Bad news for Caps fans

Fred sent me this article about Hossa being traded to Atlanta and Heatley going to Ottawa, with comment:

I fear this means that Bondra is going to Atlanta. Hossa and him are friends. I like Hossa and this sucks because Atlanta is going to be good, but it could mean a better future for Ottawa. Now I am split.

Boo for the Thrashers potentially being a contender, but it's a good thing for Dany Heatley. He definitely needed a change of scenery from Atlanta, and Ottawa is a great place for any hockey player to be. Sucks that Bondra may not be coming here though...

Gene Weingarten's chat on Tuesdays is a great source of entertainment. I never would have known about this promotion otherwise:

The Potomac Nationals are seeking contestants for the first-ever "Hairiest Back at the Ballpark" contest to be held at Pfitzner Stadium on Thursday, August 25 prior to the 7:05 game versus Salem. The contest is sponsored by Cosmetic and Laser Services of Dr. Don Brideau and Dr. Foster Montalbano of Springfield Family Medicine. The winner, as determined by fan applause, will win a laser hair removal service valued at $2,500.

I nominate this guy. Yuck.

Also in today's discussion, Gene took votes for the least sexy guy on Earth. I agree 100% with this one:

Washington, DC: My vote goes for the "Fitness made simple guy." He is a freak of nature. I can't tell if his head is to small, body dis-proportioned, bad high-lights in the hair or what.
washingtonpost.com: John Basedow!

Gene Weingarten: Oh, man, yes. I always thought that was a photoshopped image. THAT IS REALLY A GUY? Is there any woman or gayguy out there -- tell the truth now -- who finds this guy hot?

Getting back to baseball, I found this comment in the Baseball discussion to be slightly irritating:

RFK, 1st base line, Row 1: Les -- I'd love to have readers' and your own opinion on this subject:
I have front row seats to the Nats, and have been to about 30 games so far this year. At all the games I attend, I scream myself hoarse yelling for Jose, Chad, Livan, or whoever to "bring 'em around" or "knock 'em in". I also use plenty of energy to boo bad calls by "bum" umps, shout out "E 8" when the opposing team's CF misplays a ball, and loudly deride easy outs as a "nice bunt" when an opposing batter peels of of the first base line right in front of my seats. You get the idea. I'm loud enough that friends have heard me on TV several times.

Here's the quandary -- I'm a pretty talkative person, but given my choice, I'd probably watch the game silently 75 percent of the time. I feel an obligation to be at least a little obnoxious in order to create the kind of home field advantage that helps win games.

While I'm glad I don't live anywhere near NYC, I remember going to a Yankees game with my parents when I was a kid, wearing an Orioles hat, and being relentlessly cursed by opposing fans. While I don't approve of that level of venom, it certainly helps make the Bronx a great place for the Yankees to play. Your thoughts?

Les Carpenter: I'm going to throw this out there and let others consider it.

No one else commented on it during the discussion, but I wish they had- I would have liked to see what others had to say. Personally, my opinion is that this isn't the Bronx, and it's not a baseball town like New York is. I'm all for cheering for your team, and I certainly do it loudly on occasion, but it doesn't work when you're the only asshole in the crowd doing it. In fact, I have heard this guy on TV and I wished he would shut up, even if he was rooting for the Nats. Fact is, D.C. just isn't there yet and may never be; who knows?