Hooters Lily Cools Off From The Summer Heat, College World Series Stripe Show & MJ's Flu Game Shoes Sell For Huge Money
10U House Ball Update
Let's make this quick. The boys won last night, 11-1, under the lights in a dominant pitching performance from our two aces who combined for what felt like a two or three-hitter. The other team didn't score until there was one out in the top of the 5th.
It was one of those nights you dream about as a 10U manager. The pitching staff was pumping in strikes. The first inning was 1-2-3. The bats were hot. The one boy who hasn't put the ball in play much this season put the ball in play. There was very little drama. Very few errors. There were smart base-running plays.
Add it all up and it was a relaxing game for one that had an 8:10 first pitch.
The boys are now 8-4.
Daddy Ball Report:
My son continues to hit the ball and it's going further by the game. I believe he was 2-for-3 with a double. The single was a very nice shot over the shortstop's head. Just a very typical line shot into the outfield. The outfielder plays the ball, gets it in and we're all moving on to the next hitter.
So relaxing.
Injury update:
We've lost T Skittles for the season with a broken hand suffered at a basketball camp. He was one of our catchers, which hurts with the July heat on the horizon, and one of our grittiest players who can play any position on the field. Luckily, we have some depth at catcher, so we should be fine there, but as you guys know, it's always tough to lose a kid who gets the game and understands situations.
Stanley Cup viewing numbers are in
Just speaking for myself, it feels like the last month has been very quiet in mainstream sports. That was the quietest NHL Stanley Cup Finals I can remember. I've been at this a long time and I can't remember a time when I didn't see videos of the Stanley Cup-winning team sucking from the Cup and raising hell after winning.
There's been nothing this week. It's been brutal for us content guys. Both the NBA and NHL had very quiet weeks.
Cleveland
• John from SD writes:
Really? On I-90 in Cleveland this week. (Is a mention of the demographic of the driver warranted?)
Found this in the pond during golfing this weekend. Appears to be located where it belongs!
Kinsey:
I've never priced out specialized tags, but I'm convinced Ohio has some of the lowest prices for specialized tags in the United States because they're everywhere. Anyone have intel? Anyone work for the BMV?
Pizza oven follow up
• Kenn H. writes:
I wanted to thank you for the shout out Screencaps recently regarding my new children’s book “Jack and the Crunchy Leaves: My First Hearing Aids” #1 new release- not bad from a guy who just decided to write a book.
On a side note, after a few years of research on what pizza oven to get, I finally narrowed it down and went to my mom and pops store over the weekend and purchased a Gozney Roccbox. I knew this was the right choice when the salespeople fought about who got to take it home every night and use it.
Fired it up the other night for some test pies and it didn’t disappoint. Also took the advice and followed on IG for a smoother screencaps experience.
'YourDadsAmerica' Appreciation and more Up North® talk
• Brandon C. in Pinckney, MI writes:
Really appreciated the "YourdadsAmerica" screencap from Wednesday. If I'm not mistaken, that's the great Lee Horsley on the set of "Matt Houston", a classic 80s detective show where a rich Texas oil baron has so much money to blow, he sets up in Los Angeles and solves detective cases on the side with his personal helicopter, computer babe, and fast cars. Pre-teen me LOVED that show.
This was the era with A-Team, Airwolf, Matt Houston, Simon & Simon, Riptide, Street Hawk, MacGyver, and of course the absolute G.O.A.T., Magnum PI. So much testosterone and flowing chest hair with gloriously manicured mustaches that DON'T NEED NO BOUTIQUE BEARD CREAM YOU DAMN HIPPIE MILLENNIAL. Jan Michael VIncent could play a cello by a mountain lake and then go beat the hell out of a Libyan terrorist, and blow up a Russian chemical plant with a supersonic stealth helicopter all in the span of 60 minutes.
Hell, even Hart to Hart had some boss vibes going every once in a while. This is what we're missing.. good old fashioned American good guys who hated evil as much as they loved the ladies.
Also, headed Up North for my own family getaway in a couple weeks. We go "Sunrise Side" (Alpena metropolitan area) as it's a little quieter and less "Ann Arbor north" than Traverse City and the surrounds. Always sparks the question, what is the dividing line between "Regular Lower Peninsula Michigan" and "Up North".
I've long been of the opinion it's the I-75/US-23 split at Standish MI, but I also have entertained the more scientific notion of where birch trees replace Maple/Ash/Aspen trees as dominant species. Thoughts?
Kinsey:
Father-son Olivia Casta Investigation
• Russ from Washington, NJ writes:
Joe, no doubt about it. Olivia Casta is a fake. I shared this discussion with my 16 year old son (I don't think he minded :) ). He mentioned to me how you should look at the hands first. Apparently, AI has difficulty creating realistic hands.
Just look at these hands in this photo, in particular the thumb!
My apologies to Ms. Costa if she's real, but what's going on there? Thank you for your column and giving me entertainment at the end of a long work day.
Russ adds:
And you can't spell Olivia without AI… just sayin'
Kinsey:
What a modern Clark Griswold and Rusty moment for Russ and his son!
• Rory M. writes:
No proof, but I definitely thought that she was AI generated from the jump. I'm not complaining, but it feels like a trap to Epstein regular folks on the internet if you look at those pics.
We'll never forget you, Dale
'I feel old' moment
• Ken S. in North Augusta, SC writes:
Seems like the first moment that made me feel old was a “few” years back, when my family was attending a football game at our oldest daughter’s college. At the time I was dealing with a deteriorating knee (since replaced) and wasn’t walking very well. (Think “hobbling”)
As we approached the ramp that led up to our seats, my two daughters, without any obvious communication between them, approached me simultaneously from both sides, and each one extended a hand and gently lifted my elbows.
There were the little girls I raised helping “old decrepit Dad” up the ramp. Pretty sweet.
(But with new knees, I can now manage on my own just fine!)
• Scott from the Carolinas writes:
Well, I recently turned 55. One of my 20-something colleagues asked me how tall I was as I am an old Caucasian college baller. I replied - "6'6", 6'9" with the afro. They didn't get it and I felt their awkward glance viewing me as a racist…had to introduce them to Irwin Fletcher via Youtube.
I won't change quoting movies from my childhood - just need to read the room better.
Would that hurt?
I'm not a kidney stone guy that I know of and don't want to become a kidney stone guy. Would one this size hurt?
And that's it for another great day of Screencaps. I know sports are slow right now. This is when this column heats up. You guys get creative. You show off projects. You start brainstorming.
We will survive the run all the way to the NFL season with things like the U.S. Open which starts today. Enjoy that late-night golf. It's going to be glorious.
Take care.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com