Tagged: Neil Diamond
The New Year Ushered In A New Yankees Friendship
I’m relieved to say I survived last night’s New Year’s Eve karaoke party. Actually, I not only survived but ended up having a really great time. Our hosts were gracious, everyone was in the holiday spirit and, once the machine started shooting out song after song, we all got into it. (Alcohol helped.) I’m hoarse today, so I must have been belting them out without realizing it. Anyhow, as promised, here are a couple of guests covering the Beatles. (Notice the guy in the background with the beard and glasses? That’s Michael, who claimed he didn’t sing, but as it’s plain to see he was moving his lips!)
Next up were our hosts (I promised I wouldn’t reveal their names so they wouldn’t be mortified). I hardly remembered the song “King of the Road” by Roger Miller but now I can’t get the damn thing out of my head.
The party was moving right along toward midnight when suddenly the karaoke machine started playing Neil Diamond’s….you guessed it….”Sweet Caroline.” I immediately held my ears and yelled, “God, no! Not that awful Red Sox song! I’m a Yankee fan!”
“You are?” asked Steve, one of the other guests.
“Absolutely,” I said, a little wary of admitting my allegiance in a town where most people root for the Dodgers or Angels.
“So am I,” said Steve, who explained that he grew up in Connecticut and has been a Yankee fan his whole life. “I’m really worried about the team going forward. The Red Sox made so many moves and we didn’t. I still can’t believe we didn’t get Cliff Lee.”
Well, that led to a discussion of the Bombers and our concern about the pitching, etc. Before we knew it, the TV came on and Ryan Seacrest was in Times Square counting down to midnight – and Frank Sinatra was in the background singing “New York, New York.”
“Now that song makes me feel a lot better,” I said. “We could be at Yankee Stadium right now.”
Which was not a bad way to end the evening.
OK, So We Got The First “L” Out Of The Way
I would have preferred the “W,” obviously, but the Yanks aren’t going to win every game (aren’t I philosophical). And this one did have its happy moments:
CC’s early dominance.
Jorge’s homer.
Granderson’s homer.
Swisher’s at bat in the 4th when he worked the walk to extend the inning.
Jeter and Gardner’s double steal.
Cano’s two hits.
A-Rod’s double.
Knocking out Beckett.
Oh, and it was swell seeing Pedro again.
The game also reminded me how nauseating it is when the bullpen gives it up. Thumbs down to:
Chan Ho Park for looking like a different pitcher than the one at spring training.
Damaso Marte for picking up where he left off in the 2009 regular season.
Joba for not throwing with the kind of velocity he used to. (Where did it go?)
Also requiring a spanking were:
Brett Gardner for that crappy throw home (not even close).
Nick Swisher for letting Youkilis’ ball roll to the wall.
Cano for settling for a single when he might have had a double.
Jorge for allowing the passed ball.
Joe Girardi for not pulling CC when he was clearly out of gas.
The Yankees for not carrying another lefty (can you say Boone Logan!).
And then there was Steven Tyler singing “God Bless America.”
At first I thought we were getting a mother/daughter combo. But then “she” turned out to be “he,” and he made me appreciate even the dearly departed Kate Smith. Neil Diamond came next, and, well, I think I’ll just say that I wish him well in his future gigs at casinos and bar mitzvahs.
I’m actually glad for Monday’s off-day. I’m exhausted. As usual, Yankees-Red Sox led to compelling baseball and I was thrilled that the season had finally arrived, but we had a ripple effect from the earthquake in Baja before the game started. No damage here, just a few seconds of rolling, which unnerved me and made me and my neighbors feel kind of seasick.
Rays-Red Sox Game 4: Not Good! Not Good! Not Good!
Aw, I’m just having a little fun with “Sweet Caroline.” It’s a lame song and even these junior members of Red Sox Nation can’t bring themselves to finish it.
The boy looks like he could be Papelbon’s spawn, doesn’t he?
Anyhow, the Red Sox were beaten badly by the Rays – again. Some of the Fenway “faithful” left the ballpark early, and Stephen King was definitely reading a book during the game (I saw him, Greg). Not that I blame them. It’s painful when your team can’t pitch or hit.
Great work by Sonnanstine. And how about Crawford going 5-for-5?
Can the Red Sox come back? Of course. Yankee fans know that all too well. But the Rays don’t seem like they’re feeling any pressure, not since that first game at the Trop. The only person who may be choking is this guy….
He won the New York pizza eating contest, downing 45 slices in 10 minutes, talk about a champion.
Confessions of a She-Fan 