Happy birthday, Jackie and Happy Trails, John

Today would be the 90th birthday of Jackie Robinson and we stopped to celebrate this great day today with the second annual celebration at Dodger Stadium on the eve of Black History Month. Nearly 100 local youngsters came to the ballpark and heard first-hand stories from Jackie’s old teammates and friends to ensure that his story lives on forever.

While we’re fortunate enough to have people like Don Newcombe, Tommy Davis, and Sweet Lou Johnson, among others, who can tell today’s kids what life was like for them back during the Civil Rights movement (and before it), we know that won’t always be the case so making sure that these kids hear it first-hand ensures that they can tell their grandkids that they heard it straight from those who experienced it…

Meanwhile, this evening at Dodger Stadium, we’re hosting a retirement party for the AP’s John Nadel. As Jerry Crowe of the LA Times wrote earlier this week, John is one of the few newspaper people who have left on their own terms of late, as that industry continues to take hit after hit. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard anyone say a bad word about John, who has covered our team for several decades. He’s always been far more concerned with getting the story right rather than getting it first, and he’s been a class act in every way. We’ll miss having him around the stadium next year. Congrats, John!

 

0 comments

  1. junkyardjamie

    The more I read about Jackie, the more he just amazes me on what he endured to get to where he got. HAPPY Birthday Jackie!

    Congrats John on a job well done.

  2. nellyjune

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKIE!! YOU WERE AMAZING!!

    Congratulations John on a a great career, and enjoy your retirement. It sounds like you have earned it 🙂

  3. imsobluepaperbag

    Happy Birthday to you Jackie.
    .
    Good afternoon nellyjune, junkyardjamie and trublu.
    .
    Please sign Andre Frank………….Please sign manny Frank

  4. Dodger4life

    Thanks Josh, Happy 90th birthday Jackie, John thank you and enjoy the retirement years.
    .
    Today I was fortunate to have tuned in to hear the likes of Sweet Lou Johnson talk about Jackie Robinson and what he meant to him . He said without Jackie there was no Tommy Davis and with out Tommy there wer’nt three rings on his finger. Hug Tommy for me also Lou. I got to hear Tommy Davis talk about having a locker in the Yankees clubhouse as a kid and working out with them. He was feeling obligated to sign with the Yankees until his boyhood hero, Jackie Robinson gave him a call asking him to be a Dodger.
    That was enough Tommy Davis is a Dodger. I truly enjoyed Don Newcombe talking about the early years with Jackie and Roy Campenella. How Branch Rickey was going to meet his maker one day and wanted to set things right first. He told the story of how Roy Campenella was the first black manager in baseball after taking control of a game on the managers request, when the manager was booted from the game. How all three of these men and all of us were forever indebted to the great #42. Newcombe spoke of what it meant to wear the Dodgers across your chest, and how important it was to wear that with pride. We are in and among the nations best in doing so.
    .
    Happy birthday again Jackie Robinson and Thank you once more To all of the great Dodgers that have displayed the Dodger pride across thier chest. Lets give Sweet Lou another ring for his finger in 2009!!!!!
    .
    .
    GO DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    .
    THE QUEST FOR # 7 BEGAN TODAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    .
    DODGER PRIDE FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  5. brownpaperrapper@comcast.net

    From the last thread……Good luck, nelly, with your school budget issues. We here in Utah are lucky because the Governor has made it a priority to cut education little if at all. I truly enjoy your posts on the goings-on inside your classroom. Your love for the kids and passion for teaching rings loud and clear throughout. You are, indeed, blessed to be working in a profession you love so much. Without a doubt, the vast majority of your students will remember what you’ve given them long after they’ve left your classroom….It was good to see a post from Alex. Regarding Manny, I agree that 3 years with a 4th year option would get it done and have said so here previously…..HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JACKIE AND GOOD LUCK, JOHN!!!!! Thanks, Nelly, for the Baseball America link on the D’s prospects. Frank needs to show he’s committed to building from within and it starts by paying Andre what he’s worth. Or, according to BA, “Andrew Ethier”….Would like to see Arizona win the Super Bowl tomorrow but, if I was placing a bet, I’d bet on Pittsburg. The rich will probably get richer. I hope, at least, the game is a entertaining one and not one where the commercials are the most interesting part.

  6. ramslover

    Good evening, still at work…long day…The top 10 list, I love the Minor Leaguers…Lambo is a beast…His confidence level is so high, he knows he will succeed, that is one of his strengths, he is not intimidated by anyone…As I have said before I had the opportunity to see him in person and talk to him…The attitude is not an issue. He is a very humble but extremely competitive young man…Thank God the other clubs did not do their homework..great job Logan and crew…

    Lindblom was just signed when I was up in Midland and I got to watch a bullpen and he had a very live arm and he also was a very humble young man. They think he will move fast.

    I am hoping most of the Ogden team will move up to Midland with my man Busty…they hit the snot out of the ball in Ogden…Gordon, Kyle Russell, Anthony Delmonico (his numbers were crazy) , Matt Wallach, Pedro Baez hopefully he will be ready to move up to Midland….

    Have we signed Manny yet!!!! I was reading Olney and he said the Dodgers are trying not to offend Manny by coming in too low after their first offer, because Manny may get mad and sign with the Giants…

    Do not keep playing games NEDFRANK….You only get a true game changer once a generation or so…and you see what everyone says how he was such a positive influence on the Young boys!!!!

    done rambling…

  7. brownpaperrapper@comcast.net

    I, too, like the Minor Leaguers. I’m hoping that some of our better prospects, like DeJesus, make it to Albuquerque this season so I can see them in person when they come to Salt Lake. Lambo has a chance to be something really special but he’s probably a year or 2 away. The key will be how he starts off in AA early this season as to how quickly he gets to LA.

  8. oldbrooklynfan

    I am very happy that New York hasn’t forgotten Jackie Robinson.
    It will be great to walk through the Mets’ Jackie Robinson Rotunda at Citifield. As a lifetime Dodger fan from Brooklyn, even though they moved to Los Angeles, I am proud of the Rotunda, that will resemble the Ebbet’s Field Rotunda.
    Besides being a great crusader Jackie was a great ballplayer.
    I became a Dodger fan at the age of 8 in 1946 just before he broke the color line. I was rooting for him and he’s my favorite player of all time.

  9. nellyjune

    It’s great to see you joepierre!!! How are things on the east coast?

    I really enjoyed that article about the minor leaguers. That is one area I plan on paying more attention to this year.

  10. nellyjune

    Pay dre……….pay dre,pay
    pay dre……..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre…pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre……pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
    pay dre…….pay dre…….pay dre
    pay dre……….pay dre.pay dre

    Frank – just pay him ~ he deserves it!!!!

  11. nellyjune

    Hey Dodger4life – so maybe FranknNed can sign those two and put the fans out of their misery of having to wait and wait and wait and wait and wait …………

  12. Dodger4life

    We can only hope. They asked the kids to name one of the Dodgers today at the Jackie robinson event. The 1st answer was Manny 🙂
    .
    SIGN MANNY SOON!!!!!!!
    .
    PAY DRE!!!!!!!
    .
    BRING THE RING IN 2009!!!!!
    .
    GO DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    .
    SHOW YOUR PRIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  13. brownpaperrapper@comcast.net

    GIVE MANNY THE 3RD YEAR!!!!!!!!!!
    PAY DRE WHAT HE’S WORTH!!!!!!!!!!
    SIGN WOLF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    JUST DO IT, ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  14. nellyjune

    Are you listening to and reading what the Dodger Fans are saying Frank?

    PLEASE TAKE CARE OF ANDRE
    PLEASE SIGN MANNY
    PLEASE SIGN A SP
    JUST DO IT FRANK

  15. nellyjune

    What do you mean? He has a garden gnome in left field right now (without Manny signed) that is worth in the area of 8 million for this season.

  16. Dodger4life

    Frankie, Frankie give us the news
    We’ve got a bad case of Manny blues
    No Juan’s gonna cure our will
    We’ve got a bad case of Manny blues

  17. brownpaperrapper@comcast.net

    Manny is sure the hot topic on espn.com’s baseball page. I’m sure that Borass didn’t like it getting out that he didn’t have any other offers out there but the D’s.

  18. nellyjune

    Well, that’s good it’s topping the charts 🙂

    Pay dre……….pay dre,pay
    pay dre……..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre…pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre……pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
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    pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
    pay dre…….pay dre…….pay dre
    pay dre……….pay dre.pay dre

    Frank – just pay him ~ he deserves it!!!!

  19. brownpaperrapper@comcast.net

    Apply for your own Eitheraholics Master Card with Dre’s picture prominently displayed on the front.

  20. nellyjune

    Depends on the picture – the one on the homepage for his leading in HRs is not his best picture IMO of course 🙂

  21. nellyjune

    That picture on his website is pretty good, but then I have quite the collection of pictures at this point so there are many to choose from. Good idea for a Master Card slogan – cool!!

  22. brownpaperrapper@comcast.net

    Good night, nelly & d4life. Hopefully, soon, we will have resolution to the Manny Stalemate, or”the most boring negotiations in baseball history”.

  23. nellyjune

    Good Night ITD readers and writers!!!! Have a great Super Bowl Sunday and may the best team win.

    Make Dodger Fans happy Frank and Ned……..
    Pay Andre!!!
    Sign Manny!!!
    Sign a SP!!!
    Just do it!!!

    ~ DODGER BLUE THRU AND THRU~
    ****ETHIERAHOLIC FOREVER****

  24. Dodger4life

    I have been cooking spaghetti and it called for a lot of wine, so I will just say Good- night and God Bless.
    .
    Go Dodgers and I love ya Manny!!!!!

  25. Dodger4life

    Good Morning ITD, Dodgerfaithful.
    .
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b26wu3Ms34M
    .
    original song Chicken Fried by: The Zac Brown Band.
    .
    DODGER PRIDE :
    .
    You know I’ve got Dodger Pride
    Cold beer on opening night
    A pair of seats way out in right
    Vin and the radio on
    .
    Well I was raised up beneath a place they call Chavez Ravine
    The Dodgers home you know
    Farmer John, Dodger Dogs, and me
    Where my spirit grows
    .
    In my house, its all we can talk about
    and its filled with love, thats grown on hallowed ground
    .
    And a little bit of Dodger pride
    Cold beer on opening night
    A pair of seats way out in right
    Vin and the radio on
    .
    I’d like to look up high
    See a Dodgers championhip flag fly
    Feel the touch of a series ring
    And know were not done
    .
    It’s funny how it’s the little things in life that mean the most
    Not where you live, what you drive
    Or the price tag on your clothes
    Theres no dollar sign on a piece of mind
    This I’ve come to know
    So if you’ll agree, Have a drink with me
    raise your glasses for a toast
    .
    To a little bit of Dodger Pride
    Cold beer on opening night
    a pair of seats way out in right
    Vin and the radio on
    .
    I’d like to look up high
    See a Dodgers championship flag fly
    Feel the touch of a series ring
    And know were not done
    .
    I thank God for my life
    And for the Stars and Stripes
    May freedom forever fly, Let it ring
    Salute the ones who die
    The ones who give thier lives
    So we dont have to sacrifice, all the things we love
    .
    Like our Dodger Pride
    Cold beer on opening night
    A pair of seats way out in right
    Vin and the radio on
    .
    I’d like to look up high
    See a Dodgers championship flag fly
    Feel the touch of a series ring
    And know were not done
    .
    Like a Dodger Pride
    Cold beer on opening night
    A pair of seats way out in right
    Vin and the radio on
    .
    I’d like to look up high
    See a Dodgers championship flag fly
    Feel the touch of a series ring
    and know were not done
    .
    .
    GO DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  26. nellyjune

    ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS DODGER4LIFE!!! I am so happy I am the first one this morning that gets to respond to this song. I absolutely love the original song (like you didn’t already know that). This song rocks Dodger4life, both versions…………………………………………..JUST AWESOME!!!!!!

    Good Morning ITD readers and writers!!!!!!
    I hope everyone has a Spectacular Super Bowl Sunday.

    PAY ANDRE
    SIGN MANNY
    SIGN A SP
    JUST DO IT!!!

    ~DODGER BLUE THRU AND THRU~
    ****ETHIERAHOLIC FOREVER****

  27. trublu4ever

    Good morning Dodger4life ~ Great job!! I am very impressed! I see I’m not the only one up early today…………with Andre and Manny on my brain, it’s hard to sleep! SIGN ANDRE………………..SIGN MANNY

  28. ramslover

    Good morning all…this site is always hopping…I do not visit other sites, why after you have seen the best why waste your time, I cannot imagine a more active blog than this..

    Going to church, will say a prayer for a Manny signing, along with a few other ills in the world….

    Steelers will probably win, but Warner is one of my favorite Rams, he took us to the promised land and won, so my heart is with him and the Cards!!!!

  29. trublu4ever

    ……………………………..SIGN MANNY…………………………………..
    .
    ……………………………..SIGN ANDRE…………………………………..
    .
    ……………..LET’S GET READY FOR SPRING TRAINING…………….

  30. Dodger4life

    Cafardo mentioned Manny Ramirez to Omar Minaya and Minaya laughed it off saying, “We’ll look into adding some offense, but only if it makes sense.”
    .
    This is the same thing the Giants said. So basically if the Dodgers really want him we are out but if….
    .
    We Really want him dont we Frank 🙂

  31. jungar@wsgcorp.com

    The 3b coach has come out in the press saying we need/want Manny.
    The Manager has come out in the press saying we want Manny
    The GM has come out in the press saying we want Manny.
    The Fans have come out to say we want Manny.

    Frank, you hearing this?

  32. ramslover

    Any Lakers fans…Bynum was just starting to play really well and now he is hurt again…not his fault, but geez this really stinks!!!

    Go Dodgers sign Manny and some guy named Andre….I am not sure of whom they speak of, but sign him NOW!!!!

  33. trublu4ever

    ramslover ~ I think Bynum won’t be out like he was last year. The tests done were negative………..so I hope that is a positive. lol
    .
    .I think Frank is deaf, dumb and blind!!!! Much too busy showing himself off as half of the super couple!!!

  34. ramslover

    Trublu, I hope you are right, but I was on Rotoworld and Phil commented he could be out a while…Stay positive, I keep telling myself, but it seems the kid is cursed with injuries….

  35. trublu4ever

    ramslover ~ I hope Bynum isn’t injury prone like Bill Walton was. The Lakers will be unbeatable this season with him in the lineup. I smell a championship…….even without Shaq!

  36. shepherd96

    This is your Andre:

    DATES AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS HBP OBP SLG AVG
    March/April Total:
    85 18 28 7 0 2 13 41 12 14 2 0 4 .415 .482 .329
    May Total:
    89 8 26 5 0 2 7 37 5 15 0 1 0 .330 .416 .292
    June Total:
    77 9 15 6 0 3 12 30 6 9 0 0 0 .253 .390 .195
    July Total:
    96 18 27 6 1 4 14 47 10 23 1 1 0 .346 .490 .281

    This is your Andre on Manny:

    August Total:
    96 19 28 6 2 7 13 59 8 17 2 0 0 .346 .615 .292

    Sept/Oct Total:
    78 18 36 8 2 2 18 54 18 10 1 1 0 .557 .692 .462

    Think about it.

  37. junkyardjamie

    So Andre’s only bad month was June, and if memory serves me correctly, he was getting jerked in and out of the line up because of Andruw, couldn’t hit worth crap, Jones and our current Garden Gnome, aka noodle arm. So, Ramslover, to answer your question of who is this Andre guy, he’s one he’ll of a ball player who happens to play Right Field for the Dodgers and is currently getting screwed by Dodger management.

    PAY ANDRE!!!
    SIGN MANNY!!!
    SIGN A SP!!!
    JUST DO IT!!!

    ~DODGER BLUE THRU AND THRU~
    ****ETHIERAHOLIC FOREVER****

  38. kpookiemon

    I don’t think there’s any doubt that Bowa, Torre, Ned, the fans, Ethier, Martin, AND Frank all want Manny back. The real question is…does Manny want L.A. back? And if he does, at what price? Or more to the point, at what price will BORAS grace us with his client’s presence?

  39. oldbrooklynfan

    Nelly,Debbie Nelson

    I’d like to know how you change your nickname so often.
    I read some instructions but I couldn’t find this “gray area”. they refer to.

  40. jungar@wsgcorp.com

    And what would happen of Manny doesn’t re-sign?

    “We’ve got three everyday outfielders,” Colleti said, adding that there might be another player out on the market that would fit. “We’ll keep on going.”

    Colletti also said he wanted to add “at least one more starter and hopefully a reliever.”

  41. trublu4ever

    I’d say the Dodgers without Manny only have two everyday starters. The third outfielder is only a backup player moved to that position out of necessity ot talent.

  42. enchantedbeaver

    LOS ANGELES (AP) – In a stunning announcement, Dodger’s general manager Ned Colletti today told reporters that he has ended his pursuit of Manny Ramirez and has named Juan Pierre as his starting left fielder. “Juan has been doing strength training all winter and has bulked up to 185 1/2. We’re anxious to see what that’s done for his game” Colletti said. Juan Pierre commented, “I’ve been weight training and working out with the South Valley L.L., and I don’t see why this year I can’t hit two, maybe three home runs if I play everyday.”

    “Any player that can double, even triple his previous year’s power numbers is someone we want out there day in and day out” said Colletti. “There’s no way Manny could do that.”

    Colletti also hinted that Pierre, known as noodlearm on many blogs sites, will try a new technique in left field which reporters speculate to be running the ball in rather than throwing it. An unnamed source who wishes to remain anonymous told AP, “its been working against the SVLL, so we’re going to give it a whirl in real game situations. He’s a professional and his speed is very important to us. I, I mean, they really gave him the business last year, but we’re gonna start fresh again this season… and **** David Wells.”

    Speculation also abounds as to whether or not Tanyon Sturtze will be named opening day starter since his re-signing several days ago. “We’ve got Sturtze, Estes and Vargas to choose from… that’ll all be up to Joe [Torre] and his staff to figure out” Colletti pontificated.

    NEW YORK (Reuters) – In the stock market today, paper bag converters shares rose dramatically for the 21st day in a row, closing at an all time high.

  43. cheapbrownpaperbag

    And, in order to bolster the bench with some much needed power, Ned and Frank decided to bring back Mark Sweeney.

  44. enchantedbeaver

    LOS ANGELES (UPI) – In a not-so surprise move today, Los Angeles Dodger’s owners, Frank and Jamie McCourt, filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court today seeking a gag order on third base coach Larry Bowa. “We’re very concerned that Larry [Bowa] has turned daft with regards to his assessment of Manny Ramirez” said Frank McCourt. In her deposition, Jamie McCourt stated, “We just think that, you know, he’s a little weird.”

    In response to the lawsuit, Mr. Bowa was heard to say, “#%$^ the McCourt’s and the ^&*^%*#$ horse they rode in on. They wouldn’t know their #%(*& from a hole in the ground. I’d ^%&#^&% knock his !#@$^&) head off if the $&^^#% was here now.”

    It’s said the McCourts are anxiously awaiting the court’s decision in their Malibu mansion(s), though when last seen, Jamie was heard laughing in her Mercedes all the way to Wells Fargo.

  45. trublu4ever

    Go get them, brownpaperbag! We should send them the Garden Gnome as a house warming gift……they can place it by their pool deck as a reminder of what great owners they truly are.

  46. trublu4ever

    Comedy writer Jerry Perisho, on the Bellflower woman who gave birth to octuplets: “Eight kicking, screaming Southern California babies? Throw in a washed up pitcher and you’d pretty much have the Dodgers.”

  47. ramslover

    Good evening ITD…The Cards and Warner played a hell of a ballgame and if they did not such dumb mistakes they would be SB champs…

    Oh well, I see that nothing has happened on the Manny front…This is so unbelievable…you need him, he needs you,,so just get it done…..

    PS I love Andre also…..Sign him NOW..this is a young man you want to be with your team along time…He was shafted out of ST last year and could have sulked and pouted, but he did not and he became the best hitter on the team, not named Manny. He is a community guy and plays hard..Do not play McCheap with him…

  48. nellyjune

    Good Evening ITD readers and writers!!!

    I see that junkyardjamie made an appearance today and appears to be taking on my Ethieraholic status and is sounding an awful lot like me. Brownpaperbag – is it you, formerly known as enchanted? 🙂 I am just kidding brownpaperbag. My identities are getting crossed and I am having a hard time knowing which personality will show up next. I guess without fleamarketfrank and costamesaned, junkyardjamie is just lost and needed to come out somehow through nellyjune. Maybe she’s afraid of losing all her spending money to FranknNed and the desire to get Manny, give Andre his extra million and get that extra SP we seem to be needing right now. These are even more reason Frank needs to stop this madness and get these guys signed so our ITD identities can be restored back to their former selves. Please Frank……..just do it!!!

    bpb – I see nothing happened to your mind while spending time in the Rain Forest. Very nice!!!

  49. nellyjune

    joepierre – I saw your question up above. Nellyjune has been my account name for some time. It just never appeared in the “by line.” I tried to change it back a while ago after the whole “Leave It to Beaver” June Darlin’ thing kind of stuck. It was only recently in trying to change it again, that I got that name back. Pretty much you have to go in and create another mlblog account using a different e-mail account. So, for instance through my computer at home, I have one account for ITD/Dodger stuff and one account for just me being Debra. Then I also have a school account, which I was using when I first started posting here on ITD. However, having the three different accounts lead to my idenitity crisis today (nellyjune/junkyardjamie). I was blogging from my phone from my daughter’s volleyball tournament, and I forgot about the change in accounts. In a round about way to answer your question, you need to get a different e-mail address and then sign up for a new mlblog account. Now, others on here have changed their names also and maybe it wasn’t so difficult for them. It took me well over 7 months to get nellyjune on here finally.

  50. nellyjune

    Good Evening Ward Dear……. How are you doing? Boy!! Am I glad to see you………….. You weren’t kidding about the cookies. I made two batches just like you said to the letter ~ one batch we took to Mariya’s volleyball tournament and one batch I left here for the boys. Well, let me first say……………I have never been much for actually eating the cookie dough itself (other than tasting for salt,etc.), but Oh My God! – it was the best cookie dough I have ever tasted. Then the whole first one out of the oven thing – even better!!! Okay, the first batch goes to the volleyball tournament and they are pretty much gone by the time their second match starts, which was around 10 am, and the rest were finished off during their lunch break and it was the adults as well as the teenagers eating them. Side note : Mariya’s team got first place in today’s tournament, which was a great confidence builder. The reason I say today’s tournament is that this tournament just ranks them for future tournaments. You didn’t really win anything for getting first other than the satifisfaction that you left the building better than the other 16 teams there. Anyhow, back to cookies. We get home after meeting the boys for dinner and the remainder of the SuperBowl ( a very happy Michael BTW) and there are but a half dozen cookies left from the 2nd batch. They took them down to the academy for the boys down there and they are all gone too. So, a couple more lessons learned about your cookie recipe…….if you want some for yourself, you need to hide them, and if you plan on making more than one batch and you don’t want to end up eating all of them yourself (or your family), then you better have a place for them to go.

  51. dodgereric

    Hi Junie! That’s fantastic about Mariya’s volleyball team! First place! Congratulations!! As you say, that works wonders for confidence. Once you start winning and you start believing in yourselves, the sky’s the limit!

    It sounds like you did the cookies right. If it wasn’t for the raw egg, I’d probably eat half the batter! When I take them to my in-laws’ house, my father-in-law always hides some of them for himself ’cause the grandkids are on them like ducks on a junebug (no offense!).

  52. nellyjune

    LOL!!! no offense taken. I have screwed up my name plenty today all by myself. Yes, it was good to see them win today because how the matches work is it’s the best two of of three, well the last two matches went three games, and the last one they were down 6 points, with the other team only needing two points to win, and came back and won. This is so much better than years past……..all the girls are playing and they are all having fun. This group of parents are very good too, quiet and just there for support, no “out there”parents who are trying to coach from the sidelines.

    Did you end up seeing the other movie, “The Wrestler”?

  53. nellyjune

    As for the cookies, I am sure it will take months, if not years to make them perfect like you, but it was definitely a start.

  54. cpompe1

    Good evening ITD boys and girls!
    Well, I’m not the biggest football fan, but I am a fan. And since neither my husband or myself are Steeler fans (sorry to any Steeler fans out there) we definitely wanted to see Arizona win. And they almost did! It was an exciting game! I thought that the Arizona defense would’ve held the Steelers on that that last drive to nothing, but that didn’t happen. Oh well, at least the Steelers weren’t playing our Packers today.

    So Nelly, you ARE junkyardjamie! I thought you were! Does anyone know when Andre’s arbitration hearing is? I’m pretty sure that a contract can still be agreed upon right up to the arbitration date. I am still holding out hope that he’ll get signed without going to arbitration. FRANK AND NED: PAY ANDRE!!!

  55. dodgereric

    No, we didn’t. We ended up staying home and watching Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid from Netflix. We’ve been doing a lot of that lately, seeing things that we’ve either missed in the theaters or a classic that we haven’t seen in a long time. Matt’s been into westerns lately, ever since seeing 3:10 to Yuma. We watched The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence the other night. Next up is The Last Emporer.

  56. nellyjune

    Hey sara!!! How are you?

    Hi CP!!! Yes, I am jyj 🙂

    Ward Dear……….those classics are fun. I find myself watching them all the time now.

  57. saralovesrussell@losangeles-dodgers.net

    yes eric, i was rooting for the steelers.. it was a great game, regardless of the outcome..

    i’m good dnelly, how are you?

  58. cpompe1

    So Andre’s hearing is on the 17th, huh? Nelly, I am 99.9% positive that you and junkyardjamie are one and the same! I’ll keep believe that until someone tells me otherwise! 🙂

    Hey Eric, I’m doing fine. I just really wanted Arizona to win tonight, but it just didn’t happen. But my husband and I were wondering on that very last play of the game if Warner’s arm wasn’t going forward and thus it was an incomplete pass. We thought for sure that the booth would review that, but they didn’t. It’s too bad that the game ended on that note.

    Hey Sara! How are ya girl? Are you (or any other ITDer) planning on going to any of the public caravan events this week? Again, I may go to the lunch, but it depends on if I have more pressing plans that day – ya know, like an interview???

  59. saralovesrussell@losangeles-dodgers.net

    i’m intrigued by this russell j. martin thing.. one thing’s for sure.. j.martin will look odd on the back of his jersey.. at least until we get used to it..

  60. saralovesrussell@losangeles-dodgers.net

    cpompe.. i want to go.. but i’m not sure i have the time to go to any of those events..

  61. cpompe1

    See, I thought so!!! So that’s another “pseudonym” here. Okay, brownpaperbag is enchanted, junkyardjamie is nelly! Okay, any other “pseudonym” ready to reveal themselves for who they really are???

  62. nellyjune

    Ward Dear…….I do the blockbuster version of netflix 🙂 Plus, we have all the movie channels as well. I tend to watch more movies than regular tv lately.

  63. nellyjune

    CP – the only reason jyj came out is because I screwed up. I forgot my phone was on my old e-mail account, which is now tied into jyj now.

  64. cpompe1

    Ah, Nelly, now I get it! See, I was able to get one name right! I still have troubles with the others and I am sure that the other “paper bags” have more familiar names, but don’t ask me to figure it out! I don’t know!

  65. nellyjune

    ….well CP, when FranknNed do their job and get these boys in blue looking like the Dodger team we thought would be a no-brainer to get ready for this upcoming season, the bags will come off and they will become their normal ITD selves again hopefully.

  66. beastyboy9

    Cp This is my name that i took on in Enchanteds absence 🙂
    .
    GO DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  67. dodgereric

    I was rooting for AZ, and was glad that it was a good game. We used to have so many of these Superbowls that were clunkers. Now we’ve had a few in a row that were very exciting. But as I said, I think the Steelers were very fortunate. Their last TD was a gift.

    And the officials did review the last play, cp. As much as I wanted it to be an incomplete pass, it was a fumble. His arm hadn’t started moving forward yet.

  68. saralovesrussell@losangeles-dodgers.net

    eric, i actually do believe he got his toe down.. i watched several replays.. and warner definitely fumbled on the last play..

  69. nellyjune

    I was a good mom and stayed neutral during this game. When my team is not involved, I am usually one that pulls for the underdog team, but I just sat quietly and let the best team win. Now onto the real thing – Dodger Baseball with some NASCAR thrown in there.

    Speaking of NASCAR Ward Dear……one of the grandparents of one of the girls’ from another team we know pretty well is leaving for Daytona tomorrow in their RV……two weeks there and two weeks back. I was just a tad jealous.

  70. dodgereric

    Every replay but one, sara. There was a shot that they had, ground-level, from behind the Steeler’s offense. Until I saw that replay, I thought he got them both down. I have a DVR and replayed it several times. His right toe leaves the ground just before he catches the ball and never hits the ground again. I didn’t have any money on the game and I’ve never given two hoots for the Arizona Cardinals or the Pittsburgh Steelers. I’m as neutral as you can get. The TD shouldn’t have counted, but it’s over and it’s in the books. So be it.

  71. Dodger4life

    I cant complain Nelly
    .
    Life is good. I was rooting for the Steelers, but you cant help but have respect for Curt warner 🙂

  72. cpompe1

    Yeah Nelly, we’d ALL like to see Frank and Ned do their job the right way. Do you think there’s any chance that they will? To me, this off season isn’t what I thought it’d be up to know…

    You’ll never tell unknown? Well, would you believe me if I have a good idea? Or would you think that I’m blowing smoke up your *** and really don’t know???

    paperbagblues – Okay, you’ve given me a clue – the name you took on in Enchanted’s absence. Again, I know Enchanted is AKA brownpaperbag, but Enchanted, are you also paperbagblues? Hmmm. Let me think…

    Dodger4life – I’m fine. Thx for still praying for me! Boy, I’ve got some REALLY good friends here on ITD! I know Dodger Stadium is far for some of you (ID, NM, NY, UT…) but I REALLY would LOVE to meet all of you at our ITD tour! And now that we know it’s going to be sometime during the season, maybe Josh can hook us up on some tickets!

  73. nellyjune

    Well, I am far off from that stage of life where I can just go away for a month…………how much fun would that be though – just a blast I would imagine. I have no doubts you will be there some day,and I will be very jealous but very happy for you too 🙂

  74. saralovesrussell@losangeles-dodgers.net

    i believe you eric. if you say you saw a ground level shot that shows it was incomplete.. then i believe you.. but like you said, it’s in the books.. and the steelers can celebrate..

  75. cpompe1

    paperbagblues – I did have another thought. Perhaps you’re trublue? I just figured if you “changed” your name, you wanted to keep some part of your more familiar name! Am I right? Are you going to tell? Again, I wouldn’t be surprised if you are Enchanted AKA brownpaperbag! But again, I could be very far off and be someone like, I don’t know, bluecrewgirl?

  76. dodgereric

    cp, if you know who all these bags are, you’re better than me! I’m very confused by it all.

    Nelly, I’m still a few years away myself. But someday……..

  77. cpompe1

    Okay unknown, what do you think that I think??? Or do you think that thinking is just a hobby with me??? Or, am I thinking that I have no idea what I’m thinking??? Have I confused you already??? 🙂

  78. cpompe1

    Eric, I don’t know. I have my guesses, but I don’t know. I mean, I guess I was very astute when I called Nelly and jyj the same!

  79. nellyjune

    sara – Valentine’s Day – what day for Spring Training to get underway. Sounds appropriate since we LOVE our Dodger Blue 🙂

  80. saralovesrussell@losangeles-dodgers.net

    haha yes dnelly, very appropriate..

    unknown and eric.. josh would never do that to us.. there might be a small fee, but nothing outrageous..

  81. cpompe1

    Okay Dodger4life, are you one of the paper bags? Perhaps you’re imsobluepaperbag or paperbagblues. I’m thinking maybe you are one of these since you live in ID and don’t get as much of an opportunity to make it out here to DS for games, so you’re blue that you can’t see your beloved Dodgers. Am I right?

  82. nellyjune

    CP – I think we are better off just hoping FranknNed do the right thing so all these BAGS will go away 🙂 Then again, we are relying on two people who don’t have a brain between them 🙂

  83. cpompe1

    Okay Dodger4life, I won’t guess between one or the other. Darn it, I’ll make a decision! I think you’re paperbagblues. I took your advice and scrolled up and saw paperbagblues ended his post this way:

    GO DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

    And, coincidentally, you, Dodger4life, also end your post this way:

    GO DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

    Right, right, right?

  84. Dodger4life

    Yes cp that is true. I am just ba sad and blue bag 😦
    .
    I am really quite happy cp 🙂
    .
    I was just messing with brown paper bag 🙂

  85. cpompe1

    Ah, but Nelly, I’m having a lot of fun trying to figure this out! It’s a game to me! But I agree with you that Frank and Ned need to do the right thing! But it is a scary thought to rely on these two. We may be in a perpetual forest of paper bags for a long time!

  86. nellyjune

    See CP!!! All the answers are there, you just have to look for the clues on who is who based on their writing personality and when they are or aren’t on ITD normally.

  87. saralovesrussell@losangeles-dodgers.net

    i’m sure josh is reasonable.. and i believe he actually does care about us.. he wouldn’t get us excited about a tour and then make it unreasonable..

  88. nellyjune

    ….then there’s enchanted who just came out and told us he was changing his name until FranknNed change the way they do Dodger Business.

  89. cpompe1

    Hey, an appearance from fmf!!! Okay fmf, I haven’t seen you on ITD for a little bit. Go on – post some more!!! Maybe I’ll be able to figure YOU out from your writing style!

  90. cpompe1

    Unless, fmf – are you also cheapbrownpaperbag? Even if you are, I still don’t know your original name!

    Unknown, are you still lurking around here???

  91. Dodger4life

    Thank you cp 🙂
    .
    Pay dre……….pay dre,pay
    pay dre……..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre…pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre……pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
    pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
    pay dre…….pay dre…….pay dre
    pay dre……….pay dre.pay dre

  92. cpompe1

    Well, I’m getting kinda tired. It was great to link Dodger4life & paperbagblues together! Have a nice evening y’all!!! I’ll catch up with y’all later…

  93. Dodger4life

    Good Night Cp, it was good to see you again.
    .
    God Bless You and Yours 🙂
    .
    GO DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
    .
    ALL THE WAY IN 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  94. nellyjune

    I love that number Dodger4life!!! Did you see Shepherd’s post when he posted all of Andre’s stats by month for last season. He did a fabulous job all season with the exception of June, in which he only had 77 ABs compared to the high 80s and 90’s in all the other months.

  95. dodgereric

    That’s what I thought. When I add the “tags”, all the other ones that start with the same letter pop up as an aid. But yours didn’t. I could have sworn you’d done one. Great first effort. Your first one, our 474th! Well, make that 473. Lucy’s picture wasn’t a song!

  96. Dodger4life

    I did, he was an animal with Manny around 🙂
    .
    PAY DRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    .
    SIGN MANNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    .
    BRING THE RING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  97. nellyjune

    …..I bet we could come up with a song about Lucy. How is Lucy doing, or should I ask how you and Chris are doing with Lucy?

  98. Dodger4life

    Good Night ITD,Dodgerfaithful, I need to put my personalities to bed.
    .
    Tommorrow is another day. May we have some good news.
    .
    Have a fabulous monday everyone .
    .
    11 day’s till pitchers and catchers report 🙂
    .
    God Bless Us All and God Bless The USA 🙂

  99. dodgereric

    She’s doing ok, I guess. She seems to be pretty smart, so there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. She is absolutely the most voracious eater I’ve ever seen! It’s a floor show to watch her go at it! And if there’s any single guys out there who want to meet women, get a bassett puppy! She’s a chick magnet!

  100. nellyjune

    Good Night Dodger4life!!!! Take care of yourself please……..and God Bless to you and your family. Life is good today 🙂

  101. nellyjune

    Dodgereric – That is hilarious about he girl thing. Does that mean that Matt has had a bunch of girls over now that you have Lucy – LOL!!! She is adorable, but having three dogs myself, I know it’s more than just being cute.

  102. dodgereric

    Matt hasn’t walked her yet, just Chris and me. But every time we take her out, we’re accosted by women! “Oh, she’s so cute! Can I pet her?” Criminy! And she loves the attention too!

    Her one thing right now that we have to break her of is wanting to bite when she plays. You saw Chris’ arms. She’s getting a little better, but not there yet.

  103. nellyjune

    LOL!!! That’s cute about the walking, not so cute about the biting. Yea, Chris’ arms were pretty bad. Maybe enchanted (brownpaperbag) has some suggestions on that.

  104. dodgereric

    Perhaps. Most likely we just have to get through the puppy stage though.

    Well, I think I better turn in. We have a long week ahead of us. We’re driving to AZ Wednesday for a funeral on Thursday and I have to get in about 4 days of work in the next 2, so I need to get some sleep.

    Good night to you and yours, June Darlin’! And to any and all Dodger fans still hanging around!

    I half-expected Manny to sign this weekend to steal some of the NFL’s thunder! Maybe this will be the week the paint will finally dry.

    Sign Manny
    Sign Sheets
    Pay Andre and avoid arbitration

  105. nellyjune

    Good Night Ward Dear………Get a good night’s sleep and I hope you have a great Monday.
    Take Care and as always,God Bless to you and your wonderful family 🙂

  106. nellyjune

    ….yes, Chris’ sister’s father-in-law. You do have a long week ahead of you. Definitely get some sleep then 🙂

  107. trublu4ever

    Good Morning ITD ~ So glad football season is over (well I guess we still have the never watched Pro Bowl), now, let’s all concentrate on Dodger Baseball. Please Frank, get things done this week……………sign Andre, sign Manny and get us a pitcher.

  108. enchantedbeaver

    Morning Tru!
    .
    Eric – I’m afraid its just puppydom until Lucy gets her permanent teeth and learns to control the bite force. ‘Bout all you can do for Chris is have her wear long sleeves and wait until then.

    I wouldn’t worry about ‘Dre, they’ve got two weeks to hash out a contract. I don’t believe Ned’s regime has ever gotten all the way to arbitration. Even if it did, he’d bungle it somehow and ‘Dre would get his money. Unless you put up numbers like Howard that can get away with an outrageous amount, I’m sure ‘Dre’s people went a little high, Ned a little low so that they could meet somewhere near the middle.

  109. trublu4ever

    Bpb ~ good morning. I think they will meet in the middle on Dre’s contract. I just wish they would take care of business, so we can remove our “bags” lol

  110. dodgereric

    G’mornin’ e, er, bpb! Thanks for the wisdom, you weren’t kidding about either the gluttony or the whining! It’s almost like she talks to us sometimes. Sure looks like she’s going to be a great dog though! She’s really quite smart.

    If I remember correctly, Ned and Ethier Darlin’ are about a million apart. It sure seems to me that they should be able to find a middle ground there somewhere. What I am not going to want to hear is that Ned would use his numbers as a tool for justifying the lower figure when it was the idiot Torre who kept him on the bench for Juanpy!

  111. trublu4ever

    Just wondering, now that the Super Bowl is over, how long they are going to discuss what we all saw?! So far, on ESPN, that is the only thing they are talking about. Good grief, I wish the World Series would get that much attention.

  112. nellyjune

    LMAO!!!!!!!!!! shy? Good Morning bpb, Ward Dear and tru!! Thanks for the morning laugh – that was funny Eric.

  113. nellyjune

    ..oh and as far as Andre, I am pretty confident all things will work out. However, right now, I have nothing else to really complain about…….well, there’s Manny and a SP, but we have plenty speaking their minds about that 🙂

  114. nellyjune

    tru – THEY ARE GONE!! I believe the kids took the rest to school seeing how there were only six left at last count.

  115. enchantedbeaver

    My bassett has gray circles around her eyes now. Still healthy as a horse though.

    Imagine my disappointment when I come home to find that all Ned did while I was gone was add Ausmus (everyone needs a 40 year old catcher) and Sturtze. Seems pretty safe bringing “Who Dat?” and the brown paper bag back to life this season. In previous offseasons, Frank & Furter at least made an attempt, albeit foolish ones, to better the club. Schmidt, Pierre, Nomar, Jones we’re bad pick-ups, but at least it showed some interest. Loretta, Ausmus, Vargas, Estes, Mota and Sturtze as a group are pathetic at best and an airsick bag at worst. Not replacing Lowe and Manny (at this point since he’s not signed) with like players is a slap in the face to every Dodger fan who lays down their hard earned money for tickets, parking, concessions and souvenirs.

    But at least Frank’s got two houses in Malibu and another pair ’round Beverly Hills to show for his success…
    .
    And we’ve got Loretta, Ausmus, Vargas, Estes, Mota and Sturtze to show for ours.

  116. trublu4ever

    Doesn’t give you much confidence in management’s abilities to run a baseball team, does it? Frank better get his priorities straight or he may have to sell one of his mansions. The fans are pretty smart and they will show their comtempt…………..at least, I hope they do!

  117. dodgereric

    Now, now, c’mon youse guys! Ned reminds us that the rosters in the offseason are not the ones we go to war with, and he’s right! After all, he’s still got all of spring training and all of the regular season to pick through the dumpsters! There’s no telling WHO we might end up with! Why, just look for yourself! You can use MLB.com to look at the depth charts of all the other teams! Just for instance, check out that 3rd string catcher for the Mariners – http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=453531
    Career OBP of .129! Unfortunately, he’s only 29 years old so he’s waaaaaaaaay too young. But he might just be there for the taking when Ausmus gets a hernia or something.

  118. kpookiemon

    Patience, comrades, patience. Ned is playing this like a guy in the parking lot looking for tickets. The closer to game time, the better the price. I still believe Manny will be a Dodger by Spring Training, as will some hack arm like Wolf or Sheets. And don’t forget, whatever the Dodgers do, we can all unite in our absolute hope that the Yankee$ fall flat on their collective a$$e$.

  119. dodgereric

    Whoops, my bad. He’s 32. My memory ain’t what it used to be ………. but he’s still too young……..

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