Blogga Pleaze.

Hipsters and Carhartt

2012-01-02T10:53:00.008-05:00

Every now and then I will go to Urban Outfitters and purchase a western shirt. I will. I know what you're thinking... that's an expensive hipster store. It is. However, they sell these western shirts there with white pearl snaps and their size medium fits me great. They are usually $45, but often they are on clearance for $15-$20.

So, I went there last week, because I was in the mood for a nice western shirt. There's all sorts of hipster stuff there. Hipster propaganda reading material, tight hipster pants that my balls could never fit into, hipster paintings, and ugly hipster shoes. I go straight for the western shirts and try not to make eye contact with any hipsters. During my visit, as I was making my way to the western shirts, I saw the most frightening thing. Carhartt jeans. Sitting on the shelf, just to the left of the western shirts, were Carhartt jeans. I was in frightened disbelief. I looked around for any other Carhartt clothing, and found nothing, thank God. I didn't buy a western shirt. I left and went to the Metro Bar and played in front of 7 people.

We must not let the hipsters take Carhartt. Carhartt is for men. Not hipsters. The gays already took the rainbow, the lesbians took the Subaru, and the rappers took the Range Rover. Hipster cannot have Carhartt. If you are a hipster reading this, keep wearing your tight pants for your small balls, Carhartt jeans and overalls won't fit you anyways. You're too small and frail.

Some of My Favorite Memories of 2011

2011-12-31T10:22:00.016-05:00

Mountain biking 17 miles DOWNHILL in Damascus, Virginia, with Keith Rickles. The Guinness at the bottom was delicious.
Seeing Larry Sparks IN A CAVE, with my dad.
Opening up for Griffin House at WorkPlay.
Watching Skeleton Man with Lindsay Livings, MaryKatherine Backstrom, and Emily Larramore.
Sitting next to a drunk firefighter Cubs fan at Wrigley Field, named Pete. We're friends on facebook.
Alex Gonzalez walk-off homer with the Rickles. 12th inning. I video taped it -
Watching the All-Star game with my cousin Kent and Rickles at a bar on the Santa Monica Pier. We drank margaritas.
Busking in Hollywood, across the street from Capitol Records.
Drinking a pint of German beer with Justine Spinoza in Helen, Georgia.
Drinking a bottle of wine on a waterfall with Justine Spinoza enhanced by the aforementioned pint of beer. She was a great kisser.
Taking a shower in my upgraded suite at Caesar's Palace while watching American Pickers, on the flat screen TV in the bathroom.
Living in Knoxville, at the Four Points Sheraton, for the first 2 weeks of March.
Playing cards with Uncle David.
Sitting next to Jenny Miller on a flight from Charlotte to Birmingham.
Getting a tattoo with my mom and Aunt Dee.
Watching Dawes' sound check at WorkPlay. It was a spectacle. They argued over a B chord.
Petting a wild donkey in Nevada, somewhere near Red Rock Canyon.
That time Jesse, bassist from Hackensaw Boys, walked up to me at the Foobar in Nashville and sang my song "Colorado" to me.
Climbing Enchanted Rock, in the Texas hill country, with Forrest Smith.

My Beef With This Dumb Rick Perry Ad

2011-12-20T23:33:00.007-05:00

This video didn't piss me off, as much as it just made me laugh. An awkward, embarrassing laugh. This sort of ad is why my Canadian friends make fun of America. But, I can't let some pathetic campaign ad represent my beloved country.

"I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian.."

First of all, admitting you're a Christian certainly is not revolutionary in the political realm. It's quite the opposite actually. Almost every politician admits that they are a Christian, and every president in American history has, including our current one. Not admitting such a thing is political suicide in this evangelical country. So, Perry's opening line is complete self-refuting crap.

"You don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know that there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military, but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school..."

Seriously? Did you really just say that. It doesn't take a genius to know that serving in the military has absolutely nothing to do with your sexual orientation. Rick Perry not only shows everyone that he is a bigot, but also that he considers this to be a pillar of Christianity, which makes him stupid.

And as far as kids not being able to openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school... this a complete lie. There is absolutely no law that says kids cannot do such things. When I was in high school... which wasn't long ago... there were several Christian organizations and clubs that met regularly and passed out flyers, bibles, and information about their respective clubs. Rick Perry's message is intentionally dishonest and meant to emotionally stir what he obviously considers to be an impressionable and gullible public.

"As President, I will end Obama's war on religion..."

Uh... what war? Obama has repeatedly stated that he is an evangelical Christian, so this is also complete crap. RICK WARREN, one of America's most popular and influential evangelical Christians was chosen, by Obama, to open his inauguration with a Christian prayer. Plus, many conservative pundits have spend tons of stupid energy claiming that Obama is a Muslim. So, why would a Muslim wage war on religion?

"... and I will fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage.."

This is also complete crap. The founding fathers and the wonderful documents that make up the foundation of this great country are completely and intentionally secular. There was inentionally ZERO mention of God in the constitution (go tell that to Glenn Beck). Yeah, some of them were religious (mostly Deists actually) but they were very passionate about separating church and state, because they believed it to be the only true way to be free from religious oppression. But, Rick Perry believes that our "religious heritage" is Christian, and it's not.

"Faith made America strong and it can make her strong again."

Sure, this is actually tolerable. Faith did make America strong, but I don't want to hear it from some millionaire asshole who can't remember his own policies.

Maybe Texas

2011-09-01T14:47:00.005-04:00

Maybe Texas
written by Josh Brown and MaryKatherine Backstrom

I want to run down my shadow until I find some place
Where things are moving real slow and no one knows my name
Maybe Texas

Bandera sounds real nice, but then I might be found
Or Luchenback where the time stops and the country's playing loud
Maybe Austin, but then I'd be
Just another guitar on the street
Laredo is too far
And too close to where you are

But maybe some sun in that big Texas sky
Will help burn off all the lonely time passing by
I'll walk down that riverwalk
In old San Antone
But the ghosts of the Alamo
Sill haunt me on that road

Amarillo by morning and Dallas by Dusk
Houston's hot and busy so it's Big Bend or bust
The stars are getting brighter
As I keep traveling through
The city lights are getting smaller
As they fade in my rear view

These long wooden fences, the road ever winds
Framing a small town I'm longing to find
I'm damn sure determined
That I'm gonna roam
Until I find that far away
Place to call my home

Toby Keith is a poser... amongst other things.

2011-09-01T13:11:00.004-04:00

Toby Keith has ripped off a much more talented songwriter and musician, Robert Earl Keen. He even steals Keen's line, "the cards are on the table". The melodies are extremely similar and both story lines have a sort of Bonnie and Clyde theme.

My Shoes Announce Their Retirement

2011-04-18T14:12:00.005-04:00

Earlier this morning my green tennis shoes announced that they will be retiring at the end of this month. Since their rookie season in 2005, they have been to 20 states and Canada, and have had a batting average of perfect. After such a record filled career, they should be a shoe-in for the hall of fame.

In a statement released to the media this morning my green shoes had this to say:
"It's been a long run. Since entering the league in 2005 we've accomplished everything we set out for. The fans have been extremely supportive. Since last fall, we've known that this time was coming, and it's bittersweet. We'll miss all the action, but we look forward to chilling."

They are expected to hold a live press conference on ESPN later this week.

Lambert and Earle

2011-02-25T03:10:00.009-05:00

Back in '05, Miranda Lambert, sorta by accident, ripped off Steve Earle's song I Feel Alright, with her debut single, Kerosene. When I first heard Kerosene, as hot as I thought Miranda was, I was ticked because I thought it sounded way too much like Earle's song. Well, turns out that when it was brought to her attention, she said that she didn't plagiarize it on purpose... she said that I Feel Alright is one of her all-time favorite songs, and she's listened to it so many times, that Kerosene just came out sounding like it. She owned up to it very quickly, and added Earle as a co-writer on the copyright and to the royalties.

I can relate, because I have song that I subconsciously copied Pat Green on... and only my friend Forrest Smith knows which song it is... and unless it gets famous... you'll never know.

Japan's Attack on Country Music

2010-12-09T15:27:00.014-05:00

If it wasn't for Japan, American popular music would have taken a much different turn.

The Carter Family was the first country music group to become stars, and is the most influential group in country music history. They were the first to bring country music to the stage; before them country music was only heard on someone's front porch or at a family reunion. Maybelle Carter introduced a new style to guitar playing, which became known as the "Carter scratch", later replicated by Doc Watson and Norman Blake. It consisted of only down-strokes with the thumb (with a thumb pick) and two fingers. It was different, and when you hear someone play it now, it just sounds like the Appalachia. They had incredible harmonies, and many of their songs went on to become country standards.

Four days before a Carter Family feature was to be released in Life Magazine, which included a big story and the cover shot, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Back in those days, American culture revolved around Life Magazine, and whom or what was on the cover. Musical historians say that if Japan had waited until January, the Carter Family would have been THE talk of America. Their record sales would have skyrocketed, personal appearances would have increased, and American music would have possibly taken a much different turn. Instead of rock n' roll and r&b ruling the airwaves in the 50's... it may very well have been the Carter Family and the Stanley Brothers. The "Carter scratch" was not heard by many, and the autoharp never became a popular instrument. So, the big story and cover shot of the Carter family was postponed, and before you knew it, news about the war took over all media outlets for the next several years.

Without the exposure Life Magazine would offer them, the Carter Family still became one of the most talked about country/folk groups, but not really a household name. And, unless you follow country, bluegrass, or Appalachian music, or have seen Walk The Line, you may not have heard of them.

Country

2010-10-26T15:18:00.005-04:00

When I tell folks that I like (and sometimes play) country music, I have to give them this big disclaimer and explain to them that the new stuff on the radio isn't really country. Let's elaborate.

Country music is blue-collar music, music with soul, comprised of songs about struggle, heartache, growing up with nothing, farming, and drinking. Hank Williams, Townes Van Zandt, and Merle Haggard wrote about their real life situations and circumstances. Unlike current day country music songwriters, they didn't have to imagine fake story lines about struggle with catchy hooks and a 2-chord bridge - example: Toby Keith's new song "Trailer Hood". Here is today's country music top 40 songwriting process - "Hmmm... what's really popular and catchy and what would make a great video?" Example - all of Brad Paisley's recent singles.

Musically, real country music incorporates either a fiddle or a steel guitar in the song, which automatically disqualifies most of Carrie Underwood's songs, as well as Sugarland. There should be no synthesizers, bells, or fake drums in country music. No way amigo.

Don't let the image-driven stuff that's on country radio now influence your ideas about country music, because it's simply not country. Listen to Sweetheart of the Rodeo by the Byrds, some Flying Burrito Brothers, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and the original Hank. There's an entirely different country music world out there, and if you find it... it'll change your life.

God bless you, Marty Stuart.

Stand Up Atlanta

2010-06-26T10:51:00.002-04:00

It is no secret that Atlanta has less than excitable baseball fans. I wish I could say otherwise, because I love the Braves and rowdy fandom, but in general, Braves fans care more about texting on their iPhones than baseball.

In recent years I have attended Braves games mostly with my Braves partner in crime, Chris Bartelski. Chris is full on dutch.... which means he's incredibly loud with no inhabitions. There have been many times when Chris and I were the only ones making noise or standing. A couple of years back we're at a game, Matt Diaz was up to bat, game tied up with a chance to get the lead, and some guy asked us to sit down so he could see. This type of thing is common in Atlanta and it burns my mitt... especially when I watch a Red Sox game in April and everyone is standing in the 2nd inning!

Last Saturday night pushed me over the edge as a Braves fans. I took my dad and brothers to see the Braves host the Royals. I got the company hook up, so we were 12 rows behind home plate, sort of between home plate and the home dugout. It was a huge treat to my dad for Fathers Day. We've never been the kind of folks who would or could spend that sort of money on tickets, so it was special being that close.

It turned out to be a good game, with the Braves taking an early 4-1 lead. Medlen was pitching a jewel, and we were lighting up last year's Cy Young Award winner, Zach Greinke. Of course since Medlen was pitching great and only gave up 1 run, Bobby took him out in the 6th because of Communist pitch count regulations. The bullpen ended up giving up 3 runs, so it was tied up 4-4 by the 9th inning.

Tied up, 4-4, bottom of the 9th inning, Troy Glaus is up to bat. If anyone has a chance to knock one out to win the game, it's this guy. My dad, my brother and me are standing, cheering, I look around, and we are literally the only ones standing. The usher at the end of the aisle tells us to sit down so folks behind us could see, we slowly sit down. The second we sit, Glaus homers to win the game. It was everything my dad could do to not kill this poor little usher and all the surrounding fans.

I'm not advocating standing up during the entire game... but bottom of the 9th, tied up, getting told to sit down? Seriously Atlanta?

New gig

2010-03-10T21:36:00.003-05:00

I am writing for an online baseball news site, called Five Tool Prospects. The site was originally meant to bring you the news about new and upcoming prospects, from high school all the way thru the major league level. As of late they want to expand their news to include more major league team topics. Terrie encouraged me to send them some old blog posts, they really like it, and now I am the designated Atlanta Braves writer for them. I'm stoked!

In order to access all the news on the site, you can subscribe for free.

Go here ---> Five Tool Prospects

Baltimore.

2010-03-01T23:59:00.002-05:00

Baltimore is ultra sweet. Had a brew at Pratt Street Ale House, then walked around Camden Yards. What a site. Then drove around the Inner Harbor... cobble stone streets, old taverns, big ass ships, and a long long tunnel.

I dig me some Baltimore.

A Recent Conversation With My Awesome Redneck Brother

2010-01-07T11:11:00.003-05:00

Just before Christmas I was outside Knoxville at Smokey Mountain Knifeworks... the knife store capital of the world... the size of 2 Outdoor World's in 1. This place has every kind of knife you could possibly imagine, and any sort of redneck/rebel flag accessories you would wish for. I saw some potential Christmas gifts for Benjamin and my step dad Charles... some Dale Earnhardt knives and Dodge truck knives. Well, I knew Charles was Dale fan, but I couldn't remember if Benjamin was or not, so I called him.

"Hello?", says Benjamin.

"Question; Do you like Dale Earnhardt?", I ask.

"Well, I don't really root for him.", says Benjamin.

"No, not Jr., Dale Sr.", I say.

"Oh, well, I never really rooted for him then, but I do like him...", says Benjamin.

"Do you like Dodge?", I ask.

"Well, I do drive a Dodge truck. Why are you askin' me weird questions?", replies Benjamin.

"Would you rather have a Dale Earnhardt knife or a Dodge truck knife?", I ask.

"Oh, a Dale Earnhardt knife.", says Benjamin.

Putting Baseball Performance Into Perspective

2009-11-25T09:51:00.003-05:00

I was having lunch with my friend Keith yesterday, and he brought up some interesting points about baseball and sports stats in general. Keith is great with numbers... for work he has to be, and he brought up a funny point about baseball... looking at it from a corporate standpoint.

He said, "You know, in sports, and in baseball, a person gets rewarded for getting it right two-thirds of the time. I mean, a guy hits .300 and you think he's actually doing good and he gets his picture on a Wheaties box."

I have never thought about this! He's right... look at the benchmark standards for baseball... percentages are based on a .1000 scale system... meaning .1000 is perfect:

A .300 batting average is considered good, even the upper .200's is good
A .400 batting average is considered incredible... I mean, Ted Williams has a career batting average of .344 which basically makes him a baseball legend.
A winning season is .500 or better, that means if the number of games you win is just ONE more than the number of games you lost... you're considered a winning team.
A good on-base-percentage for a single season is about .400

So, based on baseball's standards... the game of baseball is either really really difficult... or they have low standards. If my job adopted baseball's standards, I would be like Babe Ruth.

Another Letter to Bobby Cox

2009-11-17T21:56:00.002-05:00

Dear Bobby Cox,

It is your fault that Tommy Hanson did not win the National League Rookie of the Year award yesterday. I told you at least three times to bring up Tommy right after spring training, but you would not listen to me. You finally came to your senses and brought him up in July... and July thru the end of the season Tommy dominated the scene. If you listened to me and brought him up at the beginning of the season, then there's no doubt that Tommy would have won the prestigious Rookie of the Year award. You owe Mr. Hanson and his family an apology. Next time listen to me, I know what I'm talking about.

On another note, if you don't make Matt Diaz an everyday player in 2010, I'm officially jumping ship. There are other teams out there that would benefit from my fanship and awesomeness. I have deep spiritual roots with the Braves and Chipper will always be close to my heart, however, if Matty (the best left fielder in baseball) gets shafted yet again, I am left with no other choice but to hang up my tomahawk and walk away. Not allowing Matty to be an everyday player basically says, "We don't want to win, and go Phillies"... and that burns my mitt.

Thank you and God bless,
Joshua James Brown

2010 Braves Strategy

2009-11-10T22:38:00.003-05:00

Click the map to enlarge

Will Hoge

2009-10-10T23:56:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since I have discovered something new and exciting musically to share with people and to rave about. A few weeks ago I was in Nashville seeing my friend Stephen Sebastian play in a band called Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers at the Mercy Lounge. They were opening for some guy I've never heard of, Will Hoge... who I ended up seeing sort of by accident and being blown away by. His new single "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" is getting a little radio play, and I highly recommend listening to it and getting his new album "The Wreckage" on iTunes. It's some of the best American rock n' roll I've heard in a while, and it's just damn inspiring.

Here's a video of "Even If It Breaks Your Heart"

Tsali

2009-10-06T21:57:00.005-04:00

I had such a great weekend. I went on a group camping trip to Tsali. Tsali is located near Fonatana Lake, just down the road from Bryson City, NC. The group of guys I met up with camp at the same spot every year, first weekend of October, in commemoration of their friend named Dustin who lost his life in a car accident 5 years ago. Every year the guys will invite random outsiders, and camp, bike, and kayak, and they always pay a visit to the Pizza Hut in Bryson City and get the same server, Dianne, who knew Dustin before he passed.

It was great to be a part of the trip and to hear stories about Dustin, whom I never knew, but wish that I did. He was one of those guys who never knew a stranger and got the very most out of life. I enjoyed hearing the other guys go on about him and listening to Dianne's story.

Clint and I serenaded the group around the campfire both nights; I played a bunch of my songs and some old bluegrass tunes. Keith was enthralled. As long as Keith has music and a Boddingtons, everything in his world is in perfect harmony.

Saturday's kayaking trip was probably the highlight. We had 5 guys, 3 made it down Nantahala Falls (as seen in picture). I wiped out the last time I went down it... and the experience was still in my head, so I was a little apprehensive as you can tell. It's a good time; I strongly consider taking an individual ducky, most of the river is easy, until the end.

I can't get enough of the Smokies. I'll be back in November for a hike-in camping trip. Ah yeah.

Brown's Top Picks For New Braves manager

2009-09-25T10:45:00.006-04:00

Word just came in this week that Bobby Cox is going to be in Atlanta for one more year, retiring at the end of 2010. Great. I was hoping that he would hang up his hat after this season, but I'm not surprised he'll be back. Bobby obviously is one of the greatest managers of all time, he's 4th in the all-time wins total amongst managers and 1st amongst active managers. However, he has changed... call it age or whatever you want, he's changed the past 3 seasons. His managerial style is strictly by the book, he's obsessed with pitch count, pinch hitting Greg Norton, pulling pitchers too soon, and the whole lefty vs. righty thing. I want an aggressive manager in there, ready to kick ass and take some names. None of this, "Let's give Johnny a chance... he's going to get better..." No, if he sucks, send him to AAA and let's win some damn ball games.

Here's my top picks. Frank Wren, please read.

1st pick: Leo Mazzone. Leo was the pitching coach for the Braves all thru the the 90's, and he dominated the pitching coach position. He's already in with the fans, the upper level management, and he never stays still.. always rocking. Plus his name is LEO.

2nd pick: Joe Torre. Torre is obviously the manager of the Dodgers now, and the likelihood of this actually happening are slim to none.... it's just a fantasy of mine (one of a few... what?). He actually used to play for the Braves and on an attitude level, he would fit. He's laid back like Bobby, but yet wants to win and is a bit more aggressive, and players like to play for the guy.

3rd pick: Willie Randolph. Say what??? You're picking an ex-Mets manager? Yes. Willie's the king of small-ball and he's on the opposite side of Bobby on the conservative-aggressive scale. Bobby's so damn conservative that I need a risk taker in there. Willie's been known to steal 3rd, make squeeze plays, put a starting pitcher in for relief, steal home, and just be unpredictable.

Bartelski

2009-09-08T17:41:00.003-04:00

I am so incredibly proud of this picture that it deserves its very own blog entry. The photo was on ajc.com. The guy in the head dress is my best friend Chris Bartelski. Sorry ladies, he's married.

Weekend

2009-09-07T18:09:00.004-04:00

Good weekend.

Rained all day Saturday. Good to see rain, the drought's been going on for a while ever since I moved back from Florida.
Watched football and drank Boddington with Keith and Wolverine Saturday night.
Went kayaking Sunday. I put in at Buck Creek in downtown Helena, it runs into the Cahaba River, take out somewhere off Morris Road. Good ride.
Hiked Cheaha Mountain today. It's only about an hour drive from B-Ham. Killer rock faces and cliffs to sit/climb/hang on.

Looking forward to next weekend... Helen, camping with the Pilch, Betty's General Store Paulaner beer, mountain biking, OKTOBERFEST, should be a good time. Nothing but water this week.

on top of Cheaha Mountain

Pitch Count 101

2009-08-31T22:56:00.005-04:00

Last night, Kenshin Kawakami is pitching a spectacular game... Braves are winning 3-1, top of the 7th inning, the pitcher's spot is up to bat. Bobby Cox pinch hits Greg Norton, who is hitting all of .150. Why not just leave Kawakami in to hit? This makes no sense to me. And why did you take him out in the first place? Screw the pitch count, let's play some baseball.

Nolan Ryan pitched 26 complete games and 7 no-hitters. Guess how many Braves have pitched a complete game in the past 5 years? Well... I actually don't know, but I bet it's 5 or less. "Pitch count" is getting all too common for me, and I'm getting sick of it. I've seen this WAY too many times the past few years... a pitcher will get pulled prematurely because of hit, a walk, or PITCH COUNT! The reasons for "pitch count" is both political and being just way too conservative in trying to save someone's arm.

Consider these facts:

Nolan Ryan: pitched 332 innings, a crap load of complete games (7 no-hitters). Retired at age 46. He could have still gone a few years... did you see those Advil commercials in the early 90's?
Gaylord Perry: 6 seasons of more than 311 innings in a season. Pitched till age 44. Plus, he still pitches during the All-Star softball games, so his arm's doing fine.
Fergie Jenkins: 4 straight 300+ inning season. Pitched till 40.

There's a lot more folks too... Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Satchel Paige, Christy Matthewson, Phil Neikro, Don Sutton, Vida Blue... and pretty ANY pitcher who pitched back in the day. Bob Feller hurled 36 complete games one season. In those days, a team would show up to spring training with a 4-5 man rotation, and a few guys in the bullpen. A starter would pitch with the full intent of pitching a complete game, and the only reason he got pulled would be if he was getting his butt handed to him. A lot of times a starter would pitch a complete game, then the next night he'll come in out of the bullpen. The other day I heard Joe Simpson sympathize with reliever Peter Moylan because the poor guy has pitched 3 nights in a row... NO... he has pitched 1 inning per game, 3 nights in a row. Man up and pitch.

Pitchers are babied these days; from high school on, they produce depending on pitch count. These days you have starters, middle relievers, relievers, and closers. There are a few teams who are still old school... Red Sox, Phillies, and now the Rangers due to Nolan Ryans restructuring of the farm system. I understand saving arms, and being conservative in a rehab situation, but so many times a young healthy pitcher is pulled way too soon.

It is often argued that today's conditions... smaller parks, a smaller strike zone, the designated hitter, Matt Diaz, the lowering of the pitchers mound from 15 to 10 inches in 1969... has put more strain on pitchers and hence need more relief. Whatever. The practice of the pitch count has hurt the aesthetically pleasing complete game performance. It's like Brett Favre only playing 3 quarters, Tiger Woods playing 14 holes, or Jeff Gordon staying in the pit 20 laps shy of the finish.

Common scenario that burns my mitt:

2003 - starter Greg Maddux has a 2-1 lead after eight innings while using only 84 pitches. Manager Dusty Baker lets closer LaTroy Hawkins pitch the 9th. Hawkins allows the tying run to score. The Cubs end up winning the game in the bottom of the 9th, and Hawkins who pitched ONE inning and allowed a crucial game-tying run, receives credit for the win... while Maddux who only allowed one run in EIGHT great innings, walks away with a no-decision. This is why you see GREAT starters end a season with records like 10-2 or 12-7.

Like I said before, I understand there are times when you need to keep the number of pitches under control... but overall it's gotten out of hand. As a baseball fan I want to see some complete games, and it's sad that the 200 game winner era is over. God bless you Nolan Ryan.

Why Church?

2009-08-28T14:19:00.012-04:00

Why church?

I haven't been to church since I moved to Birmingham. I don't have some deep theological dramatic reason or anything, I just haven't wanted to go. Before moving out here I went to and was really involved with a small church, and I have to admit, the biggest reason I went to church was to see my friends and play guitar on stage. I was also spoiled, in that my pastor was just dang entertaining, and I could actually listen to him and not want to stab daggers into my head out of painful boredom.

Here are some of the reasons I ask the question, "Why church?" And the question is just a question I am asking myself at this particular point in my life... I'm not projecting the question onto everyone. I guess I can rephrase the question: "Why should I go to church?"

I've actually been reading the Bible lately... first time in a long time. I have always questioned the Old Testament, and by "questioned" I mean, I've wondered if stories in the Old Testament are literal or figurative, like a parable or something. Like, did Jonah really get swallowed by a whale? A burning bush? The fiery furnace?!! Daniel and the lions den? Moses and the whole parting of the seas thing? Noah and the ark... dude... come on... that must have been a HUGE boat. Did that stuff happen literally or are they STORIES for us to learn from? And now I am even questioning some of the things in the New Testament. I recently read the beginning of Acts, and it talks about how Jesus ascended into heaven, then an angel came and assured the disciples that he will come back. Well, you would think that the angel could say something like, "And by 'come back' I mean in like 3,000 or so years, not next week." Also, there were so many books that were not canonized. Where the crap are those books? I want to read them. And, why are there a gazilion different translations?
Wimpy sermons. I've been spoiled by hearing some good sermons from former pastors, but so many times you hear a pastor, or whomever is speaking, do a classic 3-part sermon, and talk about 1 verse, as if that verse was written in 2002 for us white people in America. No, that verse was written like 2,000 years ago to the Corinthians in "that" situation because they were acting like dumbasses. So, teach about that, the history of the verse, the back story, then maybe we'll see how it can pertain to "now".
Real estate. Sometimes I wonder if I agree with churches owning real estate. Going to a church in a movie theater was just dang appealing to me. And I'm not questioning any motives a church might have in purchasing real estate, I know logistically sometimes it's better and more feasible, but if you don't need it, why buy it? Some of my questioning this particular issue started when I visited a home church this past year... it was just so non-pretentious and very bible focused.
Competition. Could there be a few more churches please? I mean, if a church up the road is doing the exact same thing that you are doing, same sort of music and stuff, what about just partnering up with them and having church together? I think egos get in the way sometimes. Hell, I've got a huge one.
The definition of church. You here stuff like, "The building is not the church, the people are the church.", in a building called a church during an hour long sermon, one day of the week. What was Jesus' intention of "the church"? Was his idea of church to have a lot of different denominations with kick ass music that meets on Sunday mornings? Or, does God care about our frugal attempts at "church" at all as long as we are serving him? Do these questions even matter? I went to this "surfing church" once in Florida where these surfer dudes with cool hair would sit on the beach and talk about Jesus and they would actually tithe, and the money would go straight to buying food and blankets for homeless folks. Is that church?
Music. I will completely admit that I am a music snob, and it's something that I need to work on. Overly produced, over-the-top sound and image-driven stuff sometimes turns me off, I start judging and stereotyping almost immediately.

So that's it. I'm not saying that I'm not going to church anymore, and I hope this didn't come across as too negative. I guess just being out of church for a little bit has me thinking. I'm questioning church and the Bible... I am, however I still believe in God... I can't help not to (I just got back from the Smokies and I was reminded that God definitely DOES exist). I do think that being around other believers is important, I'm just not sure that I need to go to church to do that right now.

I would love to know your thoughts. Why do you go to church? Why don't you go to church? If you do go, do you enjoy going? Do you not enjoy going? Do you think I should just shut up and find a church?

2009-08-27T21:39:00.007-04:00

Finally, after 2 years of singing Matt Diaz's praises and telling Braves management that he is an everyday player, Bobby has put him in the lead-off spot. If the organization would just listen to my valuable input, we could have ourselves another 1995.

Anyways, I had a stellar weekend trip last weekend to the Smokies to see the Hackensaw Boys in Maryville, Tennessee. Maryville's a quaint little town just northwest of the national park, right over the Foothills Parkway. I camped near Fontana Lake Friday night, in Tsali, kayaked the Nantahala Saturday morning, hung out in Bryson City (killer coffee shop there... Mountain Perk Coffee), drove thru the National Park, set up camp north of the National Park by 8 and drove up to Maryville to see the show. The Hackensaw Boys were incredible as always. If you haven't seen them, you must go, it's indescribable.

Being in the Smokies was refreshing. It was the first time I had been there since I was 11 when my dad took me and my brother. He would take us camping at Elkmont and we would fish the Little Tennesse River, so being there brought back good memories. I'm going back up there the first week of October with some friends, camping at Tsali and doing the Nantahala again.

Here's where I had lunch. You might have been there, it's right next to the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Newfound Gap.

Braves Boycott

2009-08-16T17:16:00.002-04:00

My Braves boycott has lasted 1 day. I had every intention on not watching for a week, but I got a call from Chris today... apparently he will be sitting next to the Phillies dugout tonight wearing a head dress. I can't not watch that.

On a side note, lots of rain coming thanks to some tropical storm, which means good kayaking this week here in Bama. I'll be kayaking the Nantahala next weekend, really looking forward to that... camping, kayaking, and the Hackensaw Boys.

Time Off

2009-08-15T09:46:00.002-04:00

After last night's loss at Turner Field, I am officially taking a week off. Initially I wanted to jump ship altogether but after I settled down emotionally I decided to boycott the Braves for a week.

Just as I mentioned in my previous "state of the braves address", last night we were down 3-2... bottom of the 9th... 2 outs... a chance to tie the game here... and Bobby pinch hits the worst hitter on the team, Greg Norton. You've got OMAR INFANTE, DAVID ROSS, and MATT DIAZ on the bench, but you choose Greg Norton with a .120 batting avg. It's not like we were playing the Diamondbacks or the Pirates... we were playing the PHILLIES, the leaders in our division, so it's crucial that we beat them! Greg Norton??? Now, granted, Norton did get walked (which was a miracle) and McClouth made the last out, but I don't care. The decision for Bobby to bring Norton up in a pivitol spot like that said to me, "Yeah, I don't care about winning. I just want to give good ole Greg a chance. He's a nice guy." Srew that!!!!

So, I'm taking this week off. It's going to be hard, but I need to stand my ground. This does not include Sportscenter, that would be to strenuous. I'll take my dog on walks during games, I'll go climbing and kayaking, I'll go to Barnes and Nobles and read magazines. I'm done. For a week.

BTW... I waited for Greg at the players parking lot to publicly humiliate him. He never came, but Tommy Hanson drives a sweet black Infiniti sedan and Gonzo's a real nice dude.

Brown's State of the Braves Address

2009-08-08T09:31:00.002-04:00

Disclaimer: These are just my opinions, and while most of my opinions concerning the Braves are correct and end up happening due to my high baseball intellect, some may be merely opinions.

The Braves came into this season with high hopes. The last two seasons just downright sucked, we had guys like Corky Miller and Pete Orr, who, yeah were nice guys who I would probably have a beer with... but nice doesn't win divisions. Spring training went great for us and it looked like we had the ingredients for awesomeness. New rookie pitching phenom Tommy Hanson pretty much owned spring training, so I was happy, and there was a contest to see who was going to be the new center fielder. We had also just aquired pitchers Derrick Lowe, Javier Vasquez, and Japanese samari warrior and fly catcher Kenshin Kawakami, and Braves GM Frank Wren couldn't give Smoltz enough money so Smoltzy took more money and went to the Red Sox... and ended up having one of the worst ERAs in Red Sox history and getting released.

Then the season comes and spring training was over. Because Tommy Hanson was so incredible Bobby thought that it would make lots of sense to send him back down to AAA and bring him up mid season and try out JoJo Reyes in the 5th spot. I mean, it made total sense to not bring Tommy up yet, we didn't want to show off and be in first place yet. Then there was Jordan Schafer who won the centerfielder spot. I told Bobby (thru the TV screen) that he was not the one, and yes while he had done well in spring training, I felt that Gregor Blanco was the guy to go with. Well, as usual, I was right, Schafer sucked, and Blanco hit like a million in the world baseball classic for Venezuela and hit LEAD OFF when we were desperate for a lead off guy.

The first few months of the season were, just like my best friend Chris (in a different way)... streaky. A lot of things went wrong, mostly our offense. Bobby's man crush with Kelly Johnson got in the way of doing what should have been done, which is sending KJ back to tee-ball and starting who I said should have started 2B in the first place A YEAR AGO... MARTIN PRADO!!! Also, we picked up veteran Garret Anderson in left field because Matt Diaz's insanely good past 2 seasons weren't good enough and Diaz has a giant PLATOON ME! tattoo on his back. Garrett struggled big time, but recently he has come thru.

Towards mid-season Wren made some great moves picking up CF Nate McClouth and we traded Jeff Franceour to the METS for Ryan Church. AND we released Tom Glavine. Those three things told me that Wren cared more about winning than not hurting feelings. Frenchy sucked ass and Glavine was washed up... plus we had Tommy Hanson to go in the 5th spot so why the crap would we need Glavine? So, finally Bobby came to his old senses and finally brought up Tommy Hanson who started his season 5-0 and owned the Red Sox and Yankees.

After the All-Star break, up until now I have been moderately pleased. I told Frank Wren, via facebook statuses to go get a big bat, preferably Matt Holiday, and while he didn't get Matt, he did take my advice and got a some power... Adam Laroche by trading Kasey Kotchman. That was a win-win situation because not only did we get Laroche back (it was retarded to trade him a few years ago in the first place!), but Chipper also got his hunting buddy back so now Chipper is happy. If you've noticed he has hit 4 home runs since Laroche's return. Bobby also took my advice and finally canned KJ and started Martin Prado who has the best batting average on the team... God I love being right.

Really the only thing I am mad about now is Greg Norton. Norton is our off-the-bench pinch hitter who is hitting all but .120 and it blows my mind how he is still in the Majors. It will be tied up or we'll be down 1 run in the 9th and Bobby will send up Greg effing Norton to pinch hit... he'll strike out and we'll lose. If this continues to happen I might jump ship by late August.

So, now, here we are 7 games or so back from 1st place. Tim Hudson is coming back in a week to give us another great arm in the rotation. Who are we going to send down to make room for Huddy?... it better be Kawakami. I think we have what it takes offensively to make it to the playoffs now, with Laroche, Yunel, and McClouth doing well, but then again, you just never know. So, right now, I am cautiously optimistic. The only way we are going to win the division is if we are consistently aggressive... we have what it takes... it's just a matter of caring enough about it to do it.

Thank you and God bless.

Things I've Learned This Year So Far...

2009-07-23T22:09:00.003-04:00

pale ale isn't as good as amber ale
bluegrass still rules
trust your gut
the more money you give the more folks at church like you
in baseball, anything can happen
I was all wrong about wine. it's good.
I've been way too generous with my trust in recent years
at Just for Brakes they really don't care
Hans is cool
a person's relationship with their family speaks volumes of their character
first impressions ARE everything

Listen To My New Radio Show

2009-05-09T01:18:00.002-04:00

Well... by "radio", I really mean... podcast.

My best friend and Atlanta Braves partner in crime, Chris Bartelski, and are starting our own underground Braves radio show. It's called "The Warning Track with Josh and Chris." We launched our first show tonight; the sound quality is not perfect yet, but we think it turned out well. Within a week of starting our blog, our new email, and Twitter accounts, we have had an overwelming response from people already.

Our vision for the show, is for it to be opinionated and fan based. Our motto is, "For the Fans, By the Fans, In Braves Baseball We Trust".

Listen to our first show on our blog HERE. Also, if you're a Braves fan, and want to get involved, feel free to email any Braves questions to: thewarningtrackradio@gmail.com

And if you're a Twitterer... our twitter is: twtradio

Shweet.

The Rustic Family

2009-04-26T22:15:00.003-04:00

I've been asked to a part of one of my favorite bands, the Rustic Family. I'm extremely excited about it. I'll be on the banjo mainly, and the occasional guitar and mandolin, and also some vocals. They are an exceptional group of people and they travel in a Winnebego. Please click on the link for upcoming dates, and join our mailing list.

Top 5 Favorite Albums of the 90's

2009-04-20T16:59:00.003-04:00

As follows:

1. Dixie Chicks Fly, 1999

2. Garth Brooks In Pieces, 1993

3. Jars of Clay Much Afraid, 1997

4. Counting Crow August and Everything After, 1993

5. Beck Odelay, 1996

D-Lowe and Schafer... Welcome.

2009-04-06T20:21:00.002-04:00

Happy New Year! In the world of baseball, yesterday was New Years Day. I have a great feeling about the Braves this year.

After a bad season last year, Frank Wren made some good pick ups and brought up some great talent. Last night the Braves beat the Phillies 4-1 on opening day, and it was so sweet. Derrick Lowe, our new ace, looked brilliant. He's a low-ball pitcher, who pitches to contact, sort of like Hudson. He made Ryan Howard look like a girl. Frenchy, McCann, and Schafer all had home runs... Schafer homered at his first major league at bat! After 8 innings of shut-out baseball, to everyone's surprise, Bobby actually left D-Lowe in until the 8th inning... which is a big step for Bobby. Mike Gonzalez came in to "close" the game, and gave up a couple of hits and a run, but finally struck out the 3rd out.

Here's what I'm liking about our team this year:

Our line up, in general, is good. I think to everyone's surprise, we are going to have power. Phillie's second baseman, Chase Utley gets all the glory as a "power hitting second baseman", but Kelly Johnson is going to give him a run for his money. Plus, KJ sports the high socks, which automatically makes him more bad ass.
At first, I wanted Blanco to get the starting job for center, but I think Schafer is going to be outstanding. I'm giving him less than two weeks to take Yunel's spot as our leadoff guy.
Frenchy's back
Our starting rotation is looking good... Lowe, Jurrjens, Kamakami, Vasquez, and Glavine. When Tommy Hanson and Hudson arrive, I think we'll be unstoppable.
Tommy Hanson. This kid is a 22 year old starting pitcher, who throws 98mph. He pitched lights-out baseball during Spring Training, but since Bobby is the most conservative manager in baseball, he wants to give him a little more time to get "groomed", and bring him up in a month or so.
Moylan's back. Australian native Peter Moylan's a side arm phenom reliever, had a 1.29 ERA in 2007, was out all last year due to Tommy John surgery. Plus, he has two full sleeves.

Here's my reservations:

Kasey Kotchman. He's our first basemen, who we acquired during the whole Texiera trade last year. I want to like the guy, because he's nice, not flashy, and has good defense. But, I think his offense sucks, and he's going to be a dead spot in our lineup.
Our bullpen. Even though Mike Gonzalez is our "closer"... we really don't have a closer. A good closer is someone who comes in and throws 95+mph, has some serious control and intimidates the hell out of batters. Gonzalez has none of that. His fast ball tops off at 92, he's wild, and a little too emotional. He does have a good slider if his controls on. Our other options are Soriano, and Moylan. I think Moylan would work out well, even though he's more of a middle reliever guy, but I think he could close. Soriano is going to give up too many home runs; his fast ball is a little high. We had a perfect candidate for a closer. His name was John Smoltz.
Bobby Cox. I grew up watching Bobby, and I love the man. But if he manages like he has the past 2 seasons, we're in trouble. He's way too conservative, and last night is a good example. Lowe is pitching almost perfect baseball, and Bobby brings in a "closer" in the 9th who gave up, thankfully, just 1 run. BUT... for Bobby standards, just leaving him in after the 7th spoke volumes, so I was happy. He also over uses the bullpen, and switches pitchers too much. But after last night... we'll see.

Here's to 2009. Go Braves!!

new song

2009-02-16T21:50:00.003-05:00

Get Off of My TV

I don't care about your anointing water

I don't care about your ugly mustache

Well your wife's got too much makeup on

And my God ain't short on cash

I ain't gonna give you any money mister

When the Holy Ghost comes for free

Get off of my TV

Well I can see right thru my TV screen

I've heard all the words before and all the cliches

Somethin tells me you ain't bein honest

I can see it all over your face

I ain't gonna give you any money mister

When the Holy Ghost comes for free

Get off of my TV

Why you yellin so loud? Why you wavin your Bible?

You won't make a livin takin funds from me

You spent your stolen dough on a 3 piece suit and a big Cadillac

But there's no cover charge for Calvary

I ain't gonna give you any money mister

When the Holy Ghost comes for free

Get off of my TV

I haven't played it live yet... so this Saturday @ the Woodstock Coffee House will be the first.

The Day the Music Died

2009-02-03T09:57:00.007-05:00

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the day Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959. Holly had just begun a solo tour with Valens, and J.P "the Big Bopper" Richardson. It was a winter northwest tour called "The Winter Dance Party", covering 24 cities in just 3 weeks. The logistical problems were that the cities were really far apart, and the bus, which carried the entire band, developed a broken heating system shortly after the tour began.

Lot's of folks don't know that one of the guys Buddy picked up to join his solo band, as a bass player, was a local DJ named Waylon Jennings. Because of the bus issues, Buddy decided to charter a small passenger plane to to Fargo, North Dakota, en route to their next gig in Minnesota. Apparently the plane could only hold 3 passengers and the pilot. Buddy and the Big Bopper were the first takers, and the 3rd spot was a fight between Waylon and Ritchie Valens. Waylon originally called first dibs, and when Valens found out, he begged Waylon for his seat. To solve this decision in the most fair way, one of the backup guys, Tommy Allsup flipped a coin... Ritchie won the toss, leaving Waylon behind. There's rumors... not sure if they are true... that after the coin toss, Ritchie said to Waylon, "I hope you freeze to death in that bus", and Waylon replied, "I hope the damn plane crashes"... now, I think that's just a rumor made up thru the years to enhance the story... but you never know. But, what is true, and interesting, is that Waylon really did loose the coin toss, and years later Tommy Allsup opened up his own country club in Dallas. He called it "Tommy's Head's Up Club".

So here's to Buddy Holly. When I was little, for some reason I loved oldies. Maybe it was because my favorite movie was "The Outsiders" or something, or that I went to my granny's house a lot. Every year for Christmas I would get oldies tapes, and the first tapes that I remember getting was the "Stand By Me" soundtrack, and Buddy Holly's Greatest Hits. I loved those tapes. At the time I just thought his songs were cool sounding and catchy, but listening to him now, I realize how before-his-time him and the Crickets were.

Guitar Red

2009-01-30T13:33:00.004-05:00

Here's an article pulled off of an upcoming indie record label from Atlanta, Backspace Records. This guy's a local homeless street musician, and Backspace Records recently signed him.

FROM HOMELESS AND BOOZE TO GLOWING REVIEWS

A LEGEND ON THE STREETS OF DECATUR, GEORGIA, THE HARD-LUCK BLUES MUSICIAN FULFILLS A LIFELONG DREAM BY CAPTURING ‘LIGHTNIN’ IN A BOTTLE’ ON HIS RECORDING DEBUT FOR BACKSPACE RECORDS

Frequently Down But Never Out, The Self-Taught Singer and Guitarist Captures The Humor And Hurt Of An Authentic Blues Lifestyle That Includes Battling Drugs, Alcohol, Loss of Family and Homelessness

On July 29, Decatur, Georgia based blues guitarist and singer Guitar Red fulfilled an unexpected lifelong dream with the release of his debut album that truly lives up to its moniker Lightnin’ In A Bottle.

As the first release by recently launched Atlanta indie label Backspace Records, the day could have easily called for a dual celebration. But there was no formal fanfare, no scheduled record release party at a big club, no streamers and balloons or packaged performance with a backing band.

Instead, the 44 year-old street musician—real name, Billy Christian Walls—spent the day doing what he always does around the square of Decatur, strumming his guitar and singing songs of women, drinking and hard times in the raw, unvarnished tradition of real blues. Not those slick modern pop-rock blues of Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, Taj Mahal and B.B. King—no offense meant to those legends at all. But those raw, Robert Johnson blues that can only come from knowing hunger, poverty, heartache, loss, drug and alcohol addiction, not to mention homelessness.

Guitar Red is the real deal, a “busker” who spends most mornings on E. Court Square, sometimes in front of the Brick Store Pub, whose management is kind to him, where he frequently plays for hours. On a good day, he goes to sleep with a pocketful of tips. But not every day is a good day. No matter. For Red, it’s all about authenticity, staying true to who he is.

That sort of integrity, not to mention a spirited roller coaster ride of humor and hurt, shines through on the 11 tracks of Lightnin’ In A Bottle, which he recorded live (with the exception of a guitar solo and clavinet piece) at Backspace Records studio in December 2007.

His titles chronicle his hard luck, down but not yet out life: “Box Car No. 9,” “Ain’t Got Nobody But Myself,” “Three Legged Dog Blues,” “Chain Gang Blues,” “Decatur Boy Blues,” “Song About A Jimi Hendrix Song” and “I Believe.”

In an article called “On The Road With Guitar Red,” a writer called The Blues Blogger says, “Red’s work is raw but refreshing at the same time. I really enjoy the vibe and groove that (he) creates…The selection of tunes shows off Guitar Red’s personality, allowing him to play through his hardship in a passionate, playful and witty manner.”

Graham Clarke of Blues Bytes adds, “Even though he’s lived a tough life (losing his family in the span of a decade,, battling alcohol, drugs and homelessness), he has used his music as his means of expression and as a coping mechanism. He writes songs that mix humor and pathos in equal blends and is a fiery guitarist and passionate singer.”

Wrapping his rave critique with a flourish, Clarke boldly muses, “Wonder what it was like in the days when there was (a street musician) on nearly every street corner in these Southern towns? However it was, I’ll imagine not many of them could have held a candle to Guitar Red.”

But perhaps John Vermilyea from Blues Underground Network says it best when he writes, “From the opening track ‘Box Car No. 9’ to the closing track ‘Song About A Jimi Hendrix Song,’ Lightnin’ In A Bottle, thanks to Guitar Red’s streetwise savvy, delivers a true debut blues masterpiece.”

True to classic blues form, Guitar Red’s backstory is pretty simple. In 1975, the Walls family left Morristown, New Jersey for Atlanta with hopes of greener pastures. The outcome was dramatically different. Ten years later, Red’s parents and brothers and sisters were all dead, and he felt tired and overwhelmed with life. Drinking and drugs became his pacifier and he essentially gave up on himself. But he never gave up on music.

Backspace Records founder Ben Rowell was the rhythm guitarist for the popular Gainesville, Florida band Big Sky for over twelve years. When he decided to start a label, his first instinct was to develop pop/rock singer songwriters. That narrow notion quickly expanded when he first heard Guitar Red, who quickly overcame Rowell’s long held belief that there’s no such thing as a truly authentic blues player anymore.

“My buddy Dean asked me at dinner on my birthday last year if I’d consider recording a blues artist,” he says. “My inclination was the real deal doesn’t exist anymore. Dean said, ‘If that’s what you are looking for then you’ve gotta see Red.’ So that Sunday I peeled myself off the couch and drove to downtown Decatur to take a listen. Within the first thirty seconds I realized Red was more of the real thing than a bottle of Coke.

“His songs are fresh and traditional all at once,” he adds. “We sat down to chat and he told me about his hardships and life in general. Uber famous acts use (use being the most appropriate word) Guitar Red on their albums and unethically send him on his way with a bottle of Jack and fifty bucks. People listen to Red on the street and enjoy his music free of charge. Guitar Red is just happy playing his guitar. I knew Red was special, so we struck a deal (much in Red’s favor so he could put a roof over his head) and here we are.”

Red was so overwhelmed when Rowell offered to record him he began crying. “No one ever wanted to record my own songs before.” Before this, his professional experiences were decidedly a mixed blessing. According to Red, over the past few decades he cranked out studio work for a long list of well known artists and was a member of the funk, hip hop and blues band The Positive Force. Many of those associations were predatory, according to Red who said artists would use him for his guitar work and “pay” him with a bottle of liquor. “It really hurts me when somebody takes my music, it’s like stealing a part of a person.”

Still, he’s optimistic about the future and excited that people beyond the streets of Decatur will be hearing him thanks to the official release of Lightnin’ In A Bottle. “One day,” he says, “I woke up and realized it wasn’t so bad being Guitar Red after all. When you find yourself it is the greatest gift. You just know where you are going.”

Moby's Small Town Soap Box

2009-01-22T09:02:00.004-05:00

This morning's Small Town Soap Box on the "Moby in the Morning Show" was pretty good. Usually Moby reads something patriotic and boring, but this one was awesome.

KURTIS THE STOCK BOY AND BRENDA THE CHECKOUT GIRL

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new voice came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4. Kurtis was almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the call. As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye, the new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was only 22) and he fell in love. Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card and punched out, then left. He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road. Next day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn't possible. He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday. That Saturday night he arrived at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well, let's take the kids with us." She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda brought him inside to meet her children. She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought, and then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair. He was born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome. Kurtis asked Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't come with us?" Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with two kids, especially if one had disabilities - just like her first husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary - - - he had a different mindset. That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end of the evening, Brenda
knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with. A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added four more kids. So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl? Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live inArizona. If you tune in on 1 February, you can watch him quarterback the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl against the Pittsburg Steelers! Is this a surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person? Some athletes are also great people. It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. He has also been the NLF's Most Valuable Player twice and the Super Bowl's MVP. On Sunday, 1 Feb I'll be rooting for Kurt and the Cards.

Arkadelphia, Alabama

2008-11-28T00:02:00.003-05:00

Did ya'll know that there is an Arkadelphia, Alabama? Let me say that again... Arkadelphia. Truly amazing. I saw Arkadelphia earlier this evening on Birmingham's 5 o'clock news. Apparently tomorrow there will be a 20% chance of rain in Arkadelphia, with a low of 40 degrees.

Today I went to Rome for Thanksgiving dinner, at Aunt Vera and Uncle Earl's house. They both passed away several years ago, but we still have thanksgiving there. My cousin Charlotte and her husband Harry live there now. It was great seeing everyone. Uncle Alan continues to come, even though him and my Aunt Gwen are divorced. He's Jewish and he's my favorite uncle, and the family loves him and he'll always be family. It's interesting because the rest of the family are pretty much rednecks, and here comes Uncle Alan in his BMW.

After the food I drove out to my mom's house. She lives right over the Alabama line near Centre, Alabama. You can see the end of the world on a clear day. My little brother Benjamin still lives there, and he'll probably never move out. He has a frightening number of guns now, a new Dodge truck, and a motorcycle. He let me shoot his 1944 M-44 Soviet issued rifle. It was sweet and loud. We also shot a couple of .22s and a 38 Special. They don't need driving ranges out there. We literally shot right off the back deck. That's the way America was intended to be.

A letter to Bobby Cox

2008-10-24T10:42:00.005-04:00

Dear Bobby Cox,

We met in a PetSmart parking lot when I was 13, we shook hands, and you signed your signature on the back of your Pedigree dog shampoo receipt. I'm sure you remember me. Let me begin by saying that I think it's no coincidence that you hold the all-time winning record amongst major league managers. I have heard lot's of your players talk about you over the years, and not one negative thing has come from them. They always say that you are the greatest manager to play for, and they have the utmost respect for you. You also take up for your players more than any other manager... hence your all-time ejection record. However, the past two seasons have left me, and many fans speechless. It seems that you are treating the regular season more like spring training; trying new things, platooning, switching pitchers, calling up guys like Chuck James to throw... I mean pitch, so let's talk.

I'm not even sure where to start. Let's begin with your philosophy on pitching. If Tim Hudson is pitching, and we're up... say... 4-0, why in the world take him out in the 6th inning? Then if you take him out, why switch pitchers every inning? Also, you exaggerate the whole lefty vs. righty thing WAY too much. And, it seems that if a closer does well, you won't use him much, like, oh, I don't know, Will Ohman. Stop worrying about the pitch count so much, back in the day there was hardly no such thing as relief pitchers. The only reason a relief pitcher would come in, would be if the starter was getting his ass handed to him.

Let's talk about Corky Miller. I don't know the exact stats, but I believe Corky finished the 08 season with a breathtaking .087 batting avg? Wow. My question is simple; why did you continue to use him? We had 2 backup catchers who could rip Corky a new one, Brian Pena and Clint Sammons. You finally brought up Sammons at the very end of the season. But, Mr. Cox, this is more about how much Corky sucked. It's about you giving guys way too many chances, and losing opportunities for us to win.

There are so many more issues to discuss, but let's just end on this... aggressiveness. You very well might be the most conservative manager in baseball, and you never take chances. I've seen you take a pitcher out in the 5th or 6th, just because he gave up one single or a walk. The reason the Mets and Phillies were at the top of their division, was because they play small ball, and aren't afraid to take chances, like stealing third, squeeze plays, and just being unpredictable. I would like to see you play more small ball, and stop relying on home runs to win.

A couple of weeks ago, I was on the verge of hanging up my Braves hat, but I'm willing to give you another chance. There was a moment during an Angels vs. Red Sox playoff game... Red Sox are down 3-2, top of 9th with 2 outs. Kotsay comes up to bat, hits an amazing line drive down the 1st baseline. Guess who makes an awesome diving catch to stop the tying run? Um... Mark Texiera. Both whom were traded, both were on playoff teams, and both tore it up after being traded. I almost lost it.

I'm not sure how much influence you have on trades and the decisions Frank Wren makes, but why the hell did we trade Kotsay?

Thank you for listening, and here's to 2009.

Yours Truly,

Josh Brown

Ps. I would strongly consider trading Kotchman for a pitcher and moving Chipper to first.

I sold out. It's blog time.

2008-06-18T00:16:00.000-04:00

I decided to start a blog. I reckon I'll write about whatever. We'll see what happens.