Amen, my brother. Amen.
--------------------------------------------

Today's fact of Choi, SB's favorite player, 2005:

South Korea has a total of 18 nuclear power plants. The city boasting the most with six is Chun-Nam, birthplace of Hee Seop Choi.

Does that explain how he grew so tall?

LOL, Icaros. Just wish I would've thought of it...

Should we start calling him "The Amazing Colossal Choi?"

"Let there be light!"

There ya go, Jon! Quoting the motto of the University of California... Good work. Makes me think that even Stanfurd guys can be redeemeed. To paraphrase Woody Allen, with age come wiseness and maturiosity.

Oh yeah, and I can't wait for opening day!

I'd like them to turn out the Dodger Stadium lights during a night game so we can see if Choi glows in the dark.

Thanks, Jon, for helping make this offseason the most entertaining in years. But enough already. Let's start the season.

Hey, GB, whatever works. Have to admit I didn't realize that Cal came up with that phrase - I could have sworn it came from somewhere else. But I suppose you folks need that motto, for the continual fog you live in :)

Ratt, that's exactly how I feel. Enough already with this offseason.

Oddly, as depressing as all the the steroids blather (sorry, Jon: "bloviation") has been, it doesn't at all diminish the excitement of the new season. Part of that is probably the hope that all the Depo doubters will be shown to be wrong, as this team wins a lot more than many expect it will. But another part of it, oddly enough, is that Bonds will be missing for the first couple of months at least. I've said before in this space how much I love watching Bonds hit, and that I don't even think he's nearly as bad a guy as most think (and he seems to want most to think). But an April and May free of the moralizing discussions about his pursuit of Ruth will give this season a chance to get going, and give us all something to talk about before he comes back to suck all the air out of the room. Thanks, Barry, for taking an extended Spring Break. We all need it.

Nope, Jon. It was CAL. Genesis was rewritten to give the Bible more cachet. Just do a "track changes" on the online version of the Greatest Story Ever Told - you'll see that "Let There Be Light" was edited in in 1876 or so. The original text was the must less elegant "sheesh, it's dark out there!"

Stanford's stirring motto:
Die Luft der Freiheit weht
(The winds of freedom blow)

Not sure why Stanford has a German motto.

The official motto of the University of California (and it applies for all 10 campuses) is actually the Latin version of "Let there be light" which is "Fiat lux".

Guys, your school rivalry is interesting and all, but I'd really like to get back to the nuclear-Choi discussion, if you don't mind.

It's all Greek to me.

Are there any good Korean monster movies? "Choizilla" just won't work.

Neither will "Choithra".

I had no idea that was our motto.

Maybe Choi could get a sidekick.

Is Millhouse available? He made a decent "Fallout Boy".

Neither will "Choithra".

Well, I doubt the Korean community would like that much anyway. Japanese modern movie monsters all (or mostly) have names ending in "-ra" -- Godzilla is Gojira in Japanese, along with Mothra, Gamera (Kame is turtle), Gidora (Hydra), and so on. The last thing Korea would want to do is give their monster a Japanese name. I don't speak Korean, so I don't know if there's a Korean equivalent to the "-ra" convention in Japanese. Any Korean speakers or afficionados of Korean monster movies (if any there be) out there?

Judging by the state sponsored hair styles, I'd bet the nuclear proliferation is worse in North
Korea.

Jon, It's unfortunate though, the only light at Dodger Stadium is going to be very dim one.

It's either because the light gets real dim from 4th place or that Frank can't pay the bill.

Wow, unremitting pessimism from Tommy. At what number of wins (or set of individual performances) would you be willing to admit you were wrong, Tommy? And at what level would you demand that we all admit you were right? Or are you like my brother is with his favorite teams - always loudly predict disaster, so that you're either right or happy to be wrong?

Mister Grumpy needs to turn that frown upside down!

Now now now, boys.
All opinions are welcome in Dodger Thoughts, except from those of Steve Phillips of course.

"Bah! Choi-ulk no walk now. Choi-ulk smash puny ball!"

These are the greatest of possible things:
"Cesar to Jeff Kent to Choi"
Trio of Dodgers, who seem to sprout wings,
"Cesar to Jeff Kent to Choi"
Easily trashing the chemistry blather,
Working the naysayers into a lather
Whom would you like to see take the field rather:
"than Cesar to Jeff Kent to Choi"

OIC, ITT we have comedy. Well here's something: I just got my baseball preview issue of SI. Quite a few laugh-out-loud moments in there, highlighted by Verducci's "Perfect" batting order which includes Alex Cora hitting 8th.

"All opinions are welcome in Dodger Thoughts, except from those of Steve Phillips of course."

Well, that's just the thing, Saul. I see little difference between the opinions in question and those of Steve Phillips.

To each his own, though. Some people are just too afraid to be positive. It happens.

"Choi-Kong smash name from back of jersey!"

I'm disappointed in Jon's woeful knowledge of his alma mater's motto. I know UCLA's motto (or should I say the University of California system's) because it's on the sweatshirt I own.

And GB, remember that you went to the University of California AT Berkeley. Don't go off calling it the University of California. That doesn't fly with me. I hated seeing signs in Berkeley that said "UC". URGH!!

Note to Timmerman;

I think one of my buddies in college drove a "Fiat lux"; horrible car that always broke down and the parts had to be shipped from Italy.

Todays announcement that Choi is swinging for the fences becomes more ominous now that we know he has nuclear meltdown mutant superpowers.

We should now expect from Choi Roy Hobbs type cannon shot homers not seen since the filming of "The Natural". I fear for the safety of those in the Pavilions.

Just playing around.
If Steve Philips actually chimed in on DT, I think that'd be pretty cool.
Well, maybe not Steve Phillips, but maybe Harold Reynolds or Gammons.

If Steve Philips actually chimed in on DT, I think that'd be pretty cool.

Yeah, and hopefully one of us would have enough courage to ask him why he likes to badmouth the Dodgers.

Werd.

Actually, as the host of Dodger Thoughts, I think Jon should have first crack at him, if for no other reason than he would probably be better at being tactful than most DT posters.

IE, he wouldn't mention the Mets.

Actually, Bob, the preferred is "University of California, Berkeley." I don't know what makes the comma better than "at," but that's how they do things here.

As a graduate of U.C. Santa Barbara, I remember nothing about any school motto. I do seem to recall lots and lots of beer. But that's pretty much the extent of it.

Oh, and speaking of drunken stupidity, I just can't get enough of the "Baseball Tonight" train wreck. Watching Phillips, Kruk and Reynolds together, it's difficult to argue against the theory that human beings are devolving.

Tom, back in my days at Berkeley (1987-88), the school announced to everybody that it was "the University of California at Berkeley" All the other campuses (just 8 others then as Merced wasn't around then) were University of California , City Name.

I guess the UC President's Office insisted on uniformity among the names.

All I can say is UC SAN DIEGO RULES!!!!

Just kidding, it was actually kinda lame.
(Good academics, but looking back, no memories of bowl games, march madness, road to omaha...why the hell did I go to a DIII school?)

All the UCs use "Let There Be Light" or "Fiat Lux".

We're all one big happy family in the University of California. That's why all the schools have blue and gold uniforms for the sports teams (just different shades) and the same fight song (with different words and tempos) is used.

UC Merced hasn't picked a nickname for any future sports teams, but the webpage for the school has a fair amount of blue and gold on it.

[at] berkeley, [comma] berkeley, it doesn't matter. it still gets to be referred to as the university of california, because it is the original UC. that's why the sports teams get referred to as cal/california. i'm sure the UC president prefers uniformity, but who cares what they prefer?

Eureka is the state motto, no?

"Let there be light" is, I believe, Yale's motto also, but they have it in Hebrew. Motto of U. Washington is "Lux Sit." Which is not a kind of La-Z-Boy, but is bad Latin for "let there be light" and means more like "Here be a lamp." I love it when they get the Husky to pee on the tree.

http://archives.thedaily.washington.edu/1999/052599/NF2.factoid.html

My school motto was "Our Tribute to Christian Civilization." Yech. Tried to get it changed to "No Refund Without Sandwich" (motto of many Subway restaurants), but somehow didn't take.

Go Dodgers!

Guess what school I am.

My former football team killed George Allen, then cancelled the program a few years before a fairly talented, handsome, yet shy and slightly apathetic young man, who goes by the internet moniker of Icaros, traveled beneath his potential to attend me for both undergraduate and graduate study.

This young man still holds a job on my rather pretty campus, but he is currently in the process of getting the hell out of me.

I do have a fine baseball program, however, too fine for the young man in question to have ever dreamed of playing for me.

You are Cal State Long Beach (I'm a CSUF TITAN)

at berkeley, in berkeley, on berkeley, on blitzen. whatever. as vishal says, there's the university of california, and then there are a buncha satellite schools...

I made it too easy.

RE:#36

El Saulo -

Well, UC San Diego may not RULE, per se, (class of '03 here), it has moved all the way up to DII now, so when speaking ill of its reputation, you can be more accurate in the future. :)

You know you're not at an "athletics" school when they cancelled the football program after a loss to CalTech...

The women's soccer won back-to-back national titles during my tenure, though. That was cool.

Go Bears, I am not quite as pessimistic as Tommy, but as someone who is suspect of the off-season moves, I would rather be happy and wrong than right. Although the standard for being happy and wrong should be at least winning the division, I would gladly be wrong if we won 94 games (that should easily win the West). One thing in Depo's favor is that the West is falling apart before the season starts. But I'm not counting Bonds out for long.

Speaking of Bonds, if you ever needed a reason not to cheat on your wife his ex-girlfriend is it. She has screwed him at least three ways and that does not include the old fashion way. First, there is speculation that he was not called to testify last week because based on her testimony the US Attorney Office is investigating him for perjury for his grand jury testimony that he never "knowingly" took steroids. She says he admitted to her taking them orally. Maybe he thought it was a flaxseed oil pill. Second, she claims he used money from autograph signings to pay for a house for her in AZ. He gave her cash from the shows and told her to deposit $9k into various banks (at $10k the bank must report the deposit). The IRS is apparently interested in this unreported income. Third, Barry had been "dating" this woman since 1993 and ended it before he married his current wife. A few months after Barry got married he started seeing the girlfriend again and offered to buy the house in AZ. I'm sure Ms. Bonds is thrilled with all this. The kicker is after Barry ended it the second time the girlfriend asked for $100k to pay off the house. He offered her $25k and she said no thanks I'll write a book instead. Nice job Barry, you slept with this woman for nine years and wouldn't give what amounts to $50 bucks for you. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. In one fell swoop, this woman may get him indicted for perjury, investigated by the IRS and divorced.

Lose to Caltech, cancel the program.

That is the law.

There is a President of the University of California.

The office is in Oakland.

All 10 campuses are equal parts of the system. The people at Berkeley like to think they are more equal than others.

The sports teams use Cal or California, but the school is UC Berkeley.

I have in my hands (OK, they're next to me since I'm typing) not one, but two diplomas from the University of California.

One has a cover that reads "University of California" in gold on a blue background. Then there is an imprint of the seal of the University of California (which actually has the motto in English) and underneath that in gold lettering "Los Angeles".

The other diploma looks exactly like the other one except the word under the seal is "Berkeley".

Both diplomas start with the words "The Regents of the University of California on the nomination of the faculty of ...."

The name of the campus doesn't appear until the end. One says "Given at Los Angeles" and the other "Given at Berkeley".

What's weird is that David P. Gardner's signature (he was the UC President then) is slightly different on each one. But George Deukmejian's signature remains the same.

You can also go to:
http://www.ucop.edu/ucophome/coordrev/orgchart.html
And look at Org Chart #2.

UC Berkeley may think its the main campus. But that doesn't make it so. The city of Berkeley shouldn't have kicked the President's Office out of town back in the late 1980s.

and now it is 3 days to the opener at the stadium....and still no tickets...

we have called, emailed, spoken to supervisors...everyone has a different excuse, from it being UPS's fault (I never received my UPS tracking code) to the printers fault to...whatever

and worst of all, when someone finally takes our call, I was shocked at the snotty attitude they gave us...I mean they told us that, you know, they are really busy (like I'm not), they'll do the best they can...a real dismissive attitude...

sorry, just venting...those of you who have seen my comments over time, you know I have always been one of the most positive, pro --give the new administration a chance type of guy...

Now, the way I am being treated...a season ticket holder and Stadium Club member....I may have to revisit my thoughts...not the best in customer service...

I would be disappointed too, Howard.

If it makes you feel any worse, my bro and I ordered our 12 game package a couple of weeks ago and we had our tickets within a week.

As another Cal alum, I would argue that it's fine for the school to call itself the University of California because it's the oldest campus, meaning that it was THE University of California before any of the other campuses existed. Because of its age and the fact that it has the highest admissions standards, it generally is considered the "flagship" campus. And for what it's worth, UCLA copied its fight song, colors and mascot from Cal. So there.

gee thanks Eric, now I am okay with everything...

Sounds like a mess Howard. I'm sure you will get them before opening day which is still a long way off but for the Angel series you should be able to use your Ticketmaster Dodger account and email(forward) your tickets to yourself and print them out. For the 1st time the Dodgers have joined the 21st century and now have barcoded the tickets so you can now forward them to anyone and they can print the tickets. Of course this also means the Angel series will be a mess to get in as the ticket takers learn how to use the bar code readers. Eventually they will learn but you can expect the 1st few games to be a mess as the ticket takers get used to the new fangled devices.

Maybe you should call Plaschke, I'm sure he'd love to hear your story.

How about those Golden Bears at Berkeley of California!!

I think Howard has a right to be angry. He's the person that the Dodgers customer service should be catering to his every whim.

Were all the full-season ticket packages sent out as paper tickets?

My mini plan came as paper tickets even though I wanted electronic ones mainluy because I'm going to have give some of them away.

Howard, have you already been charged for the tickets and the Dodgers have your money? (I assume they do.) If so, I would be calling every hour until they did something about it.

Yes Bob, to all your questions, and we have been calling and calling and calling.

Yeah, Plaschke...there is a good one...I can't stoop that low.

I agree Bob. I think Howard should raise some hell. I generally don't condone that sort of thing (usually cause people raise hell for dumb reasons), but I think in this case, he has every right to.

In fact, I would call right now and tell them I'm not getting off the phone until I get an answer. I think you have to play this one like tech support. If you don't get an answer from one of the lower tiered guys, ask for a supervisor and so on.

We have spoken with supervisors too....

In case you didn't get enough Abbot & Costello take-offs, here's another, this one about computers: http://www.whatsnextblog.com/archives/2005/03/listen_up_micro.asp#more

Howard,
I think you've moved on to the stage now where you can:
1) Demand a refund
2) Threaten small claims action although you can't do that until after the first game when you can show that you missed out on a game.
3) Whine to Plaschke and hope that you can put on a sufficiently sad face for a photograph that will tug at people's heart strings.

#1 and #2 would likely be more effective.

re: UC at vs ,

not that anyone cares, but in the AP (Associated Press) stylebook--the guide that many newspapers use for appropriate copy editing--the older stylebooks used to say that the proper way to say it was University of California at Los Angeles. The newer ones (this is >8 years ago) were revised to be "University of California, Los Angeles"

stupid esoteric knowledge...

--ev

Also, thanks Jon for mentioning listening to the dodgers on AM 610--i discovered that on parts of my commute i can actually pick it up.

I finally listened to a little bit of dodogers this morning on my commute. It was static-y and the announcers were ... let's just say i'm not used to the announcers.

Anyone else find that it was surreal hearing ishii pitching for the wrong team against the dodgers so soon after the trade?

--ev

Howard, Bob beat me to it. I would start with number two because nine times out of ten, a letter threatening a lawsuite is usually followed by swift action. That said, you've done everything else...

You know, for awhile now, I thought Simers and Plaschke were being selective in the "fans being screwed over by the Dodgers" stories. I thought they were picking and choosing only the worst situations and at that, reporting only one side of the story. But Howard's situation is, frankly, inexcusable. When he does get his tickets, and he damn well better get what he paid for, there ought be some form of compensation.

Any lawyers on this site? If someone called the stadium's P.R. or legal department, and claimed to be an attorney representing Howard Fox, I'm guessing the situation would be cleared up pretty quickly.

Still bugs me that the NY Times insists on spelling the name of my alma mater as "U.C.L.A."
That's just not right! However, Caltrans has U.C.L.A. on one of the Wilshire offramps on the 405.

And for about 20 years, Caltrans also had a sign on the Via Marisol exit that said "Harmon Ave." with an arrow even though though there was no street with that name. It was a misspelling of the old name of the street with which was "Hermon", which is the name of that area in Los Angeles.

I'm a guy who went around with liquid paper covering up the apostrophes on the signs in my building that said we would be closed on "Veteran's Day".

Fortunately, I don't get worked up about important things.

My favorite "screwed by the Dodgers" story was when they heartlessly stopped employing the graphic designer who created "Game Over," about 6-9 months after he did it.

For some reason, I get this image of Plaschke as a guy who has lunch with all his ex-girlfriends once a month, and sends them all a small bottle of expensive perfume on Valentine's Day--not a romantic overture, just letting them know this guy still thinks they're special. And his eye moisten whenever "I Hope You Dance" comes on the radio. Yeesh.

A couple of comments:
1) I completely agree with Adam M. about having to cancel your program if you lose to Caltech. USC lost to them in 1896 (22-0 no less) and I definitely think they should cancel their program.
2) San Francisco University of California at Berkeley has a nice ring to it. I'm going to alter my diploma with a magic marker this evening.
3) I am so ready for Opening Day. The whining here in SF over the "persecution of Bonds" is driving me up the wall. Time to shut up and play ball. Tuesday can't come soon enough.

I really, really hope we win on Tuesday.

Aw, the heck with it, Howard...go for broke. Kidnap Jamie's Porsche and hold it for ransom.

Hopefully when you get your replacement tickets, Howard, you won't arrive at the game to find a couple of drunken postal workers in your seats.

Make of it what you will...

Charlie Steiner comments that Choi has been more aggressive, first ball swinging a lot more of late, since receiving "quite a talking to" from Wallach. Ugh.

Next pitch, opposite field homerun. Huh.

So, Choi just hit a dinger & Steiner sounded genuinely enthused about the guy. He (Charlie) just scored points in my book.

I caught a little of the broadcast this morning -- first time I've heard Steiner. On a groundball to the left side of the infield, he refered to the Dodgers' Japanese third baseman as "Nakahoma." Not a capital offense by any means...but it made me laugh. Will "Chief" Nakamura make the team?

more choi quotes from mlb.com

Choi's show: First baseman Choi, who has two homers in the last week, put on a power demonstration during batting practice before Wednesday's game. He hit two balls completely out of Osceola County Stadium's center field -- clearing the 45-foot-high hitter's backdrop that is 410 feet from home plate -- and just missed a third.

"We've got him thinking high to low instead of low to high," explained hitting coach Tim Wallach. "When he gets ready to hit, he used to squat before the pitch and low was the only place he could go. He can handle more pitches and keep his swing through the zone longer."

And the Dodgers win their final Grapefruit League game, 3-0. Another good outing by Dessens.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=250331121

Dessens? that's good... the yahoo box score says that Darren Dreifort was the winning pitcher... i almost peed in my pants... (not really, but yeah)

--ev

everett: I was just on my way to post the samething! I didn't almost pee my pants, but I did splatter the computer screen with a mouthful coffee...

Steiner still has a ways to go. He just invited the audience to stay tuned for the upcoming Subway Series between the Dodgers and Angels. The taint of NYC remains...

I'm waiting for Plaschke's stories about the LA Times employees who keep getting laid off because the Tribune Co. has mismanaged the newspaper so badly.

I think he's planning to write a piece where he interviews Susan Estrich to get her opinion on the Dodgers.

Bob, I don't think he wants to go there. Estrich might decide getting women on the sports pages is an equally useful goal to chase, since Kinsley doesn't seem to be paying attention to her gripe about the op/ed pages.

If she succeeded in that, Plaschke might be lookin' for work.

Not defending Steiner here, but sometimes even the best have momentary lapses. Remember Vinny last year saying `Hideo Homo...(silence)'.

And, contrary to what I said a couple of months
back, Al Downing as color commentator just doesn't work for me. Surprisingly, I've found Monday to be quite listenable it that role.

Steiner seems to be intelligent and introspective in his work. I don't mean for this to sound harsh but those two qualities alone separate him from a lot of broadcasters. Not that most broadcasters aren't intelligent or introspective, it's just if they are, it doesn't show up in the work.

--------------------------------------------

Today's fact of Choi, SB's favorite player, 2005:

Did you guys know he is the first ever Korean born position player in league history? That's according to ESPN magazine. What motivated Choi as a youngster to play better baseball? Was it the dream of the big leagues? Of being the first of his country to be known for something other than pitching? Or was it good old-fashioned meat?

"Play well, meat for dinner. Play poorly, veggies from the family farm. That simple motivational strategy, employed by Choi's parents when he was growing up in Kwang-Ju, South Korea, worked wonders..." (ESPN Mag)

Choi was 6-4, 235 by the time he was eighteen years old.

I also like Monday as a color commentator. I think the role suits him far better than his previous one as a lone play-by-play man. I am much less impressed with Al Downing.

WWSH

re: Jim Hitchcock....I drive a nicer car than she does....

Six days. Can't wait.

Also about ready for another great baseball film (hey, loved `Long Gone', and I really need to wash the taste of `Babe' starring John Goodman out of my mouth). Good to see a biopic of Jackie Robinson in the works. The folks from `Ray' are behind it, and are considering Jamie Foxx in the lead.

Man, I wish HBO would show `Soul of the Game' again sometime soon...

Anybody catch the first Jackie Robinson film, the one with him in it? Yeesh! Thank heavens someone is trying again.

I suggest the 1953 film "Big Leaguer" starring Edward G. Robinson as real-life Pirates scout and coach Hans Lobert. And Al Campanis playing ... Al Campanis.

It was directed by Robert Aldrich.
Carl Hubbell is in it too. And Richard Jaeckel!

Thanks, Bob. Blockbuster and Amazon don't have it, so I'll keep a lookout on AMC and TCM.

Richard Jaeckel. Man, he was a great actor. Wonder how he would fare in showbiz nowadays.

so what's Steiner's home run call sound like? Has anyone heard it? I can forgive alot, if a Play by Play man has a good homer call.

Yankee fans would tell you that Steiner's home run call is maddeningly similar to his call of routine fly balls to the outfied.

The one I remember was at the start of spring training:

It's a high popup...and it's back, and it's gone!

maybe he should try - "it's a high popup...Let There Be Light!"

SI preview issue is out-
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/specials/spring_training/2005/previews/dodgers.html

I won't spoil it but this quote appears to be a bit stale:

Says Choi, "I need to stop trying to hit home runs all the time. I need to get on base because there are good hitters behind me."

Ah, Big, our timing was almost syncrhonicitous. See my new post above.

How about the Los Angeles University of California Berkeley at Anaheim Bears? No....I don't think that's the answer....

Yeah, LAUCBAB sounds too much like an FBI investigation into recent congressional activities.