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Nestor Aparicio

Will the real Angelos step up in the Brian Roberts to the Cubs trade?

Nestor Aparicio

As Willy Wonka once said: "The suspense is KILLING me!" The rumors have been swirling all afternoon — Brian Roberts could be traded tonight to the Chicago Cubs. So, let’s see how this plays out. A few scenarios: 1. Peter Angelos steps in and nixes the deal (and McPhail tells the media that the deal "wasn’t strong enough in the end"). By the way, this has truly been the S.O.P. for the franchise for well over a decade, just lying and covering up. Reminder: This is EXACTLY what happened around this time last year, when Angelos stepped into the baseball talent evaluation world for the umpteeth time and nixed the deal that would have brought Adam LaRoche and Marcus Giles here for BRob. Incidentally, LaRoche hit .272 with 42 doubles, 21 HRs and 88 RBI in Pittsburgh. Giles hit a paltry .229 with 4 HRs and 29 RBI for the San Diego Padres. He also had a horrendous .304 OBP and stole just 10 bases. Mr. Angelos might claim a draw on the non-deal, and of course, we got to hold Brian Roberts hostage for one more year here in this "horses**t" town. Mr. Angelos must "approve" all transactions, of

Words or action from McPhail?

Nestor Aparicio

We’re now several days into MLB’s Annual Winter Meetings in Nashville. And once again — for now — the Orioles activity is limited to a New York radio rumor that was promoted by a Los Angeles television station. The report went like this: the Dodgers and Orioles are close to a deal that would send Matt Kemp and Jonathan Broxton to the O’s for Erik Bedard. Which leaves me to wonder this: how close IS close? It’s kinda like being pregnant, this baseball trade business. Either it IS a deal, or it’s not, right? Most everyone else on the ground in Nashville is saying the Orioles are nowhere NEAR making a deal of any kind. Meanwhile, the Tigers ceased being "talkers" and dove into the deep end of the baseball trade game as "doers" (kinda like Sheila Dixon, but that’s for another day). And the Marlins once again loaded up on the kind of young talent that has brought them two unlikely World Championships over the past decade. Now, we weren’t of the mindset that the Orioles were going to acquire the likes of Dontrelle Willis and/or Miguel Cabrera this week. But a few "mini-blockbusters" involving Erik Bedard and Miguel

Let the conspiracy theories begin…

Nestor Aparicio

But, WHERE TO begin, really, when the football gods and officials clearly pushed the envelope tonight at M&T Bank Stadium, with the damndest set of late-game calls I’ve ever seen. I’m not looking for the “purple lining” in the cloud of 4-8 despair, but man, I really DID have some fun tonight! Admittedly, I’m crushed by the loss. I’m sitting here an hour after the game, and it still hasn’t sunk in that they lost. And the way that they lost? It was almost a criminal act, that officiating crew! And once the videotape of Samari Rolle gets going – he alleges that head linesman Phil McKinnely repeatedly called him “boy” and stood over him late in the game taunting him – this game is going to have some legs as a national sports story over the next 48 hours. The league will have some explaining to do, and the conspiracy theorists will begin conspiring about the Patriots and their quest for undefeated immortality. Here’s another nugget that will come from tonight: the crazy timeout on the fourth down stop was NOT called by Brian Billick. I KNOW that to be true because I was standing 20 feet away when

A fun Orioles Winter Meetings game…

Nestor Aparicio

As I was here reading and writing some blog stuff for the website, it occurred to me that most Baltimore sports fans aren’t even following the drama of the MLB Winter Meetings. No one here seems too concerned with who gets dealt, who gets signed or who goes where. It occurred to me that the Orioles PLAYERS definitely care more than any of us. And then it hit me: Which Oriole player wants to be dealt the worst? Which guy will wake up next week and be ANGRY that Andy McPhail didn’t trade him somewhere else? The list is so long and there are so many reasons, so many guys who would BEG to get outta this organization. Would ANY of the guys currently on the team be truly UPSET if they were traded outta here? I don’t think so… But I figured that the WNST.net readers could post some decent material in the comments section below. Pick a player — ANY player — and I guarantee you that if the phone rang this afternoon and it was McPhail saying, "You’ve been traded," that their heart wouldn’t skip a beat and DEEP DOWN they wouldn’t say: "THANK GOD!" Free at

A NOTEworthy Baseball Winter Meetings Day

Nestor Aparicio

I remember when “baseball winter meetings” time was the most significant period of the baseball offseason. It was the time when Hank Peters and company always tried to come home with at least one shiny, free agent “holiday” gift for the rabid Baltimore sports fan. And, of course there’d always be a minor trade of some kind. But there was always that feeling that has now been lost in Baltimore for baseball: HOPE! Now, the baseball winter meetings are upon us and you can break it down any way you like: Andy McPhail will find out just how hard his job is this week, where it appears he could easily come home empty handed (or worse yet, fleeced!) with the sorry hand he’s been dealt taking this lousy job at The Warehouse. Here’s my handicapping of the situation: Jay Payton: They’ll have to pay to get rid of him…literally Jay Gibbons: They could pay to get rid of him…and still not! Aubrey Huff: I have no idea how they could possibly allow him back into the same uniform Cal Ripken and Brooks Robinson wore, but again, they are the Orioles. It’s unthinkable that McPhail could leave Nashville with this clown

What will the crowd do Monday night?

Nestor Aparicio

I’m expectedly taking heat for having the audacity to tell the truth (it’s the story of my life) in regard to yesterday’s Army-Navy game. I TOTALLY understand the "magnitude" of the history of the game, and the tradition, etc. All I cared about was seeing a good game and having some fun at a football game on a cold day. I also paid $100 to go to the game, so that more than gives me license to be honest. I’ve had a lot of fun in my life and a lot of it has taken place at various football games. I waited my whole life to attend an Army-Navy game, thinking it would be super cool. Yesterday at M&T Bank was not much fun. The game was bad. The atmosphere was surprisingly lame. The only noise was coming from the seats where the kids were in uniform. The rest of the stadium was asleep. So I left. Now, Monday night will be a completely different story. I will NOT be leaving Monday’s game early, no matter what. Not many PSL owners are expecting to have much fun on Monday night. Most Ravens fans think it’s going to be a bloodletting,

Army-Navy game was lame…

Nestor Aparicio

It’s the third quarter of the Army-Navy game and the score is 24-3. I’m back at home in my living room. It was so WEIRD walking into that stadium and having it have such little energy or emotion. Especially for a game that we thought would be CHARGED with emotion. We thought they’d be singing songs, leading cheers, making noise, flying flags, etc. Instead, the stadium was like a morgue. There were many empty seats on the southside of the stadium, probably because it was beyond chilly in the shade. My seats were in the sun, and we were toasty warm. But it was lame, really. We didn’t leave because it was cold or the game was a bit lopsided. We left because it was boring and there was very little "atmosphere" at the game. It was kinda like watching a scrimmage. Granted, I sat on the Army side, but even when they led a nice drive and made a few defensive stops, the crowd on the Cadets’ side was quiet, sitting on their hands. There were semi-funny skits on the video boards during the TV timeouts. There were also some very emotional stories about Navy and Army service members

I’ve given in to going to Army-Navy game

Nestor Aparicio

I have woken up on this morning about a dozen times over the years, the morning of an Army-Navy game, and talked about going. MANY times, I thought about driving up to Philadelphia to see the game, but usually wussed out because it’s cold, it’s a drive, the ticket price, or just plain apathy about a game in which I have no rooting interest. And did I mention that I hate sitting in the cold? In the end, I would’ve gone for the sheer pageantry of the event. So, this morning, a WNST listener/friend was kind enough to extend an overnight email offer and my wife has completely twisted my arm into sitting in the cold for three hours and paying $100 to watch a game I have no rooting interest in — and alas, it looks as though I’ll be attending my first Army-Navy game today! Incidentally, the only other time the game was played here, I was doing an appearance for Sporting News Radio in Los Angeles, and spent my weekend vomiting at the Marriott on Century Boulevard outside L.A.X. I got the flu on the West Coast and literally thought I was going to die on the

Can the Ravens beat the Patriots?

Nestor Aparicio

It’s the civic question of the week, right? Is there ANY conceivable way that the Ravens can stop the Patriots on Monday night, and FINALLY play a quality football game against the best that the NFL has EVER had to offer? With the combination of aging players, injured players and the overall “black cloud” of the five-game losing streak hanging over them, the only solace I can find is in that long-lost victory from Sept. 2002, when the Ravens bloodied the nose of the Denver Broncos at the purple palace on a Monday night when they were major double-digit dogs in early part of the “salary cap purge” season. Who doesn’t remember that Chris McAlister runback and that major hit by Ray Lewis after the missed field goal? The spread this Monday night? IT’S ONLY 20 ½ POINTS! We’re seeing perhaps the best team in the history of the NFL taking on our Ravens, who are at the lowest point of their 12-year existence here in Baltimore. Vegas thinks it’s gonna get ugly early and stay ugly. But I’m trying to have a purple heart. I’m trying to believe that I’m not going to freeze in the upper deck in

The sign says ZERO TOLERANCE…

Nestor Aparicio

Like most of you, I’m watching the Steelers-Dolphins debacle, and if the announcing crew had ANY stones at all — Jaworski, Kornheiser and Tirico — they’d be calling this the disgrace of all disgraces that the NFL is allowing a "playoff eligible" football game to be played in these conditions. Wanna know what separates Tony Kornheiser from Howard Cosell? Cosell would be BLASTING the "powers that be" about how these players are being exposed to career-altering damage. "A disgrace to the National Football Leagues, an embarrassment to Roger Goodell’s good name. Just poor judgment exhibited by all involved!" (I can hear his voice saying that!) I’m amazed by a lot of what I’m seeing tonight, even though it’s CLEAR that Pittsburgh is the team getting screwed. And after that hijacking of a Lombardi Trophy vs. Seattle in Detroit 21 months ago, I’m not gonna shed a tear about the Steelers getting boned. The game is 0-0 right now, early in the third quarter, and I’m wondering aloud a lot of things you can’t help but think if you’re watching. 1. Would OUR stadium in Baltimore be THAT empty given the same circumstances (weather, Monday Night Football, first place, etc.)? 2.

A sorry weekend in San Diego

Nestor Aparicio

Being at Qualcomm Stadium yesterday was like seeing your evil twin on the other side of the United States. Much like our fan base in Baltimore, the Chargers fans were teased with a heady 2006 regular season and devastated with a home playoff upset loss in January that has led to disillusionment and unreasonable expectations for a 2007 season that has been a very bumpy ride in both cities. At 5-5 before yesterday’s game, the boo-birds were circling the decrepit stadium on Interstate 8 just waiting to attack anything with a lightning bolt that didn’t have a No. 21 on its back. Phillip Rivers? An underachieving quarterback who makes poor reads and isn’t living up to expectations. Norv Turner? A puppet and a shadow of former 14-2 head coach Marty Schottenheimer’s 2006 genius. General manager A.J. Smith? The personification of Public Enemy No. 1 for running off Schottenheimer in the first place, a very public battle of wills that has placed this franchise at a crossroads for its very future in San Diego in many ways. Just seeing the deteriorating conditions of Qualcomm Stadium and the franchise’s tenuous (at best) situation in the city of San Diego (can you say

Calvert Hall vs. Loyola? Who cares?

Nestor Aparicio

Now that I have your attention, I gotta tell you one thing I’m THANKFUL for: I am thankful to have Jamie Costello, Scott Garceau and Tom Matte calling the Calvert Hall-Loyola game in my living room this morning on WMAR/Channel 2. It looks like a lot of fun to be a part of, and my wife and I are considering walking over to watch the second half, but I feel sorta “uninvited.” After all, I have no dog in the hunt. And I have many, many friends on both sides of the “rivalry,” so the only fun I have is riding my Calvert Hall buddies (you KNOW who you are) and crapping on the Loyola pals (Suchy is our in-house resident) I have, too. Just smack-talking them via text for no good reason. I really missed being on the radio all day yesterday, listening to old City-Poly and Calvert Hall-Loyola rivalriy stories. I think back to my childhood Thanksgiving Days and playing football and waiting for the snow. And watch Roger Staubach and whatever lousy quarterback (Eric Hipple?) that the Lions would wheel out there. And then later enjoying Troy Aikman and Barry Sanders year after year But I sat

Ravens’ offseason will be fascinating …

Nestor Aparicio

With six weeks remaining in the season, and a trip across the country to San Diego pending this weekend, I’m trying to get my arms around what happened to the Ravens this year. How the year feels like it ended before it even started! Obviously, the team as it’s constructed right now, just isn’t good enough. Not good enough to make the playoffs, and certainly, not a championship-caliber outfit in any way. Why this “shocks” so many fans in the modern-day NFL is incomprehensible to me. Did you REALLY think they were going to go 13-3 again this year? Or even better? The aging process in sports is a very cruel reality, and it usually comes without warning. The NFL sees a handful of last year’s playoff teams fall by the wayside every autumn. It was the Ravens’ turn. One year soon, it will even afflict the Patriots (if they don’t get caught cheating again!) To see that Trevor Pryce is likely gone for the remainder of the season is just another reminder of how cruel the injury bug can be as well. It’s arguable, but he might have been the biggest difference maker on the entire Ravens roster in

Crabs and beer is our BEST web feature!

Nestor Aparicio

Just a shameless plug for CRABS and BEER … Go check it out on Glenn Clark’s blogs and tell me it’s not the MOST VALUABLE blog of your day here at WNST.net Glenn catches you up on EVERYTHING. I really hope it becomes part of your daily routine. We will be providing easier links to access it very soon here at WNST.net Hope you are all digging the emergence of Baltimore’s BEST website!!! Please do US a favor during the holiday season … When you’re out drinking egg nog and taking in the yuletide cheer, please TELL A FRIEND about WNST.net and all we have to offer here. We’ll continue expanding in 2008!!

The kick is up and…

Nestor Aparicio

Who knows? Clearly the ball didn’t cross THROUGH the uprights. Obviously the ball did go THROUGH the plane and came out (in and out in basketball is no good, right?). And when it was over and the Ravens had miraculously LOST the game, the front office brass showed the rule book that said the play should have never been reviewed to begin with. Sloppy first half. A second half almost good enough to win EVERY week in the NFL. Will the real Ravens lease stand up? Will someone, somewhere — Roger Goodell where are you? — please have one set of rules for the NFL and stick to them. And this weird finish was only capped by the earlier ruling in the game that the  replay booth “malfunctioned,” causing an apparent Ravens overturn call to get “ignored.” Kyle Boller gave, and he took it away. Brian Billick was a complete idiot in the first half (check the offensive stat sheet … at one point they had more points with 7 than yards of offense)! Brian Billick was a GENIUS in the second half, as Kyle Boller started connecting with Derrick Mason and Devard Darling down the stretch as they created

The Last Chapter of Aubrey Huff…

Nestor Aparicio

At least that’s what www.deadspin called this candid Kodak of Huff and Melissa Midwest upon exit from the bar/studios of Bubba The Love Sponge. And contrary to popular opinion, I like Bubba just fine. I liked Howard Stern more. And, once upon a time, I drove home every morning to the dulcet tones of Nino Greaseamanelli, Fudgeman & Throbbin and “my dadddddddy!” I’m one of the ones who oft-times laughs” at such behavior. Except if you’re a baseball player making $8 million a year playing in Baltimore, and calling Baltimore “horses–t.” And cussing a blue streak. And dissing the game of baseball. And then bringing a porno actress onto the set. That’s kinda where I, personally, draw the line. Ripping on Baltimore? Only Anita Marks would be foolish enough to go on the radio and publicly forgive that. That’s just unacceptable. And stupid. And the Orioles don’t need any more stupid players or stupid decisions. They need to get well. And get well soon. FREE THE BIRDS! Saw the photo surfing and I just had to share it … Those deadspin guys don’t miss a thing …

Sex, lies and videotape…

Nestor Aparicio

It only took a few hours after yesterday’s release on the internet (via deadspin) of the Aubrey Huff porno star chronicles before WNST started taking the heat for "making a story" out of the whole charade. Yeah, the local media here and the Orioles would like for you to believe that we just "make up the news" but that’s NEVER the case at WNST. Yeah, that’s our job, telling the truth! We are — at our heart — a news organization. We report the facts. We discuss the facts. We gauge public opinion. And we represent and respect the community. More than I can say for the Orioles and Aubrey Huff. The Orioles have issued no official statement, nor made anyone in their organization available for comment. To further prove their unprofessional treatment of the media and the community, they refuse to answer phone calls from WNST. They don’t answer emails. They pretend the 36,285 people who came to this website on Monday DON’T EXIST!!! Their arrogance is mind-blowing, especially considering how empty their stadium is, and how much we all have to pay them via MASN every month on our cable bills. Not to mention funding that stadium two

Watch the Aubrey Huff video NOW…

Nestor Aparicio

WE WILL WARN YOU…this is ADULT CONTENT!!!!!!!! AGAIN…only 18 and over, please…there’s a lot of flesh and a lot of cursing and a lot of, well, Aubrey Huff being Aubrey Huff. Was he "acting"…you be the judge! But the Aubrey Huff video is now available here. Deadspin posted it earlier today (again, it’s not THAT hard to find it!) And when you’re finished with it, YOU tell ME if WJFK Radio and Anita Marks are a credible source to get your Orioles "information"? What I heard today was a sure sign that life in traditional American media as I know is all but dead. Everything and everybody are "for sale." The "interview" with Huff was a disgrace. The fact that neither he nor the Orioles are answering questions about it is a disgrace. And THIS ISN’T EVEN THE REAL STORY!!!! There are at least 20 other minutes of video that I’ve seen that deadspin is NOT posting or hasn’t yet posted. All of the masturbation stuff, the drinking, the Hank Aaron stuff… All of the quotes are in my blog from two days: Part 1 and Part 2. Just click on anything blue here and read on. NONE of this

more Huff and puff…

Nestor Aparicio

Below is another series of excerpts from the audio and videotape we’ve obtained via the internet of Aubrey Huff’s appearance on Bubba The Love Sponge’s radio and videocast from last Thursday. AGAIN…this is racy stuff that isn’t a standard we wish to encourage for WNST.net… These are the uncensored excerpts from the audio and video we’ve obtained. ONCE MORE: THIS IS GRAPHIC STUFF!!!!!!!! CHILDREN AND SQUEAMISH PEOPLE BE FOREWARNED!!!!!!!! ************ Melissa Midwest: “How many women have you slept with?” Producer: “…Who in here knows exactly how many women they’ve slept with? Bubba: “Aubrey!” Aubrey: “I couldn’t even begin to tell ya. I couldn’t even give ya a ballpark. I know I’m over…” Bubba: “Five hundred?” Aubrey: “No, no! I’d say between 2 and 300. Huff then mistakenly calls one of the producers’ shirts by the wrong color. Aubrey: “I’m colorblind, man! No shit, I’m colorblind! ************ The conversation with Melissa Midwest again turned racy. Bubba wanted her to rate the four men on the air in the order she’d have sex with them if “they were all single.” She was tittering and avoiding answering the question: Melissa: “You’re putting me on the spot.” Bubba:  You wouldn’t believe the spots I’ve

Aubrey Huff uncensored

Nestor Aparicio

Here is the first of what will be many installments of Aubrey Huff’s exploits on the Bubba The Love Sponge’s nationally syndicated radio and internet webcast. For the record, I have never been previously exposed to Bubba’s work. He seems like a jovial fellow who is hosting an extreme men’s room, complete with plenty of cursing, brutally frank sex talk and a “no holds barred and nothing censored” kind of format. Again, I have no moral issue or religious code in regard to this show or any personal issue with Aubrey Huff. I met him for 30 seconds last year at a press conference that I apparently crashed at The Warehouse. He seems liked a typical, ‘I’m here to collect my check’ kinda guy. But, I always liked the way he hit the ball in Tampa. Apparently, he was a real clown there in the way he conducted himself. He came here this year and flopped. He was a stiff. An $8 million a year stiff! But this is about all the Orioles can attract on the free agent market at this point. They get the losers no one else wants. The guys who are stupid enough to go on

Aubrey Huff is a liar

Nestor Aparicio

It’s great to see Aubrey Huff back peddling and Roch Kubatko playing the role of “intermediary” in allowing Huff to back down from everything he said on Thursday’s nationally syndicated “Bubba The Love Sponge.” It’s great for Andy McPhail to say that he hasn’t seen the video or heard the audio clips. It’s also great for Kubatko to write about the “event” and anecdotally say that no one at The Sun could obtain the damaging evidence. Well, we here at WNST.net not only have the AUDIO and the VIDEO formats of the interview, and the stuff he did is actually so “bad” that we’re torn about how much we should show or even link on our website. Even the transcripts of the thing – and that would be the EASIEST thing to platform here – are so off-the-charts spicy that we’re really kind of embarrassed to put it up on the site. The show he appeared on is done “Howard Stern,”-uncensored style. The entire video platform on “Bubbaraw TV” contains a young lady named Melissa Midwest sitting naked two feet away from Aubrey Huff, who appears to be anywhere from drooling to fascinated to interested. There’s body paint and nonstop

The worst of times …

Nestor Aparicio

The game has been over for about an hour, and I’m trying to think of a lower time to be a Ravens fan, or a game as bad as the one we witnessed (and froze through) today. The penalties … The turnovers … The lack of execution … It’s always something, but it always comes back to the offense just being ineffective. The defense, playing as short as you can image with guys we’ve never heard of (Willie Gaston? BTW: he’ll be our guest at Piv’s tomorrow night along with Marshall Yanda), and still holding Carson Palmer and the Bengals touchdown-less. It was just a painful game all the way around, the worst I can remember sitting through in Baltimore since the Ravens came to town. The mere fact that there were 50,000 empty seats midway through the fourth quarter would give a very real show of the public’s confidence in the team’s ability to score points. Once the score got to 9-0, it felt hopeless, even if it truly wasn’t. Steve McNair looks like an old man. He doesn’t look to be in shape. He doesn’t appear to have any positive body language or confidence. And in his postgame

China and Cal Ripken come to you via wnsTV

Nestor Aparicio

Slowly but surely, the China videos with Cal Ripken are coming together. Go check it out for yourself and if you HAVEN’T seen any of wnsTV, this is a great opportunity. Without question, it’s the best stuff we’ve had on our television platform here on WNST.net. Today, you’ll see Cal’s trip (and mine!) to the Great Wall of China. Tomorrow, I’ll get some of the kid’s camps that Cal did over in Beijing up as well as several travelogues that I shot in Asia. Lots more to come… Just want to remind you that it’s there and literally a "click" away… I’d love some feedback as well!!! Have a great weekend…see ya at the football game on Sunday! P.S. Aubrey Huff is a horses–t baseball player.

Losing Dennis Mannion will hurt the Ravens

Nestor Aparicio

His name is one that you see around certain Ravens’ “money stuff” on the street: Dennis Mannion. He basically runs the business side of the Ravens’ operation. He’s the Ozzie Newsome of the club level, if you will; the Brian Billick of the money side of the franchise. So extensive is Dennis’ background, that he has a 1983 World Series ring — for being on the losing side working for the Philadelphia Phillies when he was basically a “kid.” He worked in Denver for the Nuggets/Avalanche group, and has been with the Ravens since before the Super Bowl season. He’s leaving to go run the Los Angeles Dodgers, whose owner Jamie McCourt has tremendous Baltimore roots herself. The Orioles have also sacrificed some of their best “Warehouse” personnel to the Dodgers over the past year as well. So, the Ravens will move on, but losing a quality person like Mannion is a tough pill for the club. He was well-liked, respected within the building and was always a decent, honest guy in my many dealings with him. And as the C-something-something of WNST, I know how hard it is to lose really good people in your business. Dennis’ part of

Back from Asia to a Somber Charm City

Nestor Aparicio

I made it out to the Bud Light Orchard Landing Monday Night Live show tonight — and only about 15 minutes late. I flew in from Tokyo (and yes, my arms are tired!)…that’s my ode to Roch Kubatko’s blog! I literally LOST my internet connect at noon Tuesday in Tokyo (10 p.m. EST), right about the time the Steelers went up 35-0. It was just as well. I didn’t need to fork over another $10 to the hotel’s internet gods so I could watch another 40 minutes of sloppy, ugly, horrendous football. I just turned my computer off and headed for the Orange Limosine bus. I actually met a Ravens fan in line waiting for my flight back. Nice dude. Works in Katmandu (the REAL one, not the Bob Seger one!). He wanted to know what happened in the game because he’d been travelling for several hours already and couldn’t watch. I asked him if he REALLY wanted to know. He insisted. I told him. He sighed and grimaced in agony. I told him: "Imagine the most nightmarish weather, play and turnover situation in Pittsburgh while all of the Steelers greats came onto the Monday Night Football set and gloated,

Vomiting in Tokyo…

Nestor Aparicio

So, I’m watching the Ravens on a 5-inch screen in Tokyo Right off the bat, even as bad as it’s raining there, I’d MUCH rather be there than watching Tony Kornheiser annoy the hell outta me. But it does look like it really sucks! Kornheiser is talking Steelers karma? Who the hell is he kidding? And you knew it would only take about three minutes for the ESPN crew to zoom in on some idiot who’s been drinking since Saturday with his shirt off and a Terrible Towel being waved! Gotta love Pittsburgh – it’s nothing if not predictable. I’m sitting in my hotel room in Shibuya, Tokyo on the 34th floor (and the weather is kinda crappy here, too!). We’re only gonna see three quarters of action. Our bus leaves for Narita Airport at 12:50 local time. I was kinda hoping to podcast the rest at the airport, but that’s not a reality. So, there’s a chance I could fly all the way home – 12 hours nonstop to Dulles – without knowing the outcome. And our cellphones don’t work at all in Tokyo! It’s been a very interesting trip! Only the Steelers would have throwback jerseys that are

OK…finally the videos are up from Beijing!

Nestor Aparicio

My guess is that by the time we’re done with this adventure, there’ll be about 20 videos of different things we’ve done, seen and experienced in Asia. But, at least for now, the first two videos are up on wnsTV! I’ll be platforming them in chronological order upon completion (and it might take a week or two). But, it’s really been a whole lot of fun. Today is our last full day in Asia and it began with a 4:30 a.m. wakeup call so we could catch the 2nd halves of all of the 1 p.m. NFL games on our computer here. (AND THE BEST PART? It actually WORKED!!! It was better than watching at home, honestly!) Obviously, the Pats-Colts game was a thriller — right down to seeing Peyton Manning brooding on the bench at the end (don’t you just LOVE that!?!). I have no idea how anyone is going to beat them now! Now, it’s off to the bump and grind of the Tokyo subway. So far, Tokyo is my favorite city on the trip: pretty girls, funny outfits,  great and cheap food, lots of people in every direction but it’s  somehow a kinder/gentler version of New York.

Watching the NFL in in Tokyo…

Nestor Aparicio

At least I THINK I will be watching in a few hours. We landed in Tokyo around 2 p.m. this afternoon (it was Sunday here, late Saturday night in Baltimore) from Hong Kong, where we had a fabulous time. (Again, the wnsTV videos are coming soon…obviously, Tokyo is pretty wired for the internet so I’m working on it!) I’m absolutely DYING to get these NFL games here in Tokyo and NO ONE IS SHOWING THEM! We found one "American sports bar" in Roppongi that will be showing the Patriots-Colts game at 7 p.m. MONDAY night here (Tokyo is 13 hours AHEAD of Baltimore). And while that might work if we decide to stay offline — I have a feeling no one is going to walk up to us in Japanese and wreck the final score for us — both my wife and I really wanna watch the game live at 5 a.m. Partly, just to say "we did it" but mostly because our lives literally REVOLVE around the NFL 365 days a year. As happy as I am to be in Tokyo, my heart will be in Pittsburgh on Tuesday morning and I don’t want to miss my first live

There’s a reason it’s called The ‘GREAT’ Wall

Nestor Aparicio

It’s been hard to blog with all of the traveling the last 36 hours, but we’ve safely landed in Hong Kong, only 1,200 miles from The Great Wall of China. When Cal Ripken’s trip to China was announced, it was apparent to me that this was my one great chance to get to Asia and see parts of China and the Pacific Rim that had only been fantasyland before now. What I didn’t bargain for was a trip to The Great Wall with Ripken and 20 other folks, who all made the experience truly unforgettable. We left Beijing at 11 a.m. and headed northeast for a 90-minute drive up the hill past a series of strange tourist areas and near barren farmland. Because The Great Wall is basically built on a hill – and you can google it and learn all of the crazy facts about the Mongols overtaking the wall and all of the other cool historical data – it’s VERY cold up in the hills this time of year. Heck, it was only 42 degrees in Beijing when we left on Thursday morning, so you can imagine what the mountains to the north felt like. I honestly had

Chasing Cal Ripken in China is wearing me out!

Nestor Aparicio

I thought the pacing of the first 48 hours of Cal Ripken’s itinerary here in Beijing was break-neck enough. Then came his final day in Beijing! Three schools, two meetings, bus rides from one end of Beijing to the other (and this is a city of more than 15 MILLION people). The “Iron Man” legend rolled on right through the part where he was almost taunting me at the elevator door last night, where I KNOW I went to bed BEFORE he did. When it comes to keeping up with Cal Ripken, you just can’t win! By chance, he was the first face I saw in the elevator at 7:10 a.m. (in a three-piece suit headed for a dignitary breakfast), and the last I saw on my way to a DEEP sleep around 10:15 last night. I don’t think I’ve ever been more physically challenged than in my first 72 hours of this trip. Between jet lag, baseball, writing blogs, shooting videos and being a goofy American tourist – it’s just unbelievably exhausting. And figuring I may not “pass this way again,” we’re trying to cram it all in. Again, we have GOBS and GOBS of cool videos that it’s

Another Morning in China

Nestor Aparicio

The sun is rising over Beijing and FINALLY we can see the building across the street. The smog has lifted!!! Just one thing I wanna get “on the record” here before I begin my day: Cal Ripken REALLY LOVES baseball. I mean, LOVES IT! Not that this should come as any shock to me or you, but when you spend several days around him watching his absolutely tireless attitude about this trip and baseball, well, it’s just astonishing. He truly IS the “Iron Man.” He’s going from a three-piece suit at an Ambassador’s breakfast onto one bus, en route to a field to meet dignitaries, then to a kid’s clinic where NO ONE knows even one WORD of English. Then he’s like the biggest kid on the field every time he walks onto the field! Seeing him question EVERY aspect of the Olympic Stadiums – their design, the fields, the grass, the dimensions, the bullpen area, the batting cages – and seeing him nod his head in knowing approval of virtually every aspect was amazing to see. Every nuance of those stadiums was interesting and fascinating to him. Because Cal has virtually every nano-second of his schedule locked in, for

Tuesday morning in Beijing!

Nestor Aparicio

The official U.S contingent, led by Cal Ripken and B.J. Surhoff, all rolled passed Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City en route to the baseball complex that will house next summer’s Olympic games here in Beijing. There are two mini stadiums and Cal held court with about 20 folks from China, who all were proud to show off these stadia that are being built specifically for the games, and then will literally be torn down after next summer’s competition. These stadiums current hold less than 3,000 seats, but bleachers will be erected swelling the capacity to more than 12,000 when the Games begin. The photo opportunities were plentiful, but the only media present where the three of us (Rick Maese of The Sun, the Renegade video crew and myself). It seems that the Chinese government didn’t want any negative publicity of the facilities, so they disallowed all other Western journalists from covering Cal Ripken’s photo op at the stadium. Hey, it’s China. Some things never change! But suppression of free speech STILL exists in a major way here, and today we witnessed it. Lots of notes from today (and of course, VIDEOS for wnsTV are forthcoming): •    I chatted with

Good Morning Beijing!

Nestor Aparicio

It’s a little past 6 a.m. here (remember it’s 12 hours AHEAD) and I have the option of watching Monday Night Football in my hotel room … BUT … we are here to chase Cal Ripken a bit, and will be heading over to the Baseball Olympic Stadium with him around 8:15. Later in the day, Cal will be working with Chinese youth who have NEVER played baseball before. Many are orphaned children, so this should be a spectacular treat, seeing Cal reach out to these kids from half a world away. We’ve been here LESS THAN A DAY, and it’s just been brilliant so far. The sun is rising over the skyline of Beijing, and it looks like another smoggy day! It literally looks like a city in the clouds, but these are NOT clouds at all. We will be attending a State Department dinner tonight to meet ambassadors, dignitaries and, apparently, some VERY HIGH PROFILE Chinese celebrities. Cal being in China is a BIG, BIG deal here! Someone wrote about which “Western” athletes are a big deal here. So far: we’ve seen a few Chinese athletes on poster boards that we don’t recognize (clearly Olympians) and other than

On the ground in BEIJING, China!

Nestor Aparicio

Well, we landed about six hours ago and we’re doing just fine halfway around the world. So much to tell, so much video and evidence is already being shot that I almost don’t want to spoil the fun of wnsTV! It just takes me a few days to get it edited and make it fun! And we’ve only been on the ground for seven hours, and already we’re having a blast! Here are some highlights: The entire delegation (media included) is about 15 people. Cal and Kelly Ripken are leading the way, with B.J. Surhoff (who has been very pleasant and interested in China), several Ripken Baseball folks, a few U.S. State Department folks (who’ve been incredibly helpful with the massive language barriers) and the media dorks (that would be me, my wife and Rick Maese, along with four of Ripken’s own documentary crew from local HDTV gurus, Renegade Video). The flight was 14 hours long and landed about an hour early, just in time for us to be whisked away to downtown Beijing amidst a flurry of the world’s worst traffic. We flew OVER the North Pole. I conducted Cal Ripken’s first-EVER interview over Siberia at about 11 p.m.

Bye, bye … I’m off to China with Cal Ripken!

Nestor Aparicio

The flight leaves from Dulles later this afternoon, and 14 hours later, my wife and I will be plopped down in China by the time you wake up for breakfast and work on Monday morning. So much to see, so little time … We’ll do all that Beijing allows us to do: see the famous Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the people of China! We’ll be spending four days with Cal Ripken Jr. and B.J. Surhoff, who are doing baseball clinics and meeting dignitaries throughout China as a special diplomatic envoy from the U.S. government. My wife and I will depart from Cal’s journey on Day 5 and head to Hong Kong and Tokyo to sightsee and be ugly American tourists. Our trip will end next Monday night as we watch the Ravens-Steelers game from Pittsburgh somewhere in downtown Tokyo with our Ravens jerseys on. We’ll also have the option of finding the Pats-Colts matchup next week at 4 a.m. from somewhere in Japan! So, please follow my blog every day as we’ll be adding some pictures and some stories from Asia with Cal and company. I also promise to keep an eye on Rick Maese from The Sun and

Leaving on a plane for China with Cal Ripken Jr.

Nestor Aparicio

Even though this sounds like a punchline, I’m leaving on Sunday morning to go to Beijing, China with Cal Ripken Jr. I know, I know. It’s sounds sorta absurd that the loudmouthed kid from Dundalk is going with the city’s pride and joy and baseball’s living treasure Cal Ripken Jr. to China on a goodwill ambassador expedition. Instead of going through the “whys” and the “hows” of this thing, I’ll just say this: I’m VERY, VERY excited! As I’ve grown older, I’ve really appreciated how much time I’ve gotten to spend in other cultures and taking in the world. This is my first trip to Asia, and when the opportunity arose, I had no choice but to accept the chance to go and videotape and interview Cal and follow his path to enlightening the Chinese about the great game of baseball, which I love so much! Anybody been to China? Lemme know … I need some tips!

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Walking The Great Wall of China with The Iron Man

Baltimore Positive

When Cal Ripken travelled to Beijing on an Olympic goodwill mission, Nestor Aparicio went along for the ride. Wait’ll you see how they go down Montianyu on the mountain on a beautiful fall day in China…

Free The Birds is alive tonight in Boston…

Nestor Aparicio

So, I’m on my couch. Alone. My wife is flying back from New England in the middle of the game (long story!) And I’m watching the World Series, like I’ve done for every Game 1 of the World Series in my lifetime. Think about that! I’ve NEVER missed a World Series — EVER! THAT’s how much we ALL love baseball in this city! Fenway Park is electric. The rain is falling. The Red Sox are on fire! And Dustin Pedroia hits the first pitch over the monstah. Kevin Youkilis hits a double. And the appetizer? The Boston Red Sox honoring THEIR 1967 Impossible Dream "legends" — the same guys who LOST THE WORLD SERIES! This organization in Boston honors the teams that even finished SECOND 40 years later. And this fool who owns the Orioles can’t find a way to honor the 1966 BALTIMORE Orioles on the anniversary of their CHAMPIONSHIP season! It just makes you SICK, doesn’t it? P.S. Manny Ramirez just piled on with another hit. It’s 2-0 Red Sox. They are JUMPING on the upstart Rockies, thus far! The only thing worse than dealing with the Red Sox fans is actually being ENVIOUS of them. Makes me

NOTEworthy Night…

Nestor Aparicio

You’re a “young old-timer” if you get that reference. I’m watching ESPN HD and the Jaguars and Colts tonight. WOW…what a night we had at Piv’s Pub! Ravens defensive guru and linebackers coach Mike Pettine joined us with projector in tow for a little chalk talk and Football education. You can hear the show on the air Tuesday at 9 a.m. with repeat broadcasts coming as well. But, if you missed it, you missed a wonderful night of background on the game of football and how it’s taught and schemed at the highest level in the world. And Pettine is just a fantastic teacher. He told us and showed us why Kelly Gregg is so good, and how Terrell Suggs is playing unselfish, quality football despite not having sacks to show for it. As for the TV game, Jack Del Rio looks good in his suit, but how they are gonna win games without David Garrard is beyond me. They look like yet another AFC team that has no chance of making the playoffs. And the Colts, look, well, like the COLTS! Ya know the “World Champion” Colts. And the highlights of yesterday’s Patriots game make my head spin. Those

Words or action from McPhail?

Nestor Aparicio

We’re now several days into MLB’s Annual Winter Meetings in Nashville. And once again — for now — the Orioles

Army-Navy game was lame…

Nestor Aparicio

It’s the third quarter of the Army-Navy game and the score is 24-3. I’m back at home in my living

The sign says ZERO TOLERANCE…

Nestor Aparicio

Like most of you, I’m watching the Steelers-Dolphins debacle, and if the announcing crew had ANY stones at all —

A sorry weekend in San Diego

Nestor Aparicio

Being at Qualcomm Stadium yesterday was like seeing your evil twin on the other side of the United States. Much

The kick is up and…

Nestor Aparicio

Who knows? Clearly the ball didn’t cross THROUGH the uprights. Obviously the ball did go THROUGH the plane and came

Sex, lies and videotape…

Nestor Aparicio

It only took a few hours after yesterday’s release on the internet (via deadspin) of the Aubrey Huff porno star

more Huff and puff…

Nestor Aparicio

Below is another series of excerpts from the audio and videotape we’ve obtained via the internet of Aubrey Huff’s appearance

Aubrey Huff uncensored

Nestor Aparicio

Here is the first of what will be many installments of Aubrey Huff’s exploits on the Bubba The Love Sponge’s

Aubrey Huff is a liar

Nestor Aparicio

It’s great to see Aubrey Huff back peddling and Roch Kubatko playing the role of “intermediary” in allowing Huff to

The worst of times …

Nestor Aparicio

The game has been over for about an hour, and I’m trying to think of a lower time to be

Vomiting in Tokyo…

Nestor Aparicio

So, I’m watching the Ravens on a 5-inch screen in Tokyo Right off the bat, even as bad as it’s

Another Morning in China

Nestor Aparicio

The sun is rising over Beijing and FINALLY we can see the building across the street. The smog has lifted!!!

Tuesday morning in Beijing!

Nestor Aparicio

The official U.S contingent, led by Cal Ripken and B.J. Surhoff, all rolled passed Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City

Good Morning Beijing!

Nestor Aparicio

It’s a little past 6 a.m. here (remember it’s 12 hours AHEAD) and I have the option of watching Monday

IMG 2611 2

Walking The Great Wall of China with The Iron Man

Baltimore Positive

When Cal Ripken travelled to Beijing on an Olympic goodwill mission, Nestor Aparicio went along for the ride. Wait’ll you see how they go down Montianyu on the mountain on a beautiful fall day in China…

NOTEworthy Night…

Nestor Aparicio

You’re a “young old-timer” if you get that reference. I’m watching ESPN HD and the Jaguars and Colts tonight. WOW…what

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