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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Oh Oh Livo!

Greetings all - hope the season is treating you well. I don't get here all that often anymore. The new job is keeping me hopping. And that's good. I'm loving it. I've even been out to the ballpark some.

I did want to stop by and "pimp" our story from yesterday by Nathan Fenno on Livan and his involvement with drug kingpin Angel Ayala-Vazquez.

Take the time to read it if you haven't already. I'm not a lawyer, I don't play one on TV and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. So I don't know what it will mean when it all gets added up. But I don't suspect it will be good.

Eventually, I will get back on here a little regularly and share some of my thoughts for the few of you who care. Like in previous seasons, this team sometimes makes me smile and often makes me scowl.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Some updates

Not sure how many people really care that much, but even if it is only one or two it means a lot to me. I've received some e-mail asking if I'm still writing and I am - only at my relatively new place of employment. Here's my latest entry from my doubleheader day with the Nats and Caps on Thursday.

We did another doubleheader yesterday, though we left the ballpark in the seventh so we could find something quick to eat before the Caps game.

While at Nats Park, My Son the Braves Fan and I made an awesome discovery. At the stand where they used to sell the big ribs, they now sell a variety of hot dogs (are the ribs gone?) - and one of them is served with mac and cheese AND fritos.

I figured it would be 10 bucks. Only six. And, yes, it was as wonderful as it sounds.

I've somehow managed to lose 20 pounds since Dec. 1 and I still have a long way to go. Eating those dogs isn't going to help. I'll have to avoid that side of the joint on future visits.

Finally, thanks to all who have been in touch since I started at The Times. We're up and running, we're having a blast. We're still a work in progress. I like what we've done thus far but we're going to be 1,000 times better a year from now.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Meet Amanda Comak

The Nationals beat writer at The Washington Times arrived in town yesterday, long enough to realize her boss was a nut job and her colleagues were cool. We won't keep her around long - by around, I mean around here. She's heading to Viera on Saturday.

She learned her way around our blog program much faster than I did, though that was a pretty low bar to clear.

Looking forward to having her in Florida. Amanda is going to do great things.

And Anonymous who keeps commenting about the "Moonie" paper - we get it. You won't be reading. Your choice. Please show a smidge of restraint and restrain yourself from posting it again.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Because You Know You Care!

At least I hope you care. Maybe not.

Anyway, I wrote my first blog entry for The Washington Times today. Bookmark it. Tell your friends. Like us. Follow us. Please. I need the love. You thought I begged for poll votes? You ain't seen nothing yet.

Once again, I appreciate all the readership and support for THIS blog, which won't die (Loosers never die, they just go away) but won't be used too often in the future. And I really appreciate the incredible outpouring of kindness and support since I switched career gears again and headed up this-a-way.

Give us a read, please.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Ian's Errors

I promised some updates on progress at The Washington Times, plus some links.

So let's start there. Columnist Dan Daly is in Florida to check in on the Nats and spring training. He offers up this take on Ian Desmond and that errors thing.

Dan will be in Florida for a week or so. Not long after he leaves, our new Nats beat writer will arrive. I've hired Amanda Comak to cover the Nats. She has experience with all four major pro leagues in Boston and she's spent time covering the team in Baltimore for Orioles.com. Amanda shared some terrific ideas in our interviews and I'm confident she'll do a tremendous job covering the Nats.

Look for her stuff soon, keep reading Dan and be ready for our section launch date of March 21. We'll have a lot of stuff online between now and then.

And while I have your attention: Please go to Washington Times Sports on Facebook and hit "like" - only because there is no "love" button. Follow us on Twitter, too, at @WashTimesSports

We thank you.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The End of the Looser

Or, if you prefer, The New Beginning.

As those of you who hang with me on Facebook know, things are a-changing in my life. Not an infrequent thing, but this time the change is a good one. A really good one. A spectacular one.

The Looser is going legit again.

The Washington Times is bringing back its sports section. Showing incredible wisdom (or massive stupidity, one or the other), it has chosen me to be the sports editor of the relaunched section.

To say I'm jacked beyond belief is to understate things considerably. I'm jacked beyond belief to the 1,000th power. I've tried other things but the news media is what I know, what I do. And this is home. This is a marvelous area. When I first left 37 years ago to attend VCU, I thought I'd be back one day. Had no idea it would take 37 years.

I'm doing the transition out of one job and into another thing over the rest of this month. As great as this opportunity is for me, I'm still saddened by what's going on with FanHouse and I want to stay at that party until the end. I had a great time there and thought I'd found my final job. I gained some new skills, things that enhanced my qualifactions for this job. I work with a terrific group of people. I will miss FanHouse terribly.

But I'm so very fortunate to have another exciting job to move into full-time, starting March 1. The possibilities, as they say, are endless. I get to build a staff, plan coverage, help make the printed Times sports section something fun to read and the web version a must-bookmark on your computers.

I'll keep this page and post blurbs on it here and there but it will be very infrequent and mostly plugs for things we're doing at the Times. Hey, use EVERY avenue available to plug your product.

I will not stop blogging, however. The editors at Times sports will have a blog and I will still be doing some writing about the Nats and many other sports. This IS quite a multi-sports area.

You can count on me throwing the link to the editors' blog and all our other blogs up here when they're ready.

Marc Lancaster, a FanHouse colleague who has considerable experience covering major league baseball, will be joining me as our Deputy Sports Editor. I'll have two hires to announce very soon and a bunch more to announce shortly. We're not wasting time. We're going to get up and running quickly.

To all those who read these bleatings regularly, I thank you. I've had the pleasure of meeting many of you on my trips to the park (trips that will be a lot shorter once I finally get moved). And I ask you - keep reading at www.washingtontimes.com. And tell your friends. And their friends.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

THANK YOU

Wow. News travels fast. I heard from SO many of you before I was even off our conference call.

The short word is I can't say much because I don't know much - I can only hope for the best because this job is BY FAR the best I've ever had. I love the job, the people, the work, everything about it. Tuesday, the day after the national championship game, I was already making plans for next season.

I wanted it to last forever. Maybe it still will in some form or fashion. Keep your fingers crossed.

And another very sincere thank you to every one of you who has reached out. I appreciate it more than I can express.

Tell me again why I thought the media was a good field?

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

This Guy

is much better than I thought.

That said, I'm not sure what I thought or why when I heard the name Rafael Soriano. I knew he was with Atlanta and then with Tampa. I never paid much attention. My Son the Braves Fan never seemed really worked up about him one way or the other.

Just another example of my ignorance that I've never denied is pretty high when it comes to players who aren't Nats (and many times with players who ARE Nats).

So I kind of shrugged when I heard the Nats were interested, or allegedly interested, or whatever. Is it Carl Pavano interested (not actually) or Zach Greinke interested (very much so)?

Looking at it a little more closely, and without the benefit of knowledge of sabermetrics (does he have Seriously Wicked Shit?), I think I'd be very happy with this signing.

Sign him, sign another bench player (is Nick Punto not in anybody's thoughts?), maybe trade for Fausto Carmona (I like the guy without any valid reason to do so) and let's get the party started.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Happy New Year!

Did you miss me? I sure missed you. Apologies for going so long without a post but it has been quite a month around the ol' FanboyLooser house, with some things going on both good and bad. Plus, being a college football editor, things have been rather hectic in recent days.

So it is time to get all caught up and, I hope, back into a routine of regular posting.

First, for all my Caps fans friends, and everyone else actually, you must watch this short clip now particularly if you watched the 24/7 series (excellent stuff there). WARNING - do not watch at work, do not watch with children present and do not watch if you have sensitive ears. I'll also add that anyone who was shocked by the many F words uttered by Bruce Boudreau needs to get out more. They curse an awful lot in sports.

Now, onto the show and let's see if I remember everything.

*Has Adam LaRoche actually signed yet? Did he pass a physical? I'm very glad they got LaRoche instead of Lee here, though I can't really articulate why. I know Lee was injured last year but I just think he's on the way down. Is LaRoche an all-star or as exciting as Adam Dunn with a bat in his hand? No. But he's pretty consistent and, along with Jayson Werth, is a solid addition. Those two in and Dunn/Willingham out won't really be an offensive dropoff (maybe a few home runs) and they're MUCH better defensively. Of course, my wife and I would represent a defensive upgrade so that's not saying much.

The LaRoche/ADD stories have received a revival in recent days. Who can forget Nick Johnson beating him to first base, the beginning of the end for LaRoche in Atlanta. But I can't think of another time it has really affected him on the field and what player hasn't suffered from brain lock? What is Nyjer's excuse? LaRoche is a solid player and a very solid guy and he's a good addition.

*Speaking of Nyjer, I'd really rather see them try Ankiel or someone (my wife again) in center every day for a while. I'm convinced we saw the real Nyjer last year and not in 2009.

*Thank you, thank you to the person responsible for making sure Carl Pavano didn't become a Nat. Too old, too much money and is he really better than a healthy Jason Marquis? Go with the flow for next year and wait for Jee-SUS to return.

*Thank you, thank you to Zach Greinke for saying no. If that price reported many times over for him is true, that was way too much to give up. That said, I hope the Nats light him up like a pinball machine at least twice this year. Just because.

*Don't trade Jordan Zimmermann for anyone.

*I'm on record as saying I don't like proven for potential deals very much. I would have thought Josh Willingham would have brought more back, but what do I know? I'm sure there's one out there and I'm not thinking clearly, but have any of these hot prospects acquired over the years done anything -- for the Nats? Was anyone surprised that Aaron Thompson, who had a fairly significant history of not doing well in the minors, didn't do well and is now no longer in the organization? The Nats keep buying lottery tickets and I haven't seen much of a return.

*Who is F.P. Santangelo and is he going to make my ears hurt listening to him on my television?

*The results of my Jayson Werth poll were interesting. LOTS of votes and I didn't even have to beg. We had 115 people who thought it was good, nine who thought it was a bad signing and 51 who said wait and see what else they do. I was one of those 51 and my new poll will ask what everyone thinks now that it appears the Nats are about done. Though I suspect, just in my head and without any knowledge, there's something else brewing. Rizzo promised a starter and I think he's bound and determined to get one, no matter the cost.

*Still not sure if I'm satisfied to the point that I'll make a return to the stadium. As noted, I like the Werth and LaRoche additions. I would have preferred Dunn and Werth and I still feel like we as a fanbase were jerked around on Dunn. I don't think the team had any intention of making a serious offer and keeping Dunn. He didn't fit the athletic/defensive mold Rizzo seems to want. And that's fine. Sure, I know you can't come out and say in July, "We don't want the big lug around anymore," but you can tap dance around it. My anger wasn't so much that Dunn wasn't signed, it was more a feeling that we were misled. And I don't like that one bit.

That said, I still love watching live baseball more than just about anything else so I expect my stance of toughness will crack and melt and I'll be there to catch Jayson Werth's first home run ball.

But it hasn't yet.