Monday

Rating the catchers

My take on the catchers: This probably used to be the most hotly contested position, possibly excepting centerfield. Not any more. For the best at a moment in time, Piazza is easily on the top of the list. He's had several years better than Bench's best, and one clearly far better than Campy's best. Plus he did it in Dodger Stadium, a remarkable achievement. If he had played in Coors ... ????

At high point      OBP     SLUG
1. Piazza         .431     .638
2. Dickey         .428     .617
3. Hartnett       .404     .630 
4. Campy          .395     .611
5. Cochrane       .423     .553
6. Bench          .351     .587
7. Fisk           .408     .521  
8. Berra          .383     .533
9. Lombardi       .391     .524
10.Rodriguez      .356     .558

Surprisingly, Piazza is also already close to the career leadership, and will easily be on top of both lists in a couple of years, despite playing his career in tough hitters' parks, and he therefore has to be the top guy. Well, excluding defense. It appears to me if you don't accept Piazza, that you have to go with Hartnett. Bench is far down both lists. Ivan Rodriquez is not in the running. The stats do not show that Yogi played on 14 pennant winners, earning three MVP's along the way, so if you voted for him, right on, because winning is one of the more important criteria, at least so I hear, and nobody won more than Yogi.

Lifetime (Total Baseball)
1. Hartnett
2. Berra  
3. Dickey
4. Piazza
5. Cochrane
6. Bench
7. Fisk
8. Campy
9. Lombardi
10. Rodriguez

So who did I vote for? It seems to me that this is the one case where you have to take the Negro Leagues on faith. Those who saw Josh Gibson play say he was as powerful as Mantle or McGwire. I don't know exactly how to evaluate his statistics, but Gibson averaged .350 with something like 950 lifetime homers, and he died in his mid thirties! His peak years - two times over .400 and annual HR totals of 75 and 69. I know we have view the evidence skeptically, but there's just too much to ignore. He appears to have been Ruth's equal as a hitter. I think Gibson was probably the guy. But if you will only accept the hard evidence of real major league performance, then I think Piazza has to be your guy.

The Gist and Lawdog
WhyScan's Page Three Report
Yesterday: none. Replacement, Jo from last Sept 17 (1, 2, 3, 4)

Requested is Danni, from 1994 and 1998. Here's one more of Danni.

Gold is one of the originals, Susan Shaw, from Sept 27, 1972

FR
Shae Harrison (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) from "Interlocked". caps by Tuna collages by FR.
DB
No opera today, but some rare classics. Wendy O falling out of her clothes in a 1985 concert
Wendy O Williams (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) Live from London at The Camden Palace.
Hugo
Helen Fougerolles from "The Fall"
Valeria Golino from "Year of the Gun"
Sharon Stone from "Year of the Gun"
More
Natalie Appleton All Saints girl. Bootlegs from "Honest"
Nicole Appleton All Saints girl. Bootlegs from "Honest"
Anna Loos in "Halt mich fest", (UC99)
Anna Loos in "Halt mich fest", (Celeblover)
Amy Rochelle in "Midnight Confessions", (UC99)
Amy Rochelle in "Midnight Confessions", (UC99)
Katerina Jacob in "Es begann bei Tiffany", (UC99)
Katerina Jacob in "Es begann bei Tiffany", (RolandXOX)
Carre Otis topless in the April Esquire (Stamper)
Robyn Douglass "The Lonely Guy" (DJ)
Juliette Binoche "Horseman on the Roof" - hey, cowboy - watch out for that Fiddler up there, not to mention the cat on the hot tin part.
Luciana Morad Finnish tabloid pic of Jagger's lover
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in "The January Man"
Cameron Diaz Oscar Night

Members Bonuses

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"The Girls of the B Movies", from Tuna

I guess the bad news is that it doesn't seem to identify which movies the clips are from. The good news is that it's a compilation of the best nudity from the grade B's. You remember "That's Entertainment", in which they only showed the best songs from various movies? Well, this is like that, except with tits instead of songs. Think of it as "That's Gazongas". My erstwhile friend Richard Parker once wrote a theme song for this show, even before it ever existed. To the tune of "That's Entertainment":


"Call 'em boobs ..
Call 'em hooters or breasts ...
Give me tits
and forget all the rest.
Make 'em big  ...
they're the ones I like best
Those are gazongas"

Tuna's thumbnails for this movie, part 1 Tuna's thumbnails for this movie, part 2 Amy Lindsay (1, 2) Avalon Anders (1, 2, 3) Chona Jason (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) Griffin Drew (1, 2) Lauren Hays (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) Libby George (1, 2, 3, 4) Linda O'Neal (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) Linnea (1, 2, 3, 4) Natasha Alexandrovna (1, 2, 3, 4) Patricia Staples (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) Rebecca Ferrati (1, 2, 3) Shauna O'Brien (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

"Adventures of a Taxi Driver", from Tuna

Correction: Yesterday's files not labeled correctly. The "Diana Doors" files should be scrapped, and replaced by these. Thanks to DB for the tip, and to Tuna for the quick fix. Angela Scoular (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

"Don Juan Demarco", from Johnny Web

Once upon a time, there was a brilliant little movie about a delusional mental patient who thought he was Sherlock Holmes, and the psychiatrist (Dr Watson, serendipitously) who was assigned to his case. The movie dealt with the nature of reality in an uplifting way that never took itself too seriously. That movie was called "They Might Be Giants", and derived its spirit from Cervantes as well as Conan-Doyle. I recommend it without qualification. It is just terrific, and completely undeserving of its obscurity.

This movie, "Don Juan Demarco" basically swiped the premise and the tone of "Giants". This time the delusional patient thinks he is Don Juan, but the rest of the developments are predictable if you know the original premise. So, am I going to tell you that this one is derivative crap? Not at all. If you're gonna swipe, swipe from the best. This movie is pretty much just as good as the other. I think you will be very impressed with Johnny Depp's performance. It seems like every time I see him in a movie, I wonder how such an odd guy could be so good at nailing his characters, but it all seems to be easy for him. Even when his movies suck ("Fear and Loathing", e.g.) he always does a remarkable job.

The film has a great musical score, is beautifully photographed, and is remarkably entertaining as well as inspirational. It would be perfect if not for Bryan Adams, and the Canadian government has already apologized for him. To show you how silly the Academy is, this movie received only one nomination - Best Song - the only thing in the entire movie that sucked. Well, except for Brando, but even he seemed OK compared to "Island of Dr Moreau" and some of his other recent travesties.

There wasn't much nudity. There is a group harem scene, but the leads didn't get their clothes off. A body double played Rachel Ticotin as a young woman. Talisa Soto got no closer than braless in a peasant blouse. Geraldine Pailhas showed nothing. Ticotin's Body Double Talisa Soto The harem scene (1, 2, 3)

"The Killing Hour", from Johnny Web

You've probably seen this. I think HBO ran it about once a week for a decade, sometimes called "The Clairvoyant". A psychic sees crimes as they occur, and sketches them. It's a form of automatic writing - she isn't even really aware of what she is doing. The psychic is exploited by a news announcer and a cop, both of whom see her as a route to career advancement and a potential love interest as well. They both use her talents, and they both sleep with her.

Not a bad flick. It's a reasonably taut Grade-B thriller with enough plot twists to hold your attention on a rainy night with no woman available. The DVD has a few extra seconds (pubic hair and violence, I think) of film, restored to the director's cut, that were not shown on cable or the theaters, and there are a couple of uninspiring deleted scenes as well. Unknown art class model Olivia Negron (1, 2, 3)

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