On Sunday Atlanta Braves announcer Skip Caray died at 68. Skip was the voice of the Braves for over 30 years, first on radio and then on TBS. It was TBS that brought Atlanta Braves baseball into the homes of hundreds of thousands throughout Canada and millions throughout America. Though not a Braves fan, I am a baseball fan, so I often found myself watching their games on TBS and listening to Skip describe the broadcast. It was for me much the way it was with his father, the Cubs and WGN. These 2 "super" stations brought not only the game of baseball into our Canadian homes but these 2 legendary broadcasters. For as flamboyant and funny as Harry was (just look at his picture in the article below) Skip was laid back and sarcastic. His humour was a great part of the game, because in the game of baseball there is a lot of downtime. If the game was boring Harry would try and make it sound exciting whereas Skip would tell you it was boring and make sarcastic comments regarding it. I enjoyed Skip's honest assessment of the game. Below is a short article regarding his death from the Los Angeles Times, linked mostly for its picture showing Harry, Skip and his son Chip who is also a Braves announcer.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-caray5-2008aug05,0,5960520.story
The book I am reading, A Painted House by John Grisham is set in the cotton fields of Arkansas and is told by 7 year old Luke. Luke during the long days of cotton picking dreams of playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and hitting the ball like his idol Stan Musil. There are many mentions of Harry Caray throughout the book, because he was the radio voice of the Cardinals during this time period. Luke and his family spent many summer nights on the porch listening to Harry's voice describe the game of baseball. The importance of the broadcaster is not as important today in the age of television, they can always be muted. Which might explain why good announcers are not as abundant as they used to. As a fan of the Blue Jays we are stuck with the young and often amazed Jamie Campbell for games on Sportsnet. Whereas on TSN we get the more seasoned and often more critical Rod Black. On CBC we get the best of them all Jim Hughson, but not often enough. The best Blue Jay announcer ever, Dan Shulman, left us many years ago to work for ESPN, at least the Americans have him.
The following is a passage from A Painted House, encompassing Luke's thoughts, Harry Caray, Stan Musil and The Cardinals.
"The last of the clouds were gone by dark, but the heat did not return. We sat on the porch after supper and waited for the Cardinals. The air was clear and light--the first hint of autumn.
Six games were left, three against the Reds and three against the Cubs, all to be played at home at Sportsman's Park, but with the Dodgers seven games in first place, the season was over. Stan the Man Musial was leading the league in batting and slugging, and he also had more hits and doubles than anybody else. The Cardinals would not win the pennant, but we still had the greatest player in the game. At home after a road trip to Chicago, the boys were happy to be back in St. Louis, according to Harry Caray, who often passed along greetings and gossip as if all the players lived in his house.
Musial hit a single and a triple, and the score was tied at three after nine innings. It was late, but we weren't tired. The storm had chased us from fields, and the cool weather was something to be savored. The Spruills were sitting around a fire, talking softly and enjoying a moment without Hank. He often disappeared after supper.
In the bottom of the tenth, Red Schoendienst singled, and when Stan Musial came to the plate, the fans went wild, according to Harry Caray, who, as Pappy said, often watched one game and described another. The attendance was fewer than ten thousand; we could tell the crowd was slim. But Harry was making enough noise for the other twenty thousand. After 148 games, he was just as excited as he'd been on opening day. Musial ripped a double, his third hit of the game, scoring Schoendienst and winning it four to three."
Over the weekend I watched Reservation Road. It is a movie starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Connelly and Mark Ruffalo. Phoenix and Connelly lose their son in a hit and run and the guilty party is closer than they know. There isn't much to the story, it is pretty much obvious who did it but what isn't obvious is what is going to be done about it. The acting is very good and the moral questions are many. There is a link to information about the movie below.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0831884/
Once again it is Tuesday, the top 100 songs out of 1355 are below. The One I Love by David Gray returns to number 1. Check out the countdown clips if you are bored.
"The price of a memory is the memory of the sorrow it brings..."
Some recent live Counting Crows clips.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO-awPMv7aY
Mrs. Potter's Lullaby (July 31, Wantagh New York)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwmLc_Nny94
Accidentally In Love (July 31, Wantagh New York)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntt-hcS7q24
A Long December (August 2, Boston)
Last night on Letterman they had dogs jumping into a pool of water on 54th Street with some of jumping as far as 25 feet. When I saw it I thought considering it was August, wouldn't it be funny if they had people doing the same. Well Seth Rogen didn't let me down, in full suit and glasses, he made a run and jump. The results are in the clip below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhwXYqt-4k8
Well it is warm and humid, and might rain, what else is new.
jr.
Top 100 Songs Played This Year On My iTunes Player
1. The One I Love by David Gray (2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44tVAJVmQCM
2. Empty by Ray LaMontagne (5)
3. Supernatural Superserious by R.E.M. (4)
4. Wonderwall by Oasis (3)
5. You Can't Count On Me by Counting Crows (1)
6. When I Dream Of Michelangelo by Counting Crows (9)
7. Have You Ever Seen The Rain? by C.C.R. (11)
8. Waiting by City and Colour (10)
9. Say It To Me Now by Glen Hansard (8)
10. Boy With A Coin by Iron and Wine (7)
11. Creep by Radiohead (6)
12. The Bends by Radiohead (13)
13. Guaranteed by Eddie Vedder (12)
14. No One's Gonna Love You by Band Of Horses (16)
15. One by U2 (14)
16. All The Trees Are Hers by Hawksley Workman (17)
17. Thinking About You by Norah Jones (15)
18. Always by Neverending White Lights (18)
19. When You Were Young by The Killers (21)
20. Long Road To Ruin by Foo Fighters (22)
21. Cowboys by Counting Crows (23)
22. Everybody Knows by Ryan Adams (19)
23. You Are My Face by Wilco (29)
24. Lemon Parade by Tonic (28)
25. Hannah by Ray LaMontagne (20)
26. NYC by Interpol (27)
27. Falling Slowly by The Frames (26)
28. Hard Sun by Eddie Vedder (35)
29. Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles (33)
30. A Long December by Counting Crows (24)
31. Your Heart Is An Empty Room by Death Cab For Cutie (32)
32. Blanket Of Ghosts by Dustin Kensrue (25)
33. Love Hurts by Incubus (31)
34. A Time To Be So Small by Interpol (36)
35. Calling All Friends by Low Stars (30)
36. Where The Streets Have No Name by U2 (41)
37. 1492 by Counting Crows (50)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG8veGmU2r8
38. Have You Seen Me Lately? (Acoustic) by Counting Crows (34)
39. Sing by Travis (39)
40. Off He Goes by Pearl Jam (42)
41. Everything by Michael Buble (38)
42. Girl In The War by Josh Ritter (44)
43. If I Had Eyes by Jack Johnson (46)
44. Your Song by Elton John (47)
45. O Valencia by The Decemberists (53)
46. Hospital Beds by Cold War Kids (51)
47. Southern Girl by Amos Lee (52)
48. Hard Candy by Counting Crows (57)
49. Oceanside by The Decemberists (49)
50. Sunday Morning Coming Down (Live) by Counting Crows (37)
51. My List by The Killers (43)
52. The Blues by Switchfoot (67)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX0hHCLynPc
53. Kite by U2 (40)
54. Sky Blue Sky by Wilco (NR)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RRkrccHgNI
55. Only The Lonely by Roy Orbison (60)
56. Gotta Be Somebody's Blues by Jimmy Eat World (45)
57. Tears and Rain by James Blunt (71)
58. If You're Gonna Leave by Emerson Hart (58)
59. Society by Eddie Vedder (48)
60. Miller's Angels by Counting Crows (63)
61. The Hardest Part by Coldplay (56)
62. Diamonds On The Inside by Ben Harper (77)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEheWHVgffM
63. Michelle by The Beatles (62)
64. Let It Be by The Beatles (54)
65. Baby I Love Your Way by Bob Marley (55)
66. Some Surprise by The Cake Sale (Lisa Hannigan + Gary Lightbody) (84)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZTxsjMQVkM
67. Warning Sign by Coldplay (76)
68. Los Angeles by Counting Crows (82)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJHycLQ-8r0
69. Coconut Skins by Damien Rice (NR)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqdGHm79R_4
70. Anna Molly by Incubus (90)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOezDHeOD88
71. Naked As We Came by Iron and Wine (72)
72. 1973 by James Blunt (59)
73. Chase This Light by Jimmy Eat World (91)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvrO_MjTMPc
74. Kathleen by Josh Ritter (92)
75. You're Always Going Too Soon by Matthew Jay (70)
76. The Painter by Neil Young (69)
77. Jumpin' Jack Flash by The Rolling Stones (68)
78. Let It Ride by Ryan Adams (61)
79. The Con by Tegan and Sara (66)
80. Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison (NR)
81. Rain King (Acoustic) by Counting Crows (81)
82. Catapult (Acoustic) by Counting Crows (75)
83. What Light by Wilco (64)
84. Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison (65)
85. Every Part Of Me by Sam Roberts (NR)
86. Alright by Pilot Speed (97)
87. Harvest Moon by Neil Young (95)
88. Snow Is Gone by Josh Ritter (NR)
89. Mind Games by John Lennon (NR)
90. Talk Shows On Mute by Incubus (73)
91. No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature by The Guess Who (NR)
92. Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy (89)
93. Lying Eyes by The Eagles (88)
94. Accidental Babies by Damien Rice (74)
95. She Don't Want Nobody Near by Counting Crows (NR)
96. Save Your Scissors by City and Colour (85)
97. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds by The Beatles (78)
98. Is There A Ghost? by Band Of Horses (79)
99. The Weight by The Band (83)
100. Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Neil Young (80)
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