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.

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!

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.

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!

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?

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...

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!

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.

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.

Lunch Time

Here's what I'm having for lunch today.





Mmmm Mmmm good!

Dust Defence

March is nearly over and most likely so are all my positive entries to be found here and Facebook. The mogies are back. I'm not the only one blogging about them either. Mosquitoes are of another kind here and the season seems endless. But the oppressive heat and the bloodsuckers are going to be accompanied by the worst Chinese sand season ever here I think. I think that way because it's only just coming up to April and I've felt the effects of the sand for a month already. And yellow dust levels have been low in Gwangju. But I'm pretty sure that's what's been ailing me lately.

I've been snorting Otrivin when nasal CLOGGING, (caps for Heather's benefit), has been at its worst but it hasn't done diddly to reduce chest congestion, the half hour morning hackfest or the BUCKETS and BUCKETS, (again caps are for you Duder), of snotrags I've been producing. Nothing has helped me sleep through an entire night either. But yesterday I found another much sought after weapon in the war against the common cold that just might be as useful come the dust days of summer: "hot lemony Neo Citron." Well it's not Neo Citron but like Kleenex is tissue, in my mind Neo Citron is any cold medicine that comes in tea form.

I have been asking at yaks, (drugstores), all over Korea for this stuff for years and lo and behold I find it yesterday when I'm not even looking for it. I went into a yak close to the local supermarket to get some money from its bank machine. As I'm walking towards the machine out of the corner of my eye I caught a new display and sure enough, Theraflu!

I'm even happier about finding this that I was about the hot dog buns a couple weeks back. Sleep is pretty doggone important and when I don't get enough I don't feel like doing anything. I remember taking Neo Citron and being knocked, (the f), out! So last night, even though my symptoms were not at their worst, just because I had it, I made some late night lemon knockout tea. It worked like a charm! I got up at 8:30 today instead of the usual 4 or 5 and I didn't get up one time last night, instead of the usual 4 or 5. I feel great today! Good thing too cuz I have lots of work to do.

Yeah, I decided not to go to Kang Neung for the World Women's Curling Championships. I have quite a bit of copying, attendance making, and lesson planning to do for the upcoming week. Plus, because of the cherry blossom season, it's a nightmarish time to travel in Korea. And I'll save money and I can watch the games on TSN and get a better view and the campus here is just about ready to burst into bloom too and that's always nice to see. These are pics from cherry blossom season a few years ago when Kasia and I were both working here at Seogang.





It gets pretty spectacular around here. And I don't have to clean up all the petals. So I better use all the energy I got from that great sleep last night to get my work done. I gotta make good copies of all my attendance forms. All I have now are lists the kids made by signing a paper I passed around. I've been waiting for department heads to give me pictures of students so I can add them to the attendance but they hang onto their students pictures like I don't know, manhole covers. That doesn't make any cents does it. Har har har. Yehaw, Theraflu! Good drugs! Happy springtime everybody!

Dokdo--->Takeshima

Well Korea lost. Dokdo is no more! I will never call the above island Dokdo again. It is now Takeshima. Japan won it fair and square. Unfortunately I had to teach right at the crucial moment. It was about 2:10 when Korea pulled off their improbable comeback in the ninth inning. I had to see if they'd make it so I showed up late for my 2:00 class. But I didn't get to see the 2-run game winning single by Ichiro. Although my students got updated, on their cellphones, DURING CLASS, and told me. I didn't mind that much.

I was sad to see Korea lose. At first. But now I'm finding out exactly what happened. Men on first and third, Ichiro at the plate and a .220 hitter coming up next. ICHIRO who has more hits in a season than any ball player ever. More than Ty Cobb, Wade Boggs, Paul Molitor, Pete Rose! And he was already 3 for 5 in the game! THEN the guy on first STEALS!!! The American announcer was saying that the guy shouldn't steal cuz it takes the bat outta Ichiro's hands. Only if your manager and players haven't been told their whole lives how evil Japan is. Only if the batter isn't the guy who has been most vocal about how he enjoys beating Korea. Although I think that's been a bit blown out of proportion too. As things ALWAYS are here involving Japan. The worst I've heard that Ichiro said about Korea is that it smells like garlic. Have you been here? It DOES! They have chewing gum commercials on TV here where garlic/kimchi breath knocks people over until they pop in a piece of Zylitol.

Anyway, I will tell you I am absolutely not a fan of walking the bases loaded but in this case it would have been the smart thing to do. The obvious thing to do. It makes me wonder if the Japanese team was clever enough to actually TRY to take advantage of the emotional Koreans. I had been noticing signs throughout the tournament and actually blogged about some. Korean batters swinging at 3-0 pitches. That's a cardinal sin! Trying to stretch singles into doubles and steal bases when it just isn't smart to do so. These were all blunders committed against Japan. And in 4 games you notice things like these. Maybe the Japanese team had the brilliant strategy to try to use this over-emo against Korea. Kudos for them if they did! It worked.

After seeing pictures like this:







I said to myself, "Self, if Korea isn't going to man up and put their money where their stupid slogan chanting, flag-planting, sport-politicizing asses are, I'll do it for them!" and I determined that in MY mind the winner of the WBC would get ownership of what I knew then as Dokdo. And it seems fitting that Korea lost it by being overemotional, the way they have chosen to spearhead their campaign to get someone, ANYone else to recognize their claim to this island.

So I'm sorry, Korea. Dokdo is not yours. Takeshima is theirs. Try to take something positive from this. Geez, that's a laugh. Like asking them to see a sporting match between Korea and Japan of ANY kind not as another battle in a war but as a chance to improve relations between two historically opposed nations. Might as well ask them to stop breathing.

For anyone interested in a more detailed, VERY VERY detailed investigation of the Liancourt Rocks you can go to this amazing blog. From what I've read there it looks like Korea's case is pretty weak anyway. But I guess they're using it to unite Koreans, (like they need that), and test the "squeaky wheel gets the grease" theory simultaneously.

It's quite a spring in Korea!

I can't decide what to do this coming weekend! I saw some of the first Magnolia trees blooming while walking to David and Angie's place on Saturday after the ball game we went to. Kia won the game 2-1 but there was precious little action. Only a couple of the regular starters played for Kia and there were only a few hits for each team. I think both runs scored on wild pitches too. That's just not a classic match-up for both David and Rebecca to have as their very first baseball game.



But there was kimbop, shrimp chips and chicken for all. And the weather held out. It looked a little like rain but that didn't start until we were safe inside the confines of D & A's batchelor pad that I have to say is pretty darn nice! We had a good chat and some kick-AZZ pizza. I was pretty worn out though after waking up at 6, walking to the batting cage and driving about 6000 won worth of balls left AND right handed, then consuming a box of chicken and five beers at the game so I had a couple pieces of pie and then I was a pumpkin. Judging from this pic I resembled a pumpkin more than I thought. Damn, I need some exercise! And this is AFTER a pretty good calory burning day!



Anyway the Sunday game was rained out but it turned out okay because the Korea/Venezuela game was on. Korea won 10-2! I watched the whole thing. Yoon Suk Min, the Kia Tiger pitcher, got the win too! It was awesome! In Gwangju Yoon Suk Min is known as the smiling ace. On one of the websites I keep up with, which is about Korean baseball, I predicted he'd win 20 games this season for Kia. I hope he wins 25! And he's 21 I think. My only fear is that the major leagues will scoop him up. So I was happy that he let some people hit and gave up 2 runs. Korea vs. Japan in the final! The winner keeps Dokdo! Who will the pitchers be? I sure hope Korea doesn't start the so-called Japan killer, Kim Kwang Hyun. Japan has killed him. He's just a young fella yet. He'll need at least another year to shoulder that much pressure. Probably a combination of Ryu, Bong and if they're smart, the guy I think has been the second best pitcher for them: Jong Hyun Wook. The Korean coaches just keep bringing him on for a few outs then yanking him for no aparent reason. Maybe he should START! Anyway, this is Yoon.



So now I have to decide what to do NEXT weekend. The Tigers are in town during the week. I think I could catch the Friday game. But I'm thinking of going to Kang Neung because the world Women's Curling Championships are there and the playoffs will be this coming weekend. I'm sure the Canadian Jones team will be in the midst of those. And if memory serves, immediately following Magnolia season in Korea is the beautiful cherry blossom time. Wouldn't it be a great pic to get the Canadian women's curling team to pose with the trophy underneath a big blooming cherry blossom tree! It's tempting.

Anyhoo, if I get that picture I'll be sure to post it here.

PLAY BALL!

It's an exciting time in baseball right now. For me anyway. Korea is looking good in the World Baseball Classic, and since I am a regular at Kia Tigers games in the Korean Baseball Organization, I feel a kinship to these players and vote for them. Even though there are only two Tigers on the squad. In fact I'd almost be tempted to vote for them if they played the Canadian team. Almost.

But not only that, pre-season baseball is getting under way here. I gotta say baseball is something Korea does right. Pre-season games are free. They're not very well publicized or anything but I have been wandering by the ball park now and then to check on things and asking guards if they knew anything. I was sure it was getting close to baseball time.

Last Sunday I was sick but just had to get out of the house. I wasn't sure a walk would do me any good since I think it might be something in the air that is contributing to this sinus cold I've had for a month, but I had cabin fever. So I got my red-palmed gloves and a stack of 500won coins and decided to walk to the batting cages. I smacked the ball around pretty good. Even sick I'm dangerous with a baseball bat. Then, since the ball park is just a little ways away from the batting cages I ventured over. It was 11 am when I got there. I asked the guard if there was pre-season baseball on March 28th because there were lots of ads about something happening on March 28th. He recognized me from another time I had asked about baseball. He said, "No, concert. Today baseball." I thought he was asking if I was asking. I said, "Yeah baseball. When is baseball?" He repeated, "Today baseball." I'm using Korean and he's using English. This happens a lot for some reason. And if I speak English they speak Korean. That happens too. Weird.

So I said, "TODAY? What time?" He told me 1PM. Since I have no real responsibilities in my life, (gloat gloat), I just went in. I watched infield drills, and batting practice for both teams. I was like the ONLY guy there. Sitting in the best seat in the house eating ramyun and an egg sandwich, coughing, sneezing, blowing my nose. It was AWESOME! A couple of the players know me. I can't remember which ones cuz I was drinking soju with the Tiger cheerleaders the night I was introduced. Lost my baseball glove that night too. (The one in the picture) And I just can't find an adult baseball glove anywhere in Gwangju. Anyway, Byun Sun Woong, one of the catchers, and I talked a bit before the game on Sunday. I think he was one who met me. I'm pulling for him to get more playing time this year.

Around about 12:30 people started arriving. At various times during the game I had people sitting beside me but almost nobody walking in front of me at all. A few of the Tigers Superfans came up to me and renewed our acquaintences. They asked if I wanted to go out after the game for soju but I refused due to my cold. There were no cheerleaders so it was just folks naturally calling out cheers for the Tigers. It was a rare game for me at which I didn't drink but the other fans were partaking so they got more boistrous as the game went along. I couldn't yell very well because of my cold and the atmosphere was so casual I found I didn't need to. I just clapped and whistled when Kia did good stuff.

Yang Hyun Jong looked really good pitching almost 5 innings and giving up only 2 hits. He gave up a run due to an error and a couple walks but had a solid pre-season outing. Then the dreaded Son Young Min came on in relief. It was 1-1. I thought for SURE he'd blow the lead like he had done so often last year. But he was pretty solid. And the Tigers scored 4 runs in the bottom of his first inning and ended up getting him the win. The final score was 5-2. It looks like maybe Kia's relief pitching has improved. That was by FAR their weakest point as a team last year. So this is a GREAT sign for the season.

Lee Jong Beom and Lee Hyun Gon got a couple hits each and looked like they were in mid-season form. So did Lee Che Ju. So the Lees were looking good.

Choi Hee Seop got a solid base hit and looked a bit better than last year but MAN he takes some ugly swings at the plate! And his fielding is below average.

There was a good looking shortstop named An Chi Hong who I hadn't seen before. He got a hit and made a few really nice defensive plays. So that's a big plus too.

All in all it was a great way to spend a Sunday! I think next weekend the Woori Heroes are in town Saturday and Sunday so I'll be at the ballpark rain or shine. Or snow. I think maybe I'll bring some beer this time too. Can't wait!

Ooops

Oh.

Tee hee.

Well it just looked like a bunch of gobbledeegook while I was typing. Never used to be like that.

Geez now I have to go back and post pics I wanted to post with all these recent entries. And links. NAH!

Okay, just one. THIS


is the new 50,000 weon bill I wanted to put in my Insomnia post.

Broken Blog

This is what happens when I try to post a pic.

This
is what happens when I try to post a link.

What has happened to my blog???