Overrated Tourist Traps?

Got hooked reading one of those terrible online clickbait pictorials, this one “Most Over-Rated Tourist Attractions in Every State.” More like most overrated clickbait article, am I right? This gem was obviously written by some superior Gen-Z “journalist” who is easily bored and not easily impressed, who surely missed the spirit and fun of most of these landmarks – America’s treasures all. I’m sure a vast majority of less-jaded Americans would love to see each and every one of these places.

Why am I not surprised the Creation Museum / Ark Encounter made the list? Anti-Christian media bias.

I wanted to see which landmark made the list from Georgia, so I had to go through the whole darned list to find out. Not sure why some states made the list twice, and other states not at all (only 36 are represented). In alphabetical order.

Which ones have you seen / would like to see?

Alabama Cullman’s Ave Maria Grotto

Alaska: Santa Clause house

Arizona

Arkansas Crater of Diamonds state park

California Hollywood sign SEEN

California Hollywood Walk of Fame SEEN

Colorado Buffalo Bill’s grave

Colorado Four Corners Monument WANT

Connecticut

Delaware Rehoboth Beach boardwalk

DC huge gum wall (not hygienic).

FL Epcot Center SEEN

GA World of Coke (too crowded?) SEEN

Hawaii Waikiki Beach WANT

Idaho’s Craters of the Moon state park

Illinois Chicago’s Magnificent Mile SEEN

Indiana NCAA Hall of Champions

Iowa Captain Kirk’s future birthplace

Kansas world’s largest ball of twine

KY: Creation Museum and Ark Encounter WANT

Louisiana

Maine’s “desert”

Maryland Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum

Mass: Boston’s Quincy Market SEEN

Michigan

Minnesota Mall of America (too crowded)

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska’s Car-hinge

New Hampshire

NJ Atlantic City

NM Roswell / UFO’s WANT

NM Four Corners Monument

NY Times Square SEEN

NV expensive Venetian gondola rides WANT

NC “shell” station in Winston Salem WANT

North Dakota

Ohio house from “A Christmas Story”

Oklahoma

Oregon Undersea Gardens (closed-see?)

PA Liberty Bell – how un-American! WANT

Rhode Island Viking Tower

SC South of the Border WANT

SD The Corn Palace WANT

Tenn Graceland SEEN

Tenn Beale Street in Memphis SEEN

Texas: forget the Alamo WANT

Utah Four Corners Monument

Utah Moqui Cave

Vermont Rock of Ages quarry

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wyoming

Wisconsin Cheese Castle

Bracket Challenges

Braves are having a fan vote tournament on best uniform. Different results on Twitter than Facebook. Current home jersey beat 1969 pinstripe. Royal 1974 road beat current road and current home. 1982 powder blue road beat 1978 red pinstripe home and current home ivory alternate, who’s beat 2015 red with the starred Braves logo. Current navy jersey beat the 2018 players weekend jersey, and is currently leading the 1978 grey feather road jersey, who beat the 1982 red white and blue striped home jersey. 2019 home red jersey beat 1966 home ivory jersey, but lost to Hank Aaron’s 1974 home white feather jersey, which also beat the 1970 grey road jersey. Got that? Wonder if the Braves will do anything with these results. They already wear the Aaron jersey one weekend a year.

For Braves Bingo I've done everything except (1) rented a glove (I will), (2) purchased an item of the game, (3) had an ice cream at the game, and (4) watched Friday night fireworks (too late).

 

Now UGA just started a similar bracket to pick the greatest play in history. Today’s first pick is easy: Sony Michel’s Rose Bowl-winning TD run in OT trumps a recent pick six against Auburn. Also Herschel running over Tennessee's Bill Bates as a freshman, over an old Alec Ogletree sack - how could anyone not vote for Herschel's iconic run? Voted for Kevin Butler's 60 yard field goal to beat Clemson, but the more recent SEC East clinching TD pass to beat Auburn is winning out.

Another bracket from 680AM: who’s you want to be quarantined with? My picks…

 

1. Chris Dimino, Chipper, and Glavine. I like all three.

2. Buck Belue, Herschel Walker, Jake Fromm. Three greats.

3. Chuck Oliver, Kirby Smart, Alex Anthopoulos. All interesting.

4. Steak Shapiro, Tom Brady, Freddie Freeman. Not Steak.

5. John Kincade, Shaq, Nick Foles. Not Kincade.

6. Brian Finneran, Matt Ryan, Grady Jarrett. Fin & Matt are OK.

7. Sandra Golden, Dansby, Todd Gurley. Just Swanson.

8. Matt Chernoff, Julio Jones, Trae Young. Only Mattlanta.

9. Nick Cellini, Calvin Ridley, John Collins. Only Cellini.

   

Not much else to report. A holiday so I slept late. All sleep graphs in the green last night: exactly eight hours of sleep (6:13 quality, 3:28 deep, with an average heartbeat of 62). Spent the morning working on a timeline since my mom’s surgery last month. Not anyone’s fault, except maybe the Chinese. One bad thing after another. Now she’s in the hospital with pneumonia, and of course no one can visit. Wrote over a thousand words.

JOE JACKSON  [SABR Bio] died shortly before he was scheduled to appear on the nationally broadcast television show “The Toast of the Town”, re-named “The Ed Sullivan Show” - died 05-Dec-1951. His appearance would have been a fortnight hence. He once had a season with more than 500 at-bats, a mere ten strikeouts and a batting average over .350. In 1919 Jackson had 516 AB, 10 K & hit .351. No MVP or similar award was given in 1919.

Top Five Braves Second Basemen

Atlanta beat-writer Mark Bowman’s Top Five Braves Second-Basemen:

 

1. Marcus Giles 2001-06 ranks first among all Braves 2B with a .809 OPS, and several other categories.

 

2. Tony Cuccinello 1936-40 & 1942-43 selected to play in the first MLB all star game.

 

3. Ozzie Albies 2017-2019 stands with Mantle and Eddie Murray as the only switch hitters to hit 275 with 50 homers and .800 OPS through the first three years of his career at age 22 or younger.

 

4. Felix Millan 1966-72 recorded a franchise record six hits on July 6, 1970. Three straight All-Star appearances. Two Gold Gloves.

 

5. Glenn Hubbard 1978-1987 NL all-star in 1983. Coached up Marcus Giles in the minors. His 12.8 fWAR ranks third among Braves 2B in the modern era. Started more games than any other Braves 2B.

 

HM: Red Schoendienst finished third in 1957 MVP vote.

 

HM: Bobby Lowe 1890-1901 has highest fWAR for all Braves 2B: 23.1.

 

HM: Davey Johnson hit 43 HR in 1973.

 

HM: Bill Sweeney garnered NL MVP consideration in 1911-13.

 

HM: Mark Lemke played 2B during the team’s 1990’s playoff run.

 

Not mentioned: Dan Uggla.

 

The fan vote:

61% Ozzie Albies

23% Marcus Giles

14% Glenn Hubbard

02% Felix Millan

Bad news: the Falcons did not rule out pairing black jerseys with red pants. Ugh.

 

I always enjoyed going to Ridgecrest, first with Steve Norman and the Huberts on Labor Day weekends with the singles, and later a few times during the fall. Norman would always lead us on hikes far out in the wilderness. Once we were climbing up the side of a waterfall. He was ahead / above me, and he suddenly started screaming BEES! BEES! We turned and ran down the hill. That was the end of that hike.

 

Once Steve took me and our sons on a hike up a mountain. The Norman boys were used to keeping up with each other but little Will fell behind, and missed a turn. He went off in another direction. The sun would be going down soon. Luckily Steve and I were taking up the rear, and found him scampering back from a different direction. We never told Ceil and Becky until Will and Joel were teenagers, long after Steve had passed away.  

 

Also once Steve detoured our entire caravan of cars east to Hartwell GA to eat fried chicken and fish at a place called Swamp Guiney. We all bought tshirts. Didn’t get to Ridgecrest until almost midnight. The guys in our office in Lavonia were familiar to the Swamp Guiney.

During last night’s thunderstorm I was wondering how Barney was doing all alone downstairs. As I expected Ceil went down to check on him. For some reason he was in the kitchen, a place he never hangs out (unless someone is cooking). Perhaps the kitchen counters block most of the windows and flashing lightning. 

 

Ran into a bunch of hard to close orders on Wednesday. Now I’ve been through the whole list of over a thousand, for the most part. Still plenty of work to do.

 

Wednesday meals: eggy-boy sandwich for brunch, beef quesadilla for lunch. Had a little cereal for supper. M worked all day, then picked up take out from Taqueria for him and Ceil for dinner. Forgetting what I watched on TV, but it included game footage of Hank Aaron’s 715th home run. Also interviews with Brian Snitker, Max Fried, and Touki. Later Chicago Med and Hallmark Channel.

 

Last three night’s sleep:

total.quality.deep.heartbeat

721    436     116     63

802    606     235     63

611    426     203     64

 

Thomas, Anna, & MC in their PPE.

JOE TINKER [SABR Bio] was born in Muscotah, Kansas during the Rutherford B. Hayes administration is best remembered as a Cub. Hayes’ served from 1877-81. Tinker b. 27-Jul-1880. Is mostly remembered as a Cub. He was enshrined in the Hall of Fame with ten others—still a record for one year - HOF 1946. After his playing days in the majors, he took over as the captain, manager, and team president of a franchise in the American Association. He and sporting-goods manufacturer, Thomas E. Wilson, (Yes, THAT Wilson) purchased the Columbus Senators of the American Association for $65,000. Tinker took over multiple positions for the 1917 season. To allow men to become soldiers and fight in WWI, he hired only women ballpark workers for the 1918 season.

 

Progress report on the deck.

The Emperor's New Clothes

Yesterday's leaked photos turned out to be the Falcons actual new uniforms. By themselves the jerseys aren’t too bad, It’s the way they’re paired with the pants (and solid hose) is the big disappointment. I was prepared for the worst. This is just about it. While the “demographic” who actually attends games will like these changes, I could care less for the jersey / pants / hose combos they’re going with.

Jersey / Pants / Hose

Black / Black / Black (home)

White / White / White (road)

Black / White / Traditional (throwback)

Red / Black / Black (color rush)

Black / White / Black (home alternate)

White / Red / Red (road alternate)

White / Black / Black (road alternate)

Hate the solid hose. In the past most NFL teams wear socks that are white on the bottom with a team color up high. The best looking have stripes. For the most part only for color rush games did teams wear solid hose. All black or all white hose worn with the same color pants look like yoga pants. I’m not a fan. Put some stripes on those hose! The single red pants stripe is also weak. Hard to see on the black pants, and too thin on the white pants. Still, the pants are an upgrade over the old ones.

The jerseys, by themselves, aren’t too bad. The busy old sleeves have been eliminated and the collar looks great plain. I can live with the ATL wordmark on the front, though it’s larger than any other team’s. I like the red nameplate on the white jerseys. The red stripe under the arms will rarely be seen, and may actually prove slimming for the big linemen. The number font isn’t unlike their predecessor, and the right shadow the same. Love how the numbers are huge, especially in back. Overall the jerseys are simple, which is an upgrade.  

Sure the red jerseys that fade to black tails are hideous, especially coupled with black pants and hose. But these are the color rush uniforms, which sometimes aren’t even worn once.

The throwback uniforms remain unchanged. Last year the Falcons wore throwbacks in three of their eight home games. This year with all the new uni combos, we’ll be lucky to see them twice.   

I’m okay with the “satin black” helmet and silver facemask, and the 30% larger Falcon decal. Too big is better than too small. The facemask color is an upgrade, but if you’re going with all black uniforms why change from black masks, which blended with the helmet. I like the silver mask because it’s close to the old school grey masks of yesteryear. They changed to silver to be futuristic, but I’ll take it.   

When the Falcons last changed uniforms back in the Michael Vick-era, they sometime wore black jerseys and pants. After a year or two these disappeared, and the team stuck to red jerseys and white pants. My hope now is the black pants will soon fade away. We’ll see how the red pants look with the white jerseys, though I’m a fan of white over white.  

I wish they’d take into account their opponent’s uniform when choosing what to wear. Wear the throwback against teams with traditional uniforms like the Giants, Cowboys, Chiefs, Bears, 49ers, Redskins, Packers, Colts, or Raiders. Not wear so much black against other black teams (like the Saints).  

I’m not surprised by the changes.  Disappointed? For sure. Change out the hose, and ditch the black pants, and these changes aren’t too bad. I hate the all black home uniform. Hopefully the black pants won’t last.

Braves: I hear someone is going to televise the game when Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run. Tonight MLB Network televised game 4 of the 1991 Twins/Braves World Series.

 

Since Monday I’ve been pouring over a list with over a thousand orders on it. Hope to finish today. Plenty of work to do. Yesterday Ceil took all the masks she’s sewed to her ministry The Table. On the way back she stopped by Whole Foods. M worked yesterday until 8 pm and today he went in at 7 am.

Tuesday: cheesy grits for breakfast, ground beef quesadilla for lunch, and for supper C baked a chicken, made sour cream potatoes, and tossed a salad. Hallmark Channel movie and bed.

 

AL KALINE  [SABR Bio] [NYT Obit]  was the first player inducted to the Hall of Fame who had ever come to bat as a designated hitter. Born in Baltimore 19-Dec-1934, his first AB as a DH was 05-Apr-1974, exactly 45 years ago yesterday (Sunday). He managed a walk in 4 AB. Elected to the Hall in 1980. In his second full year as a player, he led the AL in total bases, hits, batting average, and led the majors in hits and average. That made him the youngest batting champ in history. Playing for Detroit, his only team in his 22 MLB seasons, he .340 in 1955, the same year he had 200 hits and 321 TB. Only he and Ty Cobb had 200 hits in a season before turning 21. His batting title in 1955. When the season ended, he was 20 years, 330 days old. Ty Cobb also won a batting title at age 20 hitting .350 in 1907, but Cobb was born on December 18, making him one day older than Kaline when he won. His OPS of .940 led the league four years later.

 

He played more games as a Detroit Tiger than Ty Cobb. Played 2,834 G for DET. Cobb played 2,806. Both had 22 years as Tigers. The first-ever right fielder to be honored with a Gold Glove for his defensive excellence. Won ten Gold Glove Awards overall. From 1959 to 1962, he played in seven All-Star games, twice as a starter. For his career he was named an All-Star an amazing eighteen times including his final season at age thirty-nine. Although he never won an MVP, he finished second twice; in the top five four times; in the top ten nine times and received at least one MVP vote an astounding fourteen times. See here for MVP votes. Kaline had more home runs, bases-on-balls and sacrifice flies than any Tiger who ever lived - 399 HR, 1,277 BB & 104 SF.

 

Detroit General Manager Jim Campbell said he would consider trading him to the San Francisco Giants, but only if the offer included Mays, Marichal AND Cepeda in return. He once scored twice in a World Series inning. Kaline and two teammates each scored twice in the 3rd inning of the 6th game of the 1968 WS. He increased his batting average in each of his four years in high school: from .333 to .418, to .469 before finishing up his senior year at .488. Much of his approach to the game was based on ten minutes at age 18, when Ted Williams shared some batting advice fundamentals with him. His manager as a rookie in 1953 was Fred Hutchinson who arranged the meeting with Williams.

New Falcons Uniforms?

The Falcons are set to unveil their new uniforms next Tuesday.

Today photos leaked out on the internet.

Are they legit? We shall see.

Not sure if its the lighting, or is the red jersey above a "gradient" - slowly darkening at the bottom to black? The reaction to the online was negative - as was the reaction to the black pants / socks / shoes that looks like tights. I love the huge numbers, the style similar to the numbers from the most previous uni set. Not exactly drop shadow outline, just the same as the number trim had been.

Love the red names on back of the white jerseys. Can't see the front collar, which is usually too busy for my taste. Some voiced displeasure with the red underarm stripe, but it doesn't bother me that much. Glad they cleaned up the sleeves. You'd have to think the red jersey / white pants combo will be the main home uniform, with the traditional black throwback uni to wear once or twice. Surely the hideous black pants will only come out once a year.

Some disliked the grey facemask, but I love it. Looks like the helmet logo got bigger, which isn't bad. If this is indeed the new uniform, I give the change a B. Above average. An improvement. Could've been better. Could've been MUCH worse.

Tampa unveiled their new uniforms today. As expected, they're returning to the uniform they wore in their Super Bowl appearance, with a few modifications to make them less busy. Slightly smaller helmet logo. Another overall improvement.

Thought when I worked from home the days would last forever. In fact the days go by quickly. Yesterday I closed out about 250 old orders for our Atlanta district. Plenty more to work on for other districts in our region. Also have my regular job to do.

Had a bunch to say yesterday but not much today. Always seem to be plenty of leftovers to eat. Monday breakfast scrambled eggs and cheesy grits. Quesadilla for lunch. Found four cinnamon rolls in the freezer that Ceil had bought as a fund-raiser. Ate one per day.

Last night Ceil baked breaded chicken tenders, with cheesy rice and tossed salad. Earlier in the day I'd noticed M's hair was getting long. Later he disappeared into the bathroom and buzzed it down to a crewcut. Watched an episode of Peyton's Places. Then a Hallmark movie.

Redskins flanker Charlie Taylor passed away. Also Al Kaline.

HONUS WAGNER  [SABR Bio] was the first player to lead the majors in runs batted in during the modern era - 126 in 1901 for PIT, barely topping Nap Lajoie's 125 for PHA in the brand-new AL. He dropped out of school at age twelve to work in the coal mines with his father to help support the family. His brother enjoyed a year in the majors. Brother Butts Wagner played for the Senators & Bridegrooms in the NL in 1898. No relation of Heinie Wagner.