All hopes and expectations were that Derek Jeter would not only become the 1st New York Yankee to accumulate 3,000 hits in pinstripes, but also to mark that very notable achievement (only 27 players before him have done so in the history of the game) at home in Yankee Stadium. It is inevitable that he will get there, but this is something that the fans want to see and really -- it's great business for the team to fill the stands as he inched closer as everyone will want to say, "I was there when Derek Jeter got his 3,000th hit."
But alas, with but a scant 6 to go after his 1st inning single last night, Jeter removed himself from the game in the 5th after injuring his calf. It's been deemed a Grade 1 strain (the least serious of grades) but will barring something unimaginable overnight take the Captain out of tonight's game and most likely the entire three game series vs. the Rangers that commences this evening.
It then leaves the Yankees in something of a quandary: do you take the chance that Jeter will accomplish this amazing feat (something that the Babe, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, et al never did) not only on the road, but potentially on either a Fox broadcast (Saturday) or an ESPN one (Sunday) in the inter-league series vs. the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley. It would be historic -- no doubt -- but the Yankees, probably to a man, wanted to see Jeter do that before the hometown fans who have been rooting on Jeter for 15+ seasons now.
If I were a rich man, I'd hop on down to the North Side, score up some StubHub tickets and wear my Dave Winfield #31 Yankee uniform top proudly and loudly...
Since I wrote about my old man barber shop haircut last time, I suppose it's only fair to also write about the one I got yesterday. About as diametrically opposed to Nick's (other than a salon or something fey like that) is Sport Clips: it's closer to Hooter's than your Father's barber.
I used one of those coupons from the back of the supermarket receipt; it was probably the first time I have done so. But I am saving money for that aforementioned Chicago trip, so half price is a damn fine deal. Entering this joint is like entering a sports bar minus the Miller Lite. TV's tuned to Sports Center, nothing but sports photos and memorabilia on the walls and nothing but cute girls in tight tops doing the hair-cutting, etc.
Nikki seated me with a smile, discussed what I wanted and then up-sold me on the MVP package which included a shampoo, a head and shoulders massage and a few other niceties. And I would have said, "no thank you ," (like apparently most of the Mid-Western "guys" who come in do) except she said that it was free the 1st time (just like heroin, by the way) and Nikki was cute so I accepted. She didn't quite come out and say it, but it seemed like she works there to meet "guys" -- the place is so guy-centric -- whereas Nick's was masculine and male but not for "guys" per se.
But the haircut was definitely good enough and the treatment was appreciated and kind of sweet even if in a rather calculated way, this business did start in Texas and that makes sense.
I guess next time I should just split the difference and let Ephraim cut my head in the middle of Zuba's some Wednesday night, but not this one...
Cheers,
Brian
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