Crab Cakes and Light Beer

The Swinging Bunt

Viva Beer Pong! So let me get this straight, they announced this week there will be no more BYOB at The Preakness and now we find out officials tried to outlaw drinking games like beer pong and flip cup inside local watering holes? Thank the good Lord that Sen. George W. Della Jr.’s potential legislation was stopped by that “growing online lobbying effort.” OK, what we can infer from that is… that Sen. G.W. Della is a crotchety old guy and every fun loving young adult in the Baltimore area made his life a pain in the ass every time he tried to check in e-mail. Down with government! Whose on the table next?

The sincerity of a $1M Apology? Michael Phelps’ “regrettable behavior” has apparently annoyed people all over the world. In a public statement made yesterday the Olympic Golden Boy apologized to the segment of his followers whom reside in China. You have to wonder, was he saying sorry to the whole billion-plus population or only those who buy Mazdas?

Duke Fans Have Cooties! Without a doubt, Duke University is one of the Top 10 academic institutions in the entire United States of America, and a true model for all other institutions of higher learning to sculpt themselves after. Now I know the old adage is “Knowledge equals Power,” now I also know that after a meningitis outbreak in Krzyzewski-ville, “Knowledge does not equal a force field against icky gross bacterial diseases.”

Scanning the Blogosphere

Deadspin reports that Robbie Alomar’s accuser is a professional arm wrestler.

The Smoking Gun has obtained the full complaint against Alomar.

With Leather says Robbie has “Not just HIV, but full blown AIDS”.

SI.com’s “Tale of the Tape” looks at Michael Phelps v. Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

Pro Football Talk has a lot of Ravens stuff, they say “T.O. is Campaigning for Lewis,” “Suggs is hopeful,” “Ed and Troy are in close race,” and “Jets could be looking at Ray Lewis’ Teammates.”

NFL.com has posted an interesting 7 minute video of an interview with T-Sizzle talking about the future in Baltimore.

Bro Bible posts their Top 10 Sports Cry Babies… No Ravens of course, but at #9 is, you guessed it, the teary-eyed Hines Ward. What a little girl.

Baseball Prospectus… translation The Nerds of Baseball, project the O’s at 2009 season at 74-88.

Orioles Hangout takes a look at what we can expect from Nick Markakis in ‘09.

Camden Chat is perplexed the O’s didn’t make a move for new Nationals OF Adam Dunn.

MLB Trade Rumors informs us that the career of the whiskey drinking/fun lovin’ Kevin Millar is over in Baltimore.

Tracking the Terps reports top Men’s Hoops recruit Jordan Williams shattered a backboard during his last game in the scholastic ranks in Connecticut.

Fanhouse tells us Caps owner Ted Leonsis committed a “Random Act of Kindness.”

Inside Lacrosse has revealed their Preseason High School Lacrosse Power Rankings.

CMS Video of the Day

It seems like such a long time ago doesn’t it? This commercial hit televisions before the 1994 season… Remember back then when the O’s had winning seasons and good community relations. Not strangely Baltimore was behind them selling out OPACY on a nightly basis in those days. I wonder if Palmeiro and/or Anderson had been juicing already?

The Morning’s Last Call

The Sporting News regularly does a very nice job in their ’short but meaningful’ analysis on most of the topics they cover. In the last edition of their magazine, the Week of February 15, they have their Off season Grade Report.

TSN gives the O’s a very middle of the road B- and adds, “Now hear this: ‘Uehara might have been dynamite on Japan and then come over here and not fare very well,’ says Mike Boddicker, the Orioles’ 1983 ALCS MVP. ‘The Royals signed a pitcher from Japan (Yasuhiko Yabuta) last season, and he struggled and ended up in triple-A. You don’t know - it’s a whole different thing, pitching in Japan and over here.’”

On their website they address each team’s most pressing Spring Training questions. TSN writer Gerry Fraley asks and answers…

“Is super-prospect Matt Wieters ready to take over at catcher”

“In a perfect world, the Orioles would have Wieters, 22, start the season with a dominating showing at Triple-A before starting his service-time clock with a jump to the majors. He could change that with a strong spring showing. The Orioles cleared the way by trading Ramon Hernandez, last season’s starter, in the off-season.”