Jamie O'Neal was right

there is no Arizona. Due to economic instability in the industry I will not be getting a paid vacation to Spring Training this spring. Blogging from my couch is not nearly as exciting as it sounds. Therefore, it saddens me to announce the blog has officially been taken off life support. You can now pronounce the time of death.

Wheels Up

I've got one last post in me before I rejoin the real world. After 3 years we finally found the best way to transport the John Jacobson Memorial Edit Suite*.


An extension cord and the new wheels is all we need. Finally a good use for that stupid thing. The original idea was to have Curt drive while I rode shotgun, but apparently he thought he was better served going to Minnesota with the team. Dumbass, nailing morons on the freeway with my "trailer" is going to be awesome!


But alas, it was just me bringing home the memorial edit suite. I think I finally found a way to get rid of that stupid thing, cut the cord!!


Well, that's that for spring training**. Who knows what's next for this blog and the moron in charge of it. But for what it's worth, it's been a fun 3 years that I can relive thanks to the power of the internet because for some strange reason most of my memory is pretty hazy! I really have to thank the 2 people*** who encouraged me to start this 3 years ago, without them and their curiosity as to how I was going to survive spring training this never would have happened. For everyone else hope you at least got a couple laughs out of it, since I rarely hear from anyone I can only judge my work by how many times I make Dan and Curt laugh. Contrary to what Curt thinks**** writing the blog and hearing their reaction is the highlight of my morning.

With that I bid the blog farewell and some of you I'll see around the office, for the rest of you don't be strangers.

Jerkobson


* No edit systems were harmed in the making of this blog.

** For those curious nothing that exciting happened on the trip back. I got to visit my brother and his lovely wife in California for a couple days and finally see their house. Apparently I'm a natural at Tiger Woods for Wii as in my first 5 rounds I had 2 double eagles and a hole in one, that's right Paul you got some practicing to do! Also got to see my aunt and uncle while I was there. I wish there was something more exciting to report, but sadly that isn't the case.

*** They know who they are and they are modest (well at least one is!) so I'll keep their identities secret. But again, thanks!

**** First off, I know it's a surprise Curt thinks. Curt actually thinks the highlight of my morning is picking which hockey team he should gamble on. While it's fun, that's alot of pressure! After our nights the last thing I need early in the morning is pressure.

We're Live! Here People

After threatening all month to do so, today we finally got around to appearing on the Geoff Baker Live! webcast. If you blinked you missed us. But I'm here to provide proof. That's right, we're dorks!

Fooled 'Em Again

Another spring training in the books and we're all leaving relatively healthy and sane. Well, as healthy and sane as we arrived. Which as many of you know wasn't really the case to start with.

As Curt likes to say we fool everyone by pulling off this show everyday. You don't see the chaos behind the scenes everyday just the polished product on the air each night. Most days this show is held together with gaffer's tape and bubble gum. Between me and Curt throwing tapes, Jen and Nicole voicing highlights, Chris and Vocht* running tapes to feed, and Dan doing, well, whatever it is Dan does it's a miracle this show ever gets on air. Even though you'd think we'd have it down to a science after three years something new pops up every day to throw a monkey wrench into the works.

So how do you celebrate the final night in Peoria?


That's right start with the 3 liter** beer tower***. You haven't really lived until you've downed a beer tower. I don't really remember the rest of the night but I do remember waking up to this.


Just kidding. That is a months worth of show post postmortems. Each show takes so much out of us we have to unwind somehow. But you can tell we don't completely forget about our bodies as there are a couple gatorades sprinkled in there.

So now it is back to the cold northwest for a harsh blast of reality. Oh good!! See you all soon.

Editors note: Usually this would be the last post of the year but because I'm driving back this year there is the possibility something may show up in this space in the next couple days. So stay tuned.


* That is definitely one guy you don't want to get in the way of when he's running.

** Litre for our Canadian friends.

*** Or as I dubbed it, "The Beer Tower of Regret" or "The Beer Tower of Bad Decisions".

Last Call

Today started off with some terrible news as Chris Shelton has been sent down to minor league camp. How can I possibly be expected to work when Shelly is no longer here? I thought this team was trying to win!

We'll just have to try and power through the last couple days down here. I'm sure we can somehow manage but it will be difficult.

Luckily Vocht brought a smile to my face minutes later when he got hit by baseball outside the practice field. That guy is priceless!

Yesterday we got our first glimpse at Goodyear and what a facility it is. An informal straw poll taken in our press box says it is our favorite stadium on the circuit.

After another grueling day toiling in the Arizona sun we headed to Thunderbird for our last hike there. I powered through the big loop in a shade over an hour (1:04) which was about 10 minutes better than my previous best. Who knew you could get in shape by actually going out and doing stuff? Weird.

Having done our daily exercise we decided to reward ourselves with a final trip to the Guilty Skirt. I know I said I was done with yesterday, but it's been such a big part of our lives since we've been down here that we felt obligated to at eat there one last time and say goodbye. Of course as things often work out our favorite waitress wasn't even working last night so the plan pretty much fell flat.

Dan and I decided that if we were going to say goodbye to the Skirt we owed it to ourselves to also say goodnight Moon.* So we ventured across the parking lot to the Moon and guess what happened? Again our favorite waitresses weren't working, so apparently Tuesday night is not Friday night in Peoria.

One last day to savor the sights and sounds of spring training. Can we just skip the game and get to enjoying our last night out? That's definitely what I'm looking forward to the most.

Stupid work getting in the way.


* Ha, I crack me up.

First Casualty of Spring

Monday was a pretty big day down here in Arizona. So big in fact that I'm lifting the freeze for "He who shall not be named"!

First off we headed down to Maryvale to see the Brewers and Mariners in action. Don't worry no bomb threats this year. The only thing imploding here was the Mariners bullpen. For what feels like the umpteenth time the last 2 years Lindbergh's own David Riske did not pitch. That brings the total times we've seen him in spring training to 1 inning in 3 years and give or take 10 games. Not all was lost as I did see him as he stretched with the team prior to the game. Also not in attendance Bob Eucker. That severly cut down my Mr. Belvedere jokes. The most entertaining part of the game was "Hwsnbn" route to the ball park. His gps got him not only lost but told him to take back to back u-turns. Yeah, try and wrap your head around that one!

After the Mariners game Paul, Dan, and I decided to take advantage of our last chance to see the Coyotes in action. We asked "hwsnbn" if he would like to join us but he declined. That was an awful decision on his part but more on that in a moment. This blog is first and foremost about me so let's get back on track.

This was our fourth Coyotes game and Dan was openly rooting for a shootout. I wouldn't have minded but I wouldn't say I was openly rooting for it. Once again the Coyotes disappointed us. Just kidding. They won on a power play goal in overtime 6-5. So Close!!


This is a picture of the actual overtime goal. As you can tell the people behind the goal were riveted... to their seats! Who says hockey can't work in Arizona?! On a good note, Shane Doan had a goal and an assist while Ed Jovanovksi chipped in an assist. Coyote fans might want me to start this blog in October next year seeing how the team has played since I started following them closely.

After the game we headed over to Saddleback Ranch for some post game celebratory beers. Again I couldn't convince Dan or Paul to ride the mechanical bull. Of course after the first display we saw on the bull I don't blame them. There was no following that, so we settled on drinking beers. Unfortunately we might have slightly overdone it. I know hard to believe. At least we didn't end up like this guy.


Yes, that is my college hero Ryan Leaf being led out of Montana bar. I have yet to stoop that low. Good to see he is still enjoying life though!

So Vocht decided to stay home and miss the fun of hockey which turned out to be a terrible decision*. During the 2nd intermission Dan got a text from him saying there had been a minor accident at the condo.





Doesn't look minor to me Vocht! He claims he was innocently typing at the dining room table when the table collapsed under the weight of a beta deck, monitor, and 2 laptops. Believe him if want. He then went to Walgreens to pick up some bandages for his seeping wounds and the clerk asked him "who was shot?". That's how good our neighborhood is!

Today we make our first ever journey to Goodyear to see the Indians. First impressions say it might be the best ballpark in the cactus league.


Now if they could just get rid of those pesky people from Cleveland!** Back to work, I'm a little behind today. Some would say I'm not prepared to work.


* Skipping any hockey game is a terrible decision in my opinion.

** Just kidding Todd!

The Final Countdown

4 days to go and I've got to say I'm ready to be done. Sure the weather is nice but the overall toll spring training takes on my body takes a good 11 months to recover from.

Sadly there isn't a whole lot to update from the days I missed blogging. After hitting it hard Thursday night (maybe too hard) no one was really that motivated to do much Friday night. So we went out for the tourney games but I was about done before the Zags game even started. Apparently I wasn't the only one sleepwalking through the game as the Zags played just as crappy as I felt.

Saturday I got a visit from my brother and his wife. After a big breakfast we headed to Phoenix and the red-clad Tempe Diablo Stadium home of the Angels. The Mariners pitchers decided not to make the journey as they got spanked, which would be a theme for the weekend. Can't complain about the weather though as it was a beautiful day to watch a game that took 2 and a half hours to play 4 innings. In a move strange for spring training afterwards we went to the botanical gardens in Papago park. Yeah, plants and some glass fixtures. That was fun...

Speaking of not fun, my brother wanted to see the Guilty Skirt. Talk about bad times. Not only did it take 15 minutes to get served, but it was pretty lame. I hate to say it but I may be done with the Kilt. Strange that it works out we only have a couple days left down here.

Sunday brought the return of "The Iginitor" to Peoria Stadium. In true ignition fashion he made 2 outs in the same inning as the Royals batted around. Needless to say hopes are high for '09 Mariners as the pitching staff really seems to have it dialed in.

Today is old home day as we're in Renton south (Maryvale) and I've already seen David Riske. Guess I ought to work.

God I wish I was going to Disneyland.