Tattoos,the NBA and the Velodrome

I don't enjoy following the National Basketball Association as much as I have in days gone by. One reason -- I just don't "get" tattoos. OK, a person might be justified in having one tattoo. When a player, or anyone is covered with images and words on their body, I find it very distracting.
Another reason the NBA has lost me ... too often, the outcome of a game is decided in the last quarter. It's as if the first three quarters were, well, why does anyone bother? I'm reminded of those cycling races held on banked tracks called Velodromes. Most of us have watched that competition in the Olympics. No matter how long the race distance, in the early laps, the racers are slooowwly circling the track, playing mind games with each other. Then, with a few laps to go, everyone peddles with everything they have to win the race. It's like watching two guys play chess for an hour only to have the winner decided by which one can leap out of their seat and run to the door first.

OMG, The Giants Are A Mess!

Watching the Giants play has become difficult. Can you believe the pitching staff is that awful? A bad sign ... the staff "ace", Jason Schmidt, is getting rocked. Those reports that he has lost velocity on his pitches may be true. Let's take a look at Kirk Rueter: an aging left-hander, without a decent fastball, trying to get by being "crafty". Hmm... Seattle pitcher Jamie Moyer is over 40 and having a nice season. My suggestion to Kurt is to study how Moyer pitches. Each time Rueter goes to the mound, I wonder how long he can survive using the "chuck & duck" approach. The relievers seem to be pitching scared. Maybe, just maybe, it's time for a new pitching coach. And our manager, Felipe Alou. When the Washington Nationals played at SBC Park, I was struck by the irony that their manager, Frank Robinson, was once manager of the Giants. He is turning a roster of "nobodies" into a fun, exciting team who may finish the season with a better record than San Francisco. At the least, it appears to me that he has a better idea how to handle a pitching staff. Hey, catcher Mike Matheny! I thought you were adept at handling a pitching staff?? Please ... plase don't make me say "I wish we still had A. J. Pierzynski." Barry Bonds ....what a mess. At least I'm thankful I didn't draft him on my fantasy league team.