 Lee Beom Suk: He's a skinny, little powerhouse. I don't know how he can throw so hard but I've never even seen Han Ki Joo throw a ball as hard as him. And he did it after several innings of pitching. I feel comfortable with Lee on the mound.
#40 Seo Jae Eung: He was injured a lot last season. I don't know how he feels for this season but when he was healthy he was good. I hope he stays healthy this year.
#? Aquilino Lopez: His nickname is Senior Smoke. I remember him from the Blue Jays. He got 14 saves for them one year and had a lot of strikeouts. It'll be really cool to see a major league player I recognize. Not sure how his game is but I can't see him NOT helping a struggling bull pen. If they use him as a save guy maybe Han Ki Joo can work as a set-up guy or longer relief.
#? Rick Guttormson: All I know about this guy is he's from the States, he was the first player to pitch a no-hitter in Japanese interleague history and he was the first guy to fail a drug test too. It was not a steroid, it was a hair growing agent that can be used to mask steroids. If he can pitch no-hitters he'll be welcome on the Kia staff hair or no hair. Also, if Choi is as bad as last season and they just can't find anyone to hit for power...
#37 Yang Hyun Jong started in pre-season and looked very good. He won a 2-1 pitchers duel. I don't know where they got him but if he can keep the other team to 1 run, welcome.
#19 Son Young Min: My pick for goat of the year on the pitching staff. He blew a lot of good starting pitching performances last year. However, he did clean up his act a little late in the season and he has looked better in pre-season. I'm hoping he can pitch better because there's NO WAY Jo Beom Hyun is gonna stop calling his number! He's the baseball version of the teacher's pet. I'm hoping he'll go from goat of the year to most improved player this year.
#10 Han Ki Joo: The guy throws the ball hard. No doubt. But it's actually easier to get a hit off a hard pitch if you can time it. When the guy never throws anything else it just makes it easier to time. I'm really hoping that Seo Jae Eung or one of the other pitchers took some time in the off season to teach Han another pitch. If he could throw a breaking ball or off-speed pitch with any effectiveness he'd be dangerous.
Other pitchers I like: #45 Lee Dae Jin, #35 Im Joon Hyuk. I hope there will be others or it'll be a long season. AGAIN.
And I thought I'd include the coach.
#70 Jo Beom Hyun: "Jo don't know." I don't need to tell you I am not a big fan of this guy. I think his biggest problem is he's Korean. It sounds bad but let me splain. He's older than any of the other guys so who's gonna tell him when he's making mistakes. Doesn't happen in Korea. In fact I see that in other coaches in the league too. I won't bring up the monumental coaching errors I saw in the WBC highlighted by Kim In Shik's failure to walk Ichiro. Okay I DID bring it up. And I see the opposite for the one team that HAS a foreign coach. Look what happened when the Lotte Giants got Jerry Royster. The same thing could happen if Kia got a foreign coach. Like me for instance. Well I'm not sure about that but I AM sure I could get Kia half a run a game more with three words: HIT AND RUN! Aparently Jo don't know that strategy. Aside from two out, full count I NEVER see a hit and run and Kia has a team BUILT for it! What I DO see is more double plays against than any team I have ever witnessed; 3, even 4 hits in an inning with no runs; an INCREDIBLE number of players stranded on base; Kia outplaying, outpitching and outhitting oponents and losing. ALL of these demoralizing problems could be lowered with the hit and run. Other teams destroy the Tigers with it. He's got guys with good speed but only a couple who can actually steal. He's got a ton of good contact hitters. This is a hit-and-run team. Why Jo won't do it is beyond me.
Instead of the hit and run Jo will have a very good hitter like Jang Sung Ho SAC BUNT with a guy on first and nobody out when Kia is down by 3 or 4 runs. I've also seen him do that in the first fucking inning! This is a really good way to show your hitters you don't trust them at all. Hence, I don't think they're playing as hard as they can for this guy. You don't see it in the KBO as much as in the majors but I am starting to see Kia Tigers FAKE sacrificing. You know professional ball players can lay down a bunt. Especially if they have two chances. But some would rather try for a hit with only one chance. I.e. "miss" two bunts then swing for a hit with two strikes against. I'm positive I've seen that happen with the Tigers a few times. That's when you know the coach is pissing the hitters off.
Also, he pays very little attention to whether starting pitchers are cruising along. In the 6th or 7th it's time for his favourite: Son Young Min to come on and blow the game wide open. I'm SURE I've seen him pull pitchers working on one hitters or two hitters. The guy seems to have no faith in his starting pitching either. Only the bull pen WHICH SUCKS! I'm sorry.
There are other little coaching mistakes like player positioning, playing the infield or outfield shallow when they shouldn't be. I'm not even sure these things are Jo's calls.
Good news though! I've seen some signs that Jo HAS faith in Yoon Suk Min. And I saw him pull Son when his first hitter got a hit too. Maybe somebody disrespected him and caused him severe loss of face by telling him. Or maybe a foreigner did it. Now if we can just get him to call hit and runs...
But no team is perfect. I think the Tigers will improve this year. I'm hoping to see them in the playoffs. I think they can do it if they just read this blog!
See you at the ball park Tigers Fans!
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Kia Tigers Season Opener
I thought long and hard about going to Seoul to watch the first game of my beloved Kia Tigers this year but it just wasn't happening. For many reasons I've decided to stay in Gwangju and wait for the home opener on Tuesday night to be my first regular season game this year. I think it was a smart choice. Instead today I cleaned up the house. This week at the dorms was a hot waterless week. Well there WAS hot water in the mornings but none at night. So I had no clean dishes in the house. I'm too busy in the morning showering and dirtying dishes to wash them. I was eating cup-o-spaghetti and mixing bowl ramyun for a while. Today I got up at 7 am just to wash the damn dishes. Since I was up so early I thought about going to the game in Seoul. But it takes about 5 hours to get to Chamshill stadium from here. Closer to 6 all things considered, and the game was at 2. I couldn't have made it.
Instead I went downtown and stocked up on things from the underground grocer. I also went to get my vitamin M from McDonalds, which is just around the corner from the underground grocer. There was a foreign guy who walked into Macdonalds just in front of me and was trying to order two all beef patties special sauce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun. That's right a Big Mac without lettuce. I have a hard time getting Sprite instead of Coke so I applauded his positivity. But they couldn't understand what he wanted in English. I was behind him trying to think of the word for lettuce in Korean and all I could get was "yang bae chu" which is cabbage. Then it hit me and I said, "sang chu eopseoyo. Sang chu pirieopseoyo. Sangchu animnida. Sangchu anwanayo." And finally sangchu with my arms crossed into a big X. She understood. lol. No it wasn't that bad. My grammar sucks but I think those mean "lettuce none, lettuce don't need, lettuce isn't, and lettuce don't want". The grammar is not perfect but I've gone through the same broken Korean song and dance before to stunned Macdonalds employees only to have them panic and run to get someone who can understand a foreigner speaking Korean. Not for lettuce but for something else. This girl was young but she was pretty good.
So the guy actually got a Big Mac with no lettuce. I was impressed. I didn't sit with him although we were both alone. I try not to give the impression to Koreans that like Koreans we foreigners feel like it's us against them when we're outnumbered. But for English lunch conversation I called David and Angie and invited them to the Kia game on Sunday. My friend Min Ha, his new wife and I are going. So it'll be a nice outing. Min Ha and I are long time friends. He used to be my student at Chonnam University. Now he works for Samsung. His English is really good. Well, he had good teachers. cough cough. But really he's been overseas to places where English is required for his job. He just went to Russia last week I think. So it's nice to think I'm making SOME difference over here. He's a good guy too. Here's Min Ha and me at a game a few years ago.
Anyways, I asked the guy if he got a Big Mac with no lettuce and confirmed that he had and then I waved to him as he left. Then to my surprise he came back in and gave me his card. Turns out this guy was well known to me. He's the new editor of the Gwangju News, a little English language magazine I've written for before. Doug Stuber is his name. So THEN we started into some baseball talk and it turns out HE's a fan too. I'll probably see him at the game on Tuesday. It's always nice to have some convo, (and even nicer if it's English), during the game.
As for today's game, I got home, bought some beer and turned on the TV to watch it. It was Yoon Seok Min pitching for the Tigers. I was psyched cuz I thought he'd win his first of 20 this year. But things didn't quite work out. Like most of his losses last year it wasn't his fault. But he got the L today. Dammit.
Things were going swimmingly into the 5th inning. It was 1-1. Yoon Seok Min had been throwing a lot of pitches per inning but I knew he had the arm to survive. He got the first two guys in the 5th out. Then with two out the Kia jinx kicked in. The lead-off hitter for the Doosan Bears, Lee Jong Wook, who admittedly has lots of speed and played for Korea's national team hits a ball straight into the dirt that jumps over the head of the 3rd baseman who was inexplicably playing far in to guard against the bunt with 2 out and nobody on. Just bad positioning. Some coach's fault. No worries, we'll get the next guy. Next guy hits a ball softly to where the shortstop SHOULD have been but he was inexplicably covering second in case the guy on first wanted to steal. With two out and one on. Next guy, Ko Young Min, who was also on the national team, works Yoon and really earns an impressive walk. Next guy hits a fly ball to center field. Playing center is, ANOTHER guy who was on the national team, Lee Yong Gyoo, who is ALWAYS solid and usually makes it to balls other fielders CAN'T. Lee is inexplicably playing shallow like there's only one out. The ball goes over his head but he STILL could have cought it if he'd turned the right way. He didn't and it dropped short of the warning track on the grass. He should have cought it. And there should have been an error.
A frustrated Yoon understandably gives up a couple REAL hits and before he gets, (essentially) his SIXTH out in the inning it's 6-1.
But it's only the 5th. Next inning last year's Superstar-turned-goat Choi Hee Seop comes up and CRUSHES a single to right field. He lost weight in the off season and in his first game it paid dividends because I don't think Lard Ladd of last season would have dug in and stretched that single to a double but this year's version DID! To the surprise of everybody including the right fielder of Doosan who just lobbed it in to second base. Because of that hustle Lee Hyun Gon was able to knock him in to make it 6-2.
Then in the 8th one of my break-out picks for this season, Han Ki Joo got a solid base hit with the bases loaded to make it 6-3 with nobody out. Then Lee Hyun Gon, a good contact hitter STRUCK OUT! Dammmmmmiiiiittt! Next up, my favourite power hitter on the Tigers, Lee Jae Joo. He goes deep over the fence with the bases loaded and it's... still 6-3 cuz it was foul. But he did hang on for a bases loaded walk/RBI. 6-4. Then little used Choi Kyung Hwan hits a ball that looked deeper than it was. Wind must have been blowing in. But gets the sac fly anyway. 6-5. Now men at first and third with 2 out. Kim Jong Gook pops out. AAArrrrggh! A lot of guys left on base last year and so far that trend is continuing.
Guess who comes out for the bottom of the 8th. Son Young Min. Okay now it's time to prove that you've been working hard to make up for so many awful relief appearances last year. One batter-one hit. He gets yanked for a guy named Kim Young Soo who if I understood the Korean announcers right is a guy we picked up from the Lotte Giants in the off season. He gets a strikeout. Then HORROR OF HORRORS!!!!! they bring in Lee Beom Seok!!! Kia's second best starting pitcher from last year. Well given that Seo Jae Eung was injured most of the year. Still I've seen this skinny little guy throw well into the 90's well into the game. He threw a pitch so hard last year that the game stopped briefly for the crowd to applaud the read-out on the big screen. He is NOT a relief pitcher! He gets his first man to ground out then that lead-off man for Doosan Lee Jong Wook tagged him for a very nice hit. This guy just sucked in the WBC. NOW he gets hot? But again the fielders were playing shallow with two out. I don't think it mattered but it's just not good coaching.
So the Tigers had their lead-off hitter, Lee Yong Gyoo, leading off the 9th. He always makes things happen. He's the MVP for the Tigers for sure. This game he got hit by a pitch, hit balls hard to the 2b, which he booted but it went for a base hit, and the SS, which he booted but it went for a base hit, stole a base, scored a run, got thrown out on a baserunning error. He's mister excitement! However, they went 1,2,3 in the ninth and the final was 7-5 for the Bears.
This was preferable to a 1-0 win for the Tigers to me. I liked the offense and the excitement. But there were like 10 errors in the game so it wasn't that pretty to watch. Still lots of drama and excitement. I'm guessing they'll put out one of the new foreigners as the starter tomorrow. If it's "Senior Smoke" okay I've heard of him. But I still think these guys should have to earn their spots in the starting rotation. We'll see.
Instead I went downtown and stocked up on things from the underground grocer. I also went to get my vitamin M from McDonalds, which is just around the corner from the underground grocer. There was a foreign guy who walked into Macdonalds just in front of me and was trying to order two all beef patties special sauce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun. That's right a Big Mac without lettuce. I have a hard time getting Sprite instead of Coke so I applauded his positivity. But they couldn't understand what he wanted in English. I was behind him trying to think of the word for lettuce in Korean and all I could get was "yang bae chu" which is cabbage. Then it hit me and I said, "sang chu eopseoyo. Sang chu pirieopseoyo. Sangchu animnida. Sangchu anwanayo." And finally sangchu with my arms crossed into a big X. She understood. lol. No it wasn't that bad. My grammar sucks but I think those mean "lettuce none, lettuce don't need, lettuce isn't, and lettuce don't want". The grammar is not perfect but I've gone through the same broken Korean song and dance before to stunned Macdonalds employees only to have them panic and run to get someone who can understand a foreigner speaking Korean. Not for lettuce but for something else. This girl was young but she was pretty good.
So the guy actually got a Big Mac with no lettuce. I was impressed. I didn't sit with him although we were both alone. I try not to give the impression to Koreans that like Koreans we foreigners feel like it's us against them when we're outnumbered. But for English lunch conversation I called David and Angie and invited them to the Kia game on Sunday. My friend Min Ha, his new wife and I are going. So it'll be a nice outing. Min Ha and I are long time friends. He used to be my student at Chonnam University. Now he works for Samsung. His English is really good. Well, he had good teachers. cough cough. But really he's been overseas to places where English is required for his job. He just went to Russia last week I think. So it's nice to think I'm making SOME difference over here. He's a good guy too. Here's Min Ha and me at a game a few years ago.
Anyways, I asked the guy if he got a Big Mac with no lettuce and confirmed that he had and then I waved to him as he left. Then to my surprise he came back in and gave me his card. Turns out this guy was well known to me. He's the new editor of the Gwangju News, a little English language magazine I've written for before. Doug Stuber is his name. So THEN we started into some baseball talk and it turns out HE's a fan too. I'll probably see him at the game on Tuesday. It's always nice to have some convo, (and even nicer if it's English), during the game.
As for today's game, I got home, bought some beer and turned on the TV to watch it. It was Yoon Seok Min pitching for the Tigers. I was psyched cuz I thought he'd win his first of 20 this year. But things didn't quite work out. Like most of his losses last year it wasn't his fault. But he got the L today. Dammit.
Things were going swimmingly into the 5th inning. It was 1-1. Yoon Seok Min had been throwing a lot of pitches per inning but I knew he had the arm to survive. He got the first two guys in the 5th out. Then with two out the Kia jinx kicked in. The lead-off hitter for the Doosan Bears, Lee Jong Wook, who admittedly has lots of speed and played for Korea's national team hits a ball straight into the dirt that jumps over the head of the 3rd baseman who was inexplicably playing far in to guard against the bunt with 2 out and nobody on. Just bad positioning. Some coach's fault. No worries, we'll get the next guy. Next guy hits a ball softly to where the shortstop SHOULD have been but he was inexplicably covering second in case the guy on first wanted to steal. With two out and one on. Next guy, Ko Young Min, who was also on the national team, works Yoon and really earns an impressive walk. Next guy hits a fly ball to center field. Playing center is, ANOTHER guy who was on the national team, Lee Yong Gyoo, who is ALWAYS solid and usually makes it to balls other fielders CAN'T. Lee is inexplicably playing shallow like there's only one out. The ball goes over his head but he STILL could have cought it if he'd turned the right way. He didn't and it dropped short of the warning track on the grass. He should have cought it. And there should have been an error.
A frustrated Yoon understandably gives up a couple REAL hits and before he gets, (essentially) his SIXTH out in the inning it's 6-1.
But it's only the 5th. Next inning last year's Superstar-turned-goat Choi Hee Seop comes up and CRUSHES a single to right field. He lost weight in the off season and in his first game it paid dividends because I don't think Lard Ladd of last season would have dug in and stretched that single to a double but this year's version DID! To the surprise of everybody including the right fielder of Doosan who just lobbed it in to second base. Because of that hustle Lee Hyun Gon was able to knock him in to make it 6-2.
Then in the 8th one of my break-out picks for this season, Han Ki Joo got a solid base hit with the bases loaded to make it 6-3 with nobody out. Then Lee Hyun Gon, a good contact hitter STRUCK OUT! Dammmmmmiiiiittt! Next up, my favourite power hitter on the Tigers, Lee Jae Joo. He goes deep over the fence with the bases loaded and it's... still 6-3 cuz it was foul. But he did hang on for a bases loaded walk/RBI. 6-4. Then little used Choi Kyung Hwan hits a ball that looked deeper than it was. Wind must have been blowing in. But gets the sac fly anyway. 6-5. Now men at first and third with 2 out. Kim Jong Gook pops out. AAArrrrggh! A lot of guys left on base last year and so far that trend is continuing.
Guess who comes out for the bottom of the 8th. Son Young Min. Okay now it's time to prove that you've been working hard to make up for so many awful relief appearances last year. One batter-one hit. He gets yanked for a guy named Kim Young Soo who if I understood the Korean announcers right is a guy we picked up from the Lotte Giants in the off season. He gets a strikeout. Then HORROR OF HORRORS!!!!! they bring in Lee Beom Seok!!! Kia's second best starting pitcher from last year. Well given that Seo Jae Eung was injured most of the year. Still I've seen this skinny little guy throw well into the 90's well into the game. He threw a pitch so hard last year that the game stopped briefly for the crowd to applaud the read-out on the big screen. He is NOT a relief pitcher! He gets his first man to ground out then that lead-off man for Doosan Lee Jong Wook tagged him for a very nice hit. This guy just sucked in the WBC. NOW he gets hot? But again the fielders were playing shallow with two out. I don't think it mattered but it's just not good coaching.
So the Tigers had their lead-off hitter, Lee Yong Gyoo, leading off the 9th. He always makes things happen. He's the MVP for the Tigers for sure. This game he got hit by a pitch, hit balls hard to the 2b, which he booted but it went for a base hit, and the SS, which he booted but it went for a base hit, stole a base, scored a run, got thrown out on a baserunning error. He's mister excitement! However, they went 1,2,3 in the ninth and the final was 7-5 for the Bears.
This was preferable to a 1-0 win for the Tigers to me. I liked the offense and the excitement. But there were like 10 errors in the game so it wasn't that pretty to watch. Still lots of drama and excitement. I'm guessing they'll put out one of the new foreigners as the starter tomorrow. If it's "Senior Smoke" okay I've heard of him. But I still think these guys should have to earn their spots in the starting rotation. We'll see.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Jon Huer: Any attention is good attention
And with that title I'm gonna have to admit I'm playing right into his hands and giving him just a little bit more internet buzz. I'm not sure if he's trying to be serious yet or if he's just a shockblogger. Or shock columnist. But for the love of GOD!!! If anyone TRIED to make a stupider list of things foreigners like about Korea, I don't know if they could. Hmmmm, maybe I should try. It is my destiny.
Aside from number 1, which I mostly agree with, I can't get through this list without being overcome with this strange sensation that I can only describe as my body deciding between laughter and vomit.
What I am going to do is discuss his list, give my genuine list, (and not assume that it is agreed upon by all expats here in Korea), and try my best to create a shockingly stupid list that I think would shock and anger people into reading my blog and be worse than Jon Huer. That'll be the hard part.
Huer #1. Street Safety. I agree. The streets are safe. From crime. I don't feel like I'm going to get mugged as I walk down the street anywhere in Korea. I've never seen a gun or person with a gun except a soldier at the DMZ. And you just don't get the kids that are so bored they decide to vandalize or terrorize. And if it was anything but video games and hagwons that was keeping the kids busy I'd say kudos to Korea for that. But driving or even walking in those streets is dangerous. And if you get hit by a car you are pretty much left to your own devices to solve the problem. Police, ambulance, hospital and fire services are abysmal. But yeah I agree.
My #1 K.B.O. The Korean Baseball Organization.
My shockblogger #1 The way people of other blood are treated as absolute equals by all Koreans.
Huer #2 The sweetness and charitable disposition of Korean women over 60. I gotta say I like the ajjumas. But sweet? Charitable? Holy shit! Has this guy never stood in line to get on a bus or buy a ticket or pay for food or any fucking line in the country. The ajjuma elbow will get them right to the front. And people never do anything. It's accepted. Would YOU argue with that lady? There's a reason why the term "ajjumonster" was created by foreigners and the phrase, "third sex" was coined by locals. They are something to see. And the salmon-like metamorphosis from "beautiful, cute, quiet, anassuming, bashful, shrinking violet" agashi to ajjuma is a biology study just waiting to happen.
My #2 Drinking culture. I love being able to walk around outside with a beer. Show up for work hungover, they UNDERSTAND. (not that I ever would...) And there is always beer close by. You don't need to get it at a beer store. Drinking customs, drinking games, drinking songs, I love everything about the Korean drinking culture except soju.
My shockblogger #2 The intrepid Korean mosquito. These voracious little vixens are a superspecies of nature to be revered. Korean national treasure #564.
Huer #3 Korea's countryside people's unique attitude toward foreigners. Is he referring to how they demand, "Hey! Hello!" And then when you acquiesce, "Hi." they laugh their asses off? It's not unique since lots of people drive by herds of cattle, moo out the window and laugh their asses off when the cattle reply. But I suppose it IS a unique attitude toward PEOPLE.
My #3 Korean food. Nuff said.
My shockblogger #3 The lovely holiday togetherness one experiences on highways and thoroughfares throughout the country during Chuseok and other national holidays.
Huer #4 The Korean fighting spirit. Refusing to accept fate or impossibility. The Korean heart seethes at injustice. They have a pretty easy time accepting MY impossibilities. Like getting my visa renewed without leaving the country. Impossible! #5 pizza with olives, green pepper and mushroom instead of boiled egg, corn and sweet pickle. Impossible. Transferring money without producing my passport. Impossible. Cutting the hair on the top of my balding head. Impossible. All those things were in fact possible, (and I had them done), but those and MANY others are termed "impossible" when somebody just doesn't feel like doing their job. Probly hungover because of the drinking culture. And as for seething hearts is that what you call that shit-eating grin they give you when they reneg on promises in the contract while reminding you that YOU are still bound by it till the end of the year?
My #4 Winter, spring and fall. Not too hot, not too cold. Juuust right.
My shockblogger #4 The healthy, sauna-like conditions in Korean summer when laundry can take a week to dry and 30 can feel like 50 degrees. Korea has four seasons you know.
Huer #5 Spontaneity Yes the Koreans I know make it a point to be spontaneous. In fact they pencil it into their busy schedules after Tae Kwon Do hagwon on Thursday from 5-6 PM and Noraebang on Friday from 9-10. Or before sexual intercourse from 3-3:02 Sunday afternoon. The average Korean won't do anything spontaneous today except unnecessarily changing a lane. Without looking. But since it was done 75 times on their 10-minute commute to work, yes they are spontaneous.
My #5 It's a cheap place to live. Mostly because the good teaching contracts come with housing but I can save a lot more here than anywhere else I've lived. And I don't skimp either.
My shockblogger #5 The pleasant introspection and single-mindedness of purpose Koreans engage in that is so accute they can sometimes transcend their surroundings. Like when they are choosing gochujang with their shopping cart blocking the entire aisle for 10 minutes. When they walk across the road during the don't walk signal with their thoughtful gaze skyward. Or when they slam their article down on the check-out counter, get into a taxi or bark their order out when you are in front of them in line.
Huer #6 Lyrical songs of Korea. I have to admit if he's talking about "Bong JJack" or "Trote" music, it IS something uniquely Korean and, like Reggae, it's hard to feel sad when you're on the bus or buying a sweet potato on the street and hear it. At least for me. Bong Boing ba Boing. I WILL buy a CD before I go home. Who am I kidding I'll download some.
My #6 The babes. (externally). They are nice to look at until that tragic agashi-->ajjuma stage.
My shockblogger #6 The awesome, well thought out, intricately poetic, highly sophisticated Korean pop music. Not to mention the ingenious choreography that invariably goes with it.
Huer #7 Sense of humour and gaiety. Someone called Koreans the Irish of the East. I can't even finish this one. Korean humour is as clever as a sack of hammers. At any given time in Korea you can turn on the TV and there'll be a "gagman" dressed as a woman, pulling an exaggerated face or falling down. Pure genius! There is no political humour, wordplay, wit. Make yourself or someone else look stupid and you're hilarious. When I was living in Seoul a TV producer asked me to play a comedic character on TV. Even had a contract. I refused with relish for this reason. And I gave up teaching lessons involving jokes or humour a LONG time ago. I'll leave the "gaiety" part alone.
My #7 The mountains. There IS some good hiking to be had here.
My shockblogger #7 The lovely, helpful people and solid organization at every immigration office throughout the land.
Huer #8 Pansori. There's no real way to describe it, (or enjoy it). You just have to witness it. Okay, okay, yes the singers make huge sacrifices to get their throats into shape for the songs. If they were singing the high note from Boston's More Than a Feeling THAT I could appreciate! But I guess if a guy's looking for a cool and pretty slack job you can't do much better than a Pansori drummer.
My #8 I Tae Won Not for the shopping. I Tae Won is like a U.N. meeting every night. It's a great place to meet interesting people and they DO have pubs there. And although they're expensive you can find some great restaurants there too. My favourite place in Korea to eat drink, play pool and sometimes get my funk on.
My shockblogger #8 The myriad friendly, hospitable souls you can meet, share a pint or play darts or pool with at all the fine pubs across Korea.
Huer #9 The way the lower class is treated. Koreans are extraordinarily forgiving toward those less fortunate than themselves. This one actually made me a bit angry! Forgiving!?!? We forgive you for being the underpaid scum who make US rich. The thing is, and this is a good thing about Korea, I don't see many less fortunate people. However, you are less important than me if you have less money. Belee dat shit!
My #9 Everland I've been there about 6 or 7 times and will go a few more before I leave Korea I'm sure.
My shockblogger #9 The ingenius "undol" floor heating and the coziness of sitting on the comfortable, piping hot, cement floor while entertaining guests, drinking or eating and the wonderful tingly sensation in the lower extremities that comes with it.
Huer #10 The noteworthy achievement of being able to create new English words and concepts. Konglish. "Skinship" is the one and only achievement of note I can think of in this category. The annoying, confusing, nonsensical, and downright stupid achievements in this field: unending.
My #10 Friends Although there are many losers who come here to work and genuinely unlikeable people who live here, I have made some good friends in my years in Korea.
My shockblogger #10 It really should be number one but since it is integral in all the top 10 best things about Korea, (except the mosquitoes and the weather), I put the highly advanced, education system as my number 10.
Aside from number 1, which I mostly agree with, I can't get through this list without being overcome with this strange sensation that I can only describe as my body deciding between laughter and vomit.
What I am going to do is discuss his list, give my genuine list, (and not assume that it is agreed upon by all expats here in Korea), and try my best to create a shockingly stupid list that I think would shock and anger people into reading my blog and be worse than Jon Huer. That'll be the hard part.
Huer #1. Street Safety. I agree. The streets are safe. From crime. I don't feel like I'm going to get mugged as I walk down the street anywhere in Korea. I've never seen a gun or person with a gun except a soldier at the DMZ. And you just don't get the kids that are so bored they decide to vandalize or terrorize. And if it was anything but video games and hagwons that was keeping the kids busy I'd say kudos to Korea for that. But driving or even walking in those streets is dangerous. And if you get hit by a car you are pretty much left to your own devices to solve the problem. Police, ambulance, hospital and fire services are abysmal. But yeah I agree.
My #1 K.B.O. The Korean Baseball Organization.
My shockblogger #1 The way people of other blood are treated as absolute equals by all Koreans.
Huer #2 The sweetness and charitable disposition of Korean women over 60. I gotta say I like the ajjumas. But sweet? Charitable? Holy shit! Has this guy never stood in line to get on a bus or buy a ticket or pay for food or any fucking line in the country. The ajjuma elbow will get them right to the front. And people never do anything. It's accepted. Would YOU argue with that lady? There's a reason why the term "ajjumonster" was created by foreigners and the phrase, "third sex" was coined by locals. They are something to see. And the salmon-like metamorphosis from "beautiful, cute, quiet, anassuming, bashful, shrinking violet" agashi to ajjuma is a biology study just waiting to happen.
My #2 Drinking culture. I love being able to walk around outside with a beer. Show up for work hungover, they UNDERSTAND. (not that I ever would...) And there is always beer close by. You don't need to get it at a beer store. Drinking customs, drinking games, drinking songs, I love everything about the Korean drinking culture except soju.
My shockblogger #2 The intrepid Korean mosquito. These voracious little vixens are a superspecies of nature to be revered. Korean national treasure #564.
Huer #3 Korea's countryside people's unique attitude toward foreigners. Is he referring to how they demand, "Hey! Hello!" And then when you acquiesce, "Hi." they laugh their asses off? It's not unique since lots of people drive by herds of cattle, moo out the window and laugh their asses off when the cattle reply. But I suppose it IS a unique attitude toward PEOPLE.
My #3 Korean food. Nuff said.
My shockblogger #3 The lovely holiday togetherness one experiences on highways and thoroughfares throughout the country during Chuseok and other national holidays.
Huer #4 The Korean fighting spirit. Refusing to accept fate or impossibility. The Korean heart seethes at injustice. They have a pretty easy time accepting MY impossibilities. Like getting my visa renewed without leaving the country. Impossible! #5 pizza with olives, green pepper and mushroom instead of boiled egg, corn and sweet pickle. Impossible. Transferring money without producing my passport. Impossible. Cutting the hair on the top of my balding head. Impossible. All those things were in fact possible, (and I had them done), but those and MANY others are termed "impossible" when somebody just doesn't feel like doing their job. Probly hungover because of the drinking culture. And as for seething hearts is that what you call that shit-eating grin they give you when they reneg on promises in the contract while reminding you that YOU are still bound by it till the end of the year?
My #4 Winter, spring and fall. Not too hot, not too cold. Juuust right.
My shockblogger #4 The healthy, sauna-like conditions in Korean summer when laundry can take a week to dry and 30 can feel like 50 degrees. Korea has four seasons you know.
Huer #5 Spontaneity Yes the Koreans I know make it a point to be spontaneous. In fact they pencil it into their busy schedules after Tae Kwon Do hagwon on Thursday from 5-6 PM and Noraebang on Friday from 9-10. Or before sexual intercourse from 3-3:02 Sunday afternoon. The average Korean won't do anything spontaneous today except unnecessarily changing a lane. Without looking. But since it was done 75 times on their 10-minute commute to work, yes they are spontaneous.
My #5 It's a cheap place to live. Mostly because the good teaching contracts come with housing but I can save a lot more here than anywhere else I've lived. And I don't skimp either.
My shockblogger #5 The pleasant introspection and single-mindedness of purpose Koreans engage in that is so accute they can sometimes transcend their surroundings. Like when they are choosing gochujang with their shopping cart blocking the entire aisle for 10 minutes. When they walk across the road during the don't walk signal with their thoughtful gaze skyward. Or when they slam their article down on the check-out counter, get into a taxi or bark their order out when you are in front of them in line.
Huer #6 Lyrical songs of Korea. I have to admit if he's talking about "Bong JJack" or "Trote" music, it IS something uniquely Korean and, like Reggae, it's hard to feel sad when you're on the bus or buying a sweet potato on the street and hear it. At least for me. Bong Boing ba Boing. I WILL buy a CD before I go home. Who am I kidding I'll download some.
My #6 The babes. (externally). They are nice to look at until that tragic agashi-->ajjuma stage.
My shockblogger #6 The awesome, well thought out, intricately poetic, highly sophisticated Korean pop music. Not to mention the ingenious choreography that invariably goes with it.
Huer #7 Sense of humour and gaiety. Someone called Koreans the Irish of the East. I can't even finish this one. Korean humour is as clever as a sack of hammers. At any given time in Korea you can turn on the TV and there'll be a "gagman" dressed as a woman, pulling an exaggerated face or falling down. Pure genius! There is no political humour, wordplay, wit. Make yourself or someone else look stupid and you're hilarious. When I was living in Seoul a TV producer asked me to play a comedic character on TV. Even had a contract. I refused with relish for this reason. And I gave up teaching lessons involving jokes or humour a LONG time ago. I'll leave the "gaiety" part alone.
My #7 The mountains. There IS some good hiking to be had here.
My shockblogger #7 The lovely, helpful people and solid organization at every immigration office throughout the land.
Huer #8 Pansori. There's no real way to describe it, (or enjoy it). You just have to witness it. Okay, okay, yes the singers make huge sacrifices to get their throats into shape for the songs. If they were singing the high note from Boston's More Than a Feeling THAT I could appreciate! But I guess if a guy's looking for a cool and pretty slack job you can't do much better than a Pansori drummer.
My #8 I Tae Won Not for the shopping. I Tae Won is like a U.N. meeting every night. It's a great place to meet interesting people and they DO have pubs there. And although they're expensive you can find some great restaurants there too. My favourite place in Korea to eat drink, play pool and sometimes get my funk on.
My shockblogger #8 The myriad friendly, hospitable souls you can meet, share a pint or play darts or pool with at all the fine pubs across Korea.
Huer #9 The way the lower class is treated. Koreans are extraordinarily forgiving toward those less fortunate than themselves. This one actually made me a bit angry! Forgiving!?!? We forgive you for being the underpaid scum who make US rich. The thing is, and this is a good thing about Korea, I don't see many less fortunate people. However, you are less important than me if you have less money. Belee dat shit!
My #9 Everland I've been there about 6 or 7 times and will go a few more before I leave Korea I'm sure.
My shockblogger #9 The ingenius "undol" floor heating and the coziness of sitting on the comfortable, piping hot, cement floor while entertaining guests, drinking or eating and the wonderful tingly sensation in the lower extremities that comes with it.
Huer #10 The noteworthy achievement of being able to create new English words and concepts. Konglish. "Skinship" is the one and only achievement of note I can think of in this category. The annoying, confusing, nonsensical, and downright stupid achievements in this field: unending.
My #10 Friends Although there are many losers who come here to work and genuinely unlikeable people who live here, I have made some good friends in my years in Korea.
My shockblogger #10 It really should be number one but since it is integral in all the top 10 best things about Korea, (except the mosquitoes and the weather), I put the highly advanced, education system as my number 10.
Monday, March 30, 2009
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