Entries from August 2006 ↓

Turns out tonight’s game was on national TV. Watched the starters play the first half, and they looked great on both sides of the ball. The first team offense scored touchdowns on two of the three possessions they played. The first team defense swarmed the KC offense, and gave up only 20 yards after the two possessions during which their first team offense played.

Anyway, I’m fricken exhausted after a really long 2 days, so that’s all I’ve got for now. The Giants play again next Friday at Giants Stadium against the Jets. Despite being at Giants Stadium, the Jets are the home team. Kickoff is 8PM ET.

The Yankees today broke ground on their new $90 million dollar home, “Yankee Stadium.” The new ballpark is being built right next door to the current stadium, which, at 84 years, is third oldest in the league behind only Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. The new Yankee Stadium is being designed to look just like the existing ballpark, with a few modern amenities thrown in for good measure.

Look for the new Yankee Stadium to be complete in time for opening day 2009.

Despite the scoreline, there’s still much cause for concern as Steve McNair and the Ravens’ # 1 offense(?!?!?!) had no trouble with the Giants’ # 1 defense, moving the ball quite easily during the early portions of the game.

True to form, Eli Manning had an “okay” game, linking up with Plaxico Burress on a 43-yard pass on his last completition of the night, putting the Giants in position to score their first touchdown of the pre-season. After the Ravens were called for pass interference in the end zone on a third-down play, Brandon Jacobs did just that, tying the score at 7 early in the second quarter.

Trailing 16-7 midway through the fourth quarter, the Giants were thrown a lifeline in the form of a Mike Jennings 57 yard punt return for a touchdown. The momentum swung to the Giants favor, and in the dying moments of the fourth quarter, Jay Feely kicked a 29 yard field goal to win it for New York.

The Giants next pre-season game is at home against Kansas City on Thursday night. Could I be lucky enough for it to be shown on national TV? I doubt it.

OK, so I’m listening to the radio, and almost threw up a bit in my mouth. You see, at first I was intrigued when I heard the familiar strains of Of Montreal’s “Wraith Pinned To The Mist”. I was surprised that such an indie band was being played on a big rock station. My surprise quickly turned to horror as I began to pay attention to the lyrics. At first I thought maybe it was a song parody. No, it was worse. IT WAS A COMMERICAL!

For Outback Steakhouse no less!

Here are the lyrics of the original:

WRAITH PINNED TO THE MIST
(AND OTHER GAMES) by Of Montreal

Let’s have bizarre celebrations
Let’s forget who forget what forget where
We’ll have bizarre celebrations
I’ll play the Satyr in Cypris you the bride being stripped bare

Let’s pretend we don’t exist
Let’s pretend we’re in Antartica

Let’s have bizarre celebrations
Lets forget when forget what forget how
We’ll have bizarre celebrations
We’ll play Tristan and Izolde but make sure I see white sails

Maybe I’ll never die
I’ll just keep growing younger with you
And you’ll grow younger too
now it seems too lovely to be true
but I know the best things always do

let’s pretend we don’t exist
let’s pretend we’re in Antartica

Now, I don’t recall what the changed lyrics to the first verse were, but the chorus was changed to “Let’s do Outback tonight” or something like that.

Appalling.

I understand that bands are increasingly allowing their songs to be used in advertising, and have bergudingly grown to tolerate it over time. However, it’s one thing when the song is featured as it was originally recorded, but quite another when the intergrity of the song is bastardized to sell a product.

Cesc Fabregas scored a brace, one on either side of a Robin Van Persie strike as a second-half surge sees Arsenal head back to the Grove with a 3-0 Champions League 3rd Qualifying Round lead over Dinamo Zagreb.

A few things I noticed while listening -

- Adebayor and RvP were not linking up as I had hoped based on their last performances

- Justin Hoyte seems solid

- From the sounds of it, Johann Djorou’s experience in the World Cup has served him well. I look forward to seeing more from him.

- What can I say about Cesc, other than the fact that I can’t wait for my “Fabregas 4″ home kit to arrive!