Andy Fletcher is the name of the man who cost the Redbirds a victory last night. Fletcher, the home plate umpire for yesterday's game against the Braves, made a mockery of his profession as well as the game of baseball.
From the first inning it was apparent that the blue-clad bumbler had slept through Major League Baseball's training on exactly where the strike zone was. Pitch after pitch that was clearly a foot outside became strike three, and several players (on both teams) had gripes with Fletcher's cross-eyed pitch calling. He was so bad at the plate, the first base umpire actually had to overrule him, correcting a call on a pitch that was clearly fouled at the plate. (Matt Holliday was batting...)
Fletcher's worst transgression, however, came in a pivotal moment in the 6th inning with the Cardinals trailing 1-0. With one out, Colby Rasmus came to bat. Ryan Ludwick was on first, Holliday on second. Rasmus rapped a single through the right side of the infield, and Holliday was waved home by third base coach Jose Oquendo. A strong throw by Ryan Church arrived at home plate just late, as Holliday clearly slid around the tag. He looked safe from my seats at the game. He looked safe on live television. Instant replay confirmed that, not only was he safe, IT WASN'T EVEN REMOTELY CLOSE. Fletcher's call: Out. I can comfortably say without any reservation, this was the worst call I've ever seen in any baseball game ever.
Fletcher's horrendous umpiring in this game makes one wonder if he was drunk, stoned, or mentally handicapped. Sports should be decided by the play of the athletes on the field, not the ineptitude of one man whose incompetence was so clearly on display.
Andy Fletcher, please retire. The game of baseball would be better without you. You are an embarrassment to every honest, hardworking umpire in the league. You are an embarrassment to baseball itself.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Quote of the Week
"That you may retain your self-respect, it is better to displease the people by doing what you know is right, than to temporarily please them by doing what you know is wrong."
- William J.H. Boetcker
- William J.H. Boetcker
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Never Too Late
Good evening, and welcome back to the Redbird Aviator's Musings.
It has been 354 days since last I posted anything in this blog. Many things have changed, most important among them is my beautiful wife. Love is indeed a many-splendored thing, and marriage greatly enhances those splendors.
To say that my wife is my dream come true would be a great injustice. No dream I have ever enjoyed could live up to my wife. Clearly my imagination was simply not up to the challenge when tasked with considering my future spouse. There was never a day or an hour when I had envisioned being so blessed...
Blessed is indeed the word. My wife is my greatest blessing, my answered prayer. She is so much better than my dream come true.
11 and 1/2 months I have neglected this blog. Tonight, I make my return. My musings will once again be set free upon the internet, for better or for worse...
It has been 354 days since last I posted anything in this blog. Many things have changed, most important among them is my beautiful wife. Love is indeed a many-splendored thing, and marriage greatly enhances those splendors.
To say that my wife is my dream come true would be a great injustice. No dream I have ever enjoyed could live up to my wife. Clearly my imagination was simply not up to the challenge when tasked with considering my future spouse. There was never a day or an hour when I had envisioned being so blessed...
Blessed is indeed the word. My wife is my greatest blessing, my answered prayer. She is so much better than my dream come true.
11 and 1/2 months I have neglected this blog. Tonight, I make my return. My musings will once again be set free upon the internet, for better or for worse...
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Quote of the Week
"You believe because you have seen. Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet believe." - Jesus Christ
Gastronomy
Today I'd like to provide you, my faithful readers, with a useful list. I wish to inform you of the best foods available in this world (as far as I know), that your culinary adventures might be more fruitful. Here then, is a list of where to find the best food in each listed category. I got rather specific, as I don't believe in stamping my approval on an establishment as a whole. (Every restaurant in the world has a dish I would hate... Pizza was an exception to this rule) Don't forget your appetite!
Best Sandwiches:
1) The Legend Club - LeGrand's Deli, St. Louis, MO
This tasty pile of freshly sliced Boar's Head meats, combined with pepperjack cheese, garlic cream cheese, and pepper spread is a not-too-spicy delight. Without a doubt, the best meal between two pieces of bread ever conceived.
2) Cuban Sandwich - La Carreta, Miami, FL
Ham, sliced pork, swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and mayo on Cuban bread. You can't beat that with a stick...
3) Prosciutto con Tomate - Bella Vento, Rome, Italy
Ultra thinly sliced prosciutto, tomato slices, mozzarella cheese, onions, oregano, and olive oil. It's worth flying to Italy just for this sandwich, but you should stay and see the Vatican while you're there...
4) Sandwiche de Lomo - Pastry, Buenos Aires, Argentina
The most simple sandwich you can imagine: A half inch cut of filet, cooked to your taste and served with tomato between fresh french bread. No one knows meat like Argentines!
Best BBQ
1) Parrillada - Rodizio, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Like I said, no one knows meat like Argentines! A parrillada is a mixed grill filled with several cuts of beef, as well as rib tips, chorizo, sweet bread, blood sausage, etc. At Rodizio it is brought to you on a platter which rests atop hot coals. The finest cow ever prepared anywhere on earth.
2) Pork Ribs - Rendezvous, Memphis, TN
In a dark, secluded alley just across the street from the famous Peabody hotel, Rendezvous serves up the finest baby back ribs known to man. Whether your fancy is Carolina dry rub or Memphis Vinegar, you'll find ribs you can pull apart by hand.
3) Pulled Pork Sandwich - Michelbob's, Naples, FL
Michelbob's serves up some of the best American style bbq around, but the pulled pork sandwich stands out. Not overly sauced like at most bbq joints, just perfectly cooked and flavored meat served on a hoagie roll.
Seafood
1) Shrimp Scampi - Legal Seafood, Boston, MA
The only chain restaurant you'll find on this list, Legal Seafood serves up the finest shrimp scampi you'll ever know. The garlic and butter combination is intoxicating, and the end of your meal is gloriously slurped up with the two pieces of garlic toast that accompany the shrimp.
2) Dungeneous Crab - Eliot's Oyster House, Seattle, WA
It's whole, it's steamed, and it's delicious. Fresh out of Puget Sound, Eliot's Oyster House steams you up the best dungenous crab you'll ever taste, with a beautiful view to boot.
3) Clam Chowder - Bristol's, St. Louis, MO
Bristols can't compete with coastal restaurants when it comes to seafood freshness (although they come close) but when it comes to clam chowder, they've got the goods. I have no idea why theirs tastes so much better than anyone else's, but it ain't no lie.
Steak
1)Bife de Lomo - Rodizio, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Meat is a way of life in Argentina, as you all are discovering. This exquisite filet is cooked to perfection on a traditional Argentine brick grill. It doesn't need steak sauce or butter or a piece of bacon wrapped around it in order to taste good. Such trifles are left up to far lesser steak houses...
2) Bife de Chorizo - La Chacra, Buenos Aires, Argentina
At the entrance to La Chacra there is a stuffed cow to great you. The restaurant inside might as well be a shrine to beef. Bife de Chorizo is a cut found only in Argentina, and that alone is worth a journey south.
3) Filet Mignon - Hereford House, Kansas City, MO
The Hereford House is a Kansas City institution. A marvelous wine list compliments the finest cuts of meat west of the Mississippi, and the filet is certainly the king. Dessert was mildly disappointing, but with dead cow like this, who cares?
4) New York Strip - Flemmings, Richmond, VA
A tender, moist, cooked to perfection strip is a thing of beauty, and I haven't found a place that does it better than Flemmings. The ranch garlic mashed potatoes are an excellent add to a fantastic beef experience!
Pasta
1) Tortellini a la panna - Mom and Pop joint, Florence, Italy
After wandering around the town for about 30 minutes in search of lunch, some friends of mine and I stumbled onto what was literally a mom and pop restaurant with two tables, and only two things on the menu. Tortellini, and salad. It was, beyond any doubt, the finest Italian pasta meal I'd ever eaten. Alas, there's no way I could ever find the place again...
2) Linguini Tutto Mare - Ristorante La Lanterna, Sorrento, Italy
The Linguini is hand made on location, and the fish and clams used for the white wine sauce are yanked from the ocean that very day. 'Nuff said.
3) Spaghetti Bolognese - Il Convivio, Rome, Italy
Three straight Italian restaurants in the pasta section. Hmmm... Coincidence? Il Convivio has a great atmosphere, friendly staff, and the best bolognese sauce I've ever tasted.
4) Cannelloni - Gianfabio's, St. Louis, MO
Gotta show the locals some love here. Gianfabio's is by far St. Louis's (and perhaps the midwest's?) best tasting Italian restaurant. The Cannelloni are veal stuffed and served under a cream and meat sauce mix. Yummy!
Pizza (listed by best pizza joints, not individual types)
1) Los Inmortales - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Yes folks, Argentina has the best food on the planet. I've been all over the US, Canada, South America, and Italy, and the fact is, no where yet has the food been so consistently good over so many categories. Pizza is no different, as Los Inmortales serves up fresh mozzarella and toppings to your heart's content.
2) Lou Malnato's - Chicago, IL
Giordano's is more popular, but Lou Malnatos is a better pie hands down. Deep dish lovers revel in front of a pizza you have no choice but to eat with a fork and knife.
3) La Gallina Bianca - Rome, Italy
It's the thick but light crust that makes this Rome's best pizza. If you don't parle Italiano, just point at what you want. They'll hack you off a slice big enough to be a meal, and you'll be a happy camper for sure.
4) Imo's - St. Louis, MO
If you're into super thin crust pizza (and I certainly am!) then Imo's is the place. It's a locally famous chain, and the only delivery place to make the list.
Well folks, you're welcome to argue with me all you want, but I'm sticking to my guns on this one. If you have additions, suggestions or just something mean to say to me, feel free to comment. I certainly hope for your sake that one day you'll visit one or two of these fine establishments. If you do, please let me know how you liked it!
Best Sandwiches:
1) The Legend Club - LeGrand's Deli, St. Louis, MO
This tasty pile of freshly sliced Boar's Head meats, combined with pepperjack cheese, garlic cream cheese, and pepper spread is a not-too-spicy delight. Without a doubt, the best meal between two pieces of bread ever conceived.
2) Cuban Sandwich - La Carreta, Miami, FL
Ham, sliced pork, swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and mayo on Cuban bread. You can't beat that with a stick...
3) Prosciutto con Tomate - Bella Vento, Rome, Italy
Ultra thinly sliced prosciutto, tomato slices, mozzarella cheese, onions, oregano, and olive oil. It's worth flying to Italy just for this sandwich, but you should stay and see the Vatican while you're there...
4) Sandwiche de Lomo - Pastry, Buenos Aires, Argentina
The most simple sandwich you can imagine: A half inch cut of filet, cooked to your taste and served with tomato between fresh french bread. No one knows meat like Argentines!
Best BBQ
1) Parrillada - Rodizio, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Like I said, no one knows meat like Argentines! A parrillada is a mixed grill filled with several cuts of beef, as well as rib tips, chorizo, sweet bread, blood sausage, etc. At Rodizio it is brought to you on a platter which rests atop hot coals. The finest cow ever prepared anywhere on earth.
2) Pork Ribs - Rendezvous, Memphis, TN
In a dark, secluded alley just across the street from the famous Peabody hotel, Rendezvous serves up the finest baby back ribs known to man. Whether your fancy is Carolina dry rub or Memphis Vinegar, you'll find ribs you can pull apart by hand.
3) Pulled Pork Sandwich - Michelbob's, Naples, FL
Michelbob's serves up some of the best American style bbq around, but the pulled pork sandwich stands out. Not overly sauced like at most bbq joints, just perfectly cooked and flavored meat served on a hoagie roll.
Seafood
1) Shrimp Scampi - Legal Seafood, Boston, MA
The only chain restaurant you'll find on this list, Legal Seafood serves up the finest shrimp scampi you'll ever know. The garlic and butter combination is intoxicating, and the end of your meal is gloriously slurped up with the two pieces of garlic toast that accompany the shrimp.
2) Dungeneous Crab - Eliot's Oyster House, Seattle, WA
It's whole, it's steamed, and it's delicious. Fresh out of Puget Sound, Eliot's Oyster House steams you up the best dungenous crab you'll ever taste, with a beautiful view to boot.
3) Clam Chowder - Bristol's, St. Louis, MO
Bristols can't compete with coastal restaurants when it comes to seafood freshness (although they come close) but when it comes to clam chowder, they've got the goods. I have no idea why theirs tastes so much better than anyone else's, but it ain't no lie.
Steak
1)Bife de Lomo - Rodizio, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Meat is a way of life in Argentina, as you all are discovering. This exquisite filet is cooked to perfection on a traditional Argentine brick grill. It doesn't need steak sauce or butter or a piece of bacon wrapped around it in order to taste good. Such trifles are left up to far lesser steak houses...
2) Bife de Chorizo - La Chacra, Buenos Aires, Argentina
At the entrance to La Chacra there is a stuffed cow to great you. The restaurant inside might as well be a shrine to beef. Bife de Chorizo is a cut found only in Argentina, and that alone is worth a journey south.
3) Filet Mignon - Hereford House, Kansas City, MO
The Hereford House is a Kansas City institution. A marvelous wine list compliments the finest cuts of meat west of the Mississippi, and the filet is certainly the king. Dessert was mildly disappointing, but with dead cow like this, who cares?
4) New York Strip - Flemmings, Richmond, VA
A tender, moist, cooked to perfection strip is a thing of beauty, and I haven't found a place that does it better than Flemmings. The ranch garlic mashed potatoes are an excellent add to a fantastic beef experience!
Pasta
1) Tortellini a la panna - Mom and Pop joint, Florence, Italy
After wandering around the town for about 30 minutes in search of lunch, some friends of mine and I stumbled onto what was literally a mom and pop restaurant with two tables, and only two things on the menu. Tortellini, and salad. It was, beyond any doubt, the finest Italian pasta meal I'd ever eaten. Alas, there's no way I could ever find the place again...
2) Linguini Tutto Mare - Ristorante La Lanterna, Sorrento, Italy
The Linguini is hand made on location, and the fish and clams used for the white wine sauce are yanked from the ocean that very day. 'Nuff said.
3) Spaghetti Bolognese - Il Convivio, Rome, Italy
Three straight Italian restaurants in the pasta section. Hmmm... Coincidence? Il Convivio has a great atmosphere, friendly staff, and the best bolognese sauce I've ever tasted.
4) Cannelloni - Gianfabio's, St. Louis, MO
Gotta show the locals some love here. Gianfabio's is by far St. Louis's (and perhaps the midwest's?) best tasting Italian restaurant. The Cannelloni are veal stuffed and served under a cream and meat sauce mix. Yummy!
Pizza (listed by best pizza joints, not individual types)
1) Los Inmortales - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Yes folks, Argentina has the best food on the planet. I've been all over the US, Canada, South America, and Italy, and the fact is, no where yet has the food been so consistently good over so many categories. Pizza is no different, as Los Inmortales serves up fresh mozzarella and toppings to your heart's content.
2) Lou Malnato's - Chicago, IL
Giordano's is more popular, but Lou Malnatos is a better pie hands down. Deep dish lovers revel in front of a pizza you have no choice but to eat with a fork and knife.
3) La Gallina Bianca - Rome, Italy
It's the thick but light crust that makes this Rome's best pizza. If you don't parle Italiano, just point at what you want. They'll hack you off a slice big enough to be a meal, and you'll be a happy camper for sure.
4) Imo's - St. Louis, MO
If you're into super thin crust pizza (and I certainly am!) then Imo's is the place. It's a locally famous chain, and the only delivery place to make the list.
Well folks, you're welcome to argue with me all you want, but I'm sticking to my guns on this one. If you have additions, suggestions or just something mean to say to me, feel free to comment. I certainly hope for your sake that one day you'll visit one or two of these fine establishments. If you do, please let me know how you liked it!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Quote of the Week
"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Where Have You Gone Joe DiMaggio?
July 19th since my last addition to this blog. Such is the state of my life right now that I cannot find even the time to muse aloud in this medium...
Truth be told, the drain on my time is entirely the result of my very happy and fulfilling relationship. She is, without a doubt, the answer to my prayers. I can only hope to be the man she deserves...
So while I turn my attention to bettering myself for her benefit, there will surely be more future periods of blog neglect. I suppose you folks will just have to deal with it. Really, you don't have a choice...
Truth be told, the drain on my time is entirely the result of my very happy and fulfilling relationship. She is, without a doubt, the answer to my prayers. I can only hope to be the man she deserves...
So while I turn my attention to bettering myself for her benefit, there will surely be more future periods of blog neglect. I suppose you folks will just have to deal with it. Really, you don't have a choice...
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Quote of the Week
"Those who face that which is actually before them, unburdened by the past, undistracted by the future, these are they who live, who make the best use of their lives; these are those who have found the secret of contentment." - Alban Goodier
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Righteous Anger
Despite the overall goodness of my life right now, the present moment finds me quite irate. My anger is centered around the fact that a very close friend of mine has been deceived, lied to, and ultimately jerked around in the worst sense of the phrase.
The truth of the matter is that the injustice suffered by my friend has absolutely no effect on me, other than the fact that it pisses me off. I will not lose sleep over it, it will have no physical or mental effect on me, and my life will continue uninterrupted. However, (to borrow a phrase from "Gladiator") I am terribly vexed. I suppose when all is said and done I'd like for my friends to at least be treated with respect. Especially by the people they trust.
Sometimes circumstances create a situation when there's simply nothing you can do. Other times a person chooses to do what is easy, because they are too immature or because doing what is right might take some effort on their part.
My friend, being a strong, resilient, faithful young man, will get over it. It would likely have hurt one way or the other. While that may be true, the fact remains that there was a right way and a wrong way to go about this matter, and clearly the wrong way was chosen.
That vexes me. I am terribly vexed.
The truth of the matter is that the injustice suffered by my friend has absolutely no effect on me, other than the fact that it pisses me off. I will not lose sleep over it, it will have no physical or mental effect on me, and my life will continue uninterrupted. However, (to borrow a phrase from "Gladiator") I am terribly vexed. I suppose when all is said and done I'd like for my friends to at least be treated with respect. Especially by the people they trust.
Sometimes circumstances create a situation when there's simply nothing you can do. Other times a person chooses to do what is easy, because they are too immature or because doing what is right might take some effort on their part.
My friend, being a strong, resilient, faithful young man, will get over it. It would likely have hurt one way or the other. While that may be true, the fact remains that there was a right way and a wrong way to go about this matter, and clearly the wrong way was chosen.
That vexes me. I am terribly vexed.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Quote of the Week
"To love deeply in one direction makes us more loving in all others." - Anne-Sophie Swetchine
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
From the Airwaves
Recently heard on O'Hare tower frequency:
Controller: "United 1234, fly that two twenty heading and contact departure on one two seven point four."
United 1234: "Two twenty heading, twenty seven four, United 1234, GO CUBS!"
Unidentified Voice: "GO CARDINALS!"
Controller: "Who's the Cardinals fan that's not getting off this airport today?"
Unidentified Voice: "Don't be jealous because we win more than every hundred years"
Short moment of silence
Different Unindentified Voice: "He's got you there..."
Controller: "United 1234, fly that two twenty heading and contact departure on one two seven point four."
United 1234: "Two twenty heading, twenty seven four, United 1234, GO CUBS!"
Unidentified Voice: "GO CARDINALS!"
Controller: "Who's the Cardinals fan that's not getting off this airport today?"
Unidentified Voice: "Don't be jealous because we win more than every hundred years"
Short moment of silence
Different Unindentified Voice: "He's got you there..."
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Quote of the Week
"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed." - Carl Jung
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Band of Brothers
This dream of aviation comes not without its nightmares. Those nightmares usually arrive in the form of shrinking companies, shrinking paychecks, and layoffs. Such is the state of the industry today.
To my brothers and sisters who will find themselves unemployed later this year from Eagle, know that you will be prayed for. Despite inexperience, little rest, and demanding working conditions you still operated safely. Good luck, and God bless.
And the rest of us who remain in this difficult time must remember: despite our low moral and disappointment with these events, the people we carry are loved. They have families and friends who anxiously await their safe return. They look forward to hugs from their children, parents, and grandparents, and handshakes from their coworkers after a job well done. It remains our most heavy responsibility to care for them in their travels, and bring them safely home.
Join me then, all of you who read this blog, in praying for those who have or will be layed off, and also for the safety of the traveling public who remain in our care.
To my brothers and sisters who will find themselves unemployed later this year from Eagle, know that you will be prayed for. Despite inexperience, little rest, and demanding working conditions you still operated safely. Good luck, and God bless.
And the rest of us who remain in this difficult time must remember: despite our low moral and disappointment with these events, the people we carry are loved. They have families and friends who anxiously await their safe return. They look forward to hugs from their children, parents, and grandparents, and handshakes from their coworkers after a job well done. It remains our most heavy responsibility to care for them in their travels, and bring them safely home.
Join me then, all of you who read this blog, in praying for those who have or will be layed off, and also for the safety of the traveling public who remain in our care.
Monday, June 23, 2008
From the Airwaves
Recently heard on O'Hare ground control frequency:
O'Hare Ground Controller - "Eagle flight 1234, double back at echo, alpha, hotel, papa, alpha bridge, at alpha 16 transition to bravo to your gate."
Eagle Flight 1234 - "Over the river and through the woods, Eagle 1234."
O'Hare Ground Controller - "Eagle flight 1234, double back at echo, alpha, hotel, papa, alpha bridge, at alpha 16 transition to bravo to your gate."
Eagle Flight 1234 - "Over the river and through the woods, Eagle 1234."
Sunday, June 22, 2008
LC
"I don't know what you mean to me,
but I want to turn you on, turn you up, figure you out.
I want to take you on." - REM
but I want to turn you on, turn you up, figure you out.
I want to take you on." - REM
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Bundled
The range of human emotion is an astounding thing, but what grabs me most this week is the capacity for more than one emotion to bubble over and overwhelm you.
This particular week brings with it a mix that is almost certainly very common: the crashing together of excitement and anxiety. I had almost forgotten what it was like to have these two somewhat similar yet diametrically opposed emotions yanking you in different directions. Perhaps the good Lord designed them to go hand in hand as often as possible. The forward-looking optimism of pure excitement is tempered by the anxiety telling you the ground will fall out from underneath you any minute.
The end result is a handful of lessons the Lord intends for us to learn. The first, I believe, is to turn to him with our hopes and concerns. The second is to trust in his divine plan. The third, I imagine, is simple patience. Our questions will eventually be answered.
Onward then, for life does not live itself.
This particular week brings with it a mix that is almost certainly very common: the crashing together of excitement and anxiety. I had almost forgotten what it was like to have these two somewhat similar yet diametrically opposed emotions yanking you in different directions. Perhaps the good Lord designed them to go hand in hand as often as possible. The forward-looking optimism of pure excitement is tempered by the anxiety telling you the ground will fall out from underneath you any minute.
The end result is a handful of lessons the Lord intends for us to learn. The first, I believe, is to turn to him with our hopes and concerns. The second is to trust in his divine plan. The third, I imagine, is simple patience. Our questions will eventually be answered.
Onward then, for life does not live itself.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
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