Prediction Wrap-Ups, Nature is Fun

[dlgood]

On sunday, a wild deer jumped into the Lion Enclosure at the National Zoo, in Washington DC. The National Zoo is located in Rock Creek Park, which has a serious deer infestation these days. The deer had gotten into the park and somehow, selected the very wrong area to investigate. The deer actually escaped - after it jumped into the moat, zookeepers were able to lure the lions inside and get the deer out. Though they ended up putting the deer down due to injuries.

Clips are up on YouTube, and you can hear visitors rooting for the deer. Honestly, I guess it says something about my personality, but I was rooting for the lions. Maybe I'm just a fan of Natural Selection, but I'd want to see the Lions go do their thing. Perhaps, I've just got it in for our ungulate friends. But mostly, I suspect this has to be as much fun as any zoo-bound predator is ever going to have.

World Series
Predicted World Series (Yankees in 5) but it turned out to be Yanks in 6. Correct on the superiority of Rivera vs. Lidge, pushed on Lee vs. Sabbathia, correct on Howard and Ibanez looking like sad kittens vs. Yankee lefties, and missed big time on Chase Utley. Also, was right and wrong on the Yankees line-up, in that the Yanks handled Philly pitching fine -- except that it wasn't the switch-hitters doing it.

Bigger story - baseball needs to expand the use of instant replay. It slots in with the natural pauses of the game, and would probably work much more like the replays in Tennis do. Many of the bad calls this post season were readily apparent within seconds, unlike many Football replays which remain debatable for minutes and require numerous impractical camera angles.

Rewatching old game tape seems to indicate that umpiring is actually as good or better than in the past (the neighborhood play actually gets called now) but can be improved more with HD technology. And as a fan, I don't want to argue about refs - I just want the calls to be right.

Bias
Other issue, saw the Len Bias documentary. First 35 minutes or so were incredibly gripping. Last portion lost some focus. Could have been plenty powerful just hitting on personal recollections. I could listen to people talk about how it made them feel all day.

Comments

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

I would have rooted for the lions also. At this point, deer have become the rodents of the suburbs.

[nwhepcat.livejournal.com]

Deer + sex urge = massive stupidity. They are committing suicide all over the roadways too.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

True, though in this case, it looked like this particular deer wasn't a grownup.

[ladystarlightsj.livejournal.com]

Speaking as someone with a dead deer currently hanging in her back shed RIGHT NOW, I would be conflicted as to whom to root for.

On the one hand, deer = yum. On the other, lions + deer = probably terribly amusing in a gladitorial kind of way.

Also, have you seen the pictures of Sosa lately? DISTURBING SOSA IS DISTURBING!

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Not-to-worry-Sammy-Sosa-is-just-rejuvenating-hi?urn=mlb,201086

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

This doesn't sound like a conflict. Lions vs. deer = amusing for the viewer. And who wants to deny the lions some yummy venison. Am I right?

And yes, I've seen the Sosa photos. Very creepy.

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

Here's the main reason you still need "good" officials on the field.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Piuuqqs10

People who say let *'em play* need to meet this girl in a dark alley. ;o)

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

I don't think anyone is arguing for the elimination of officials. They get most calls right, and many are still judgment calls.

And as to the New Mexico girl, you'd think really vigilant officials would have tossed her before she could go so far.

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

You'd think officials who were trying at all would have tossed her. It's obvious she wasn't the only one bending the rules beyond the breaking point. She's just the one who lost her cool and made the highlight reel.