The Answer (Part 2 of my odd discovery in Magic Kingdom

Here was Disney's reply to my letter that I sent them a couple weeks ago concerning an odd picture I had found in Casey's Corner:

Dear Mr. Malespin,

Thank you for your message regarding Magic Kingdom Park.

I am pleased to hear of your dedication to Casey's Corner and how much 
you enjoy the atmosphere of this particular restaurant.  The photo that 
you shared with me is actually a special photo of the Residents of Main 
Street U.S.A.  Like many of our Guests, the Residents of Main Street 
U.S.A. are big baseball fans and were happy to pose for a special photo 
for Casey's Corner.  Our Imagineers work hard to work small details into
our Guest experience, such as this photo and even hidden Mickey's 
throughout the Restaurant, in an effort to provide our Guests with 
outstanding detail that can only be found at the Walt Disney World 
Resort.

Mr. Malespin, thank you again for your message and I wish you a 
wonderful day.

Best Regards, 

----------- 

So there you go, 

The Hopeful End of a Saga

End the Dwight Howard Saga.

End it now.

This is your chance to remove another potential year of pain, suffering, and agonizing drama. This is your opportunity to get rid of the disease that our ex-awesome player has become. This is your opportunity to start something new, something fresh, and pursue a new direction in the franchise. This is the chance to remove the bitterness from the last few months and save the Magic from falling apart much like what happened after Shaq left a lifetime ago.

Dwight Howard is out for the season but has a successful surgery which is prompting him to make a full recovery in time to make him trade bait. This playoff can and will show the Magic what they are capable of without the big man leading the way. It can show what we are good at, what we suck at, and can prompt us to make the necessary changes to improve the squad---without Howard.

The truth is Howard wants to leave Orlando badly, without sacrificing his appeal---even though its a bit too late. The truth is Howard is looking for whatever other excuse of leaving--and this would mean putting the upper management (even though to an extent they deserve it) and Stan Van Gundy (You know, the best coach the Magic has ever had) under the bus. He went from crowd favorite to villain that is willing to destroy the team if it means improving his status in the NBA.

The Magic don't need him, that type of player ruins franchises. Look at the improvements the Nuggets (Carmelo Anthony) and the Jazz (Devon Williams) experienced after getting rid of their main headache---despite their obvious talent. The Magic should follow in their footsteps. We are a point guard away from being a truly dangerous team anyway--a point guard would make Howard essentially irrelevant. Steve Nash will soon be available, and J.J. Barea I am sure will become great trade bait once Rubio is back in full form.

Get rid of Howard. It was a fantastic ride, but we need to go our separate ways.



Now.

The Raid: Redemption: 8/10

Tension. Tension. Shootout. Tension. Shootout. More Tension. Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. This is The Raid in a nutshell. This film is a rock em' sock em' absolutely brutal beatdown of an action film that takes no prisoners, pulls no punches, and is not afraid of making you cringe. Plot be damned, because it's all about the video game-like action that sprinkles itself in the 90+ minutes of pure Indonesian mayhem.

For those that still want to know what it's about, The Raid starts off with our male lead leaving his pregnant wife to do a mission. The mission is simple: raid a creepy abandoned building and arrest the guy responsible for running all the illegal nonsense. What follows are plot twists, plot turns, a few surprises, plenty of clichés, and enough action to cover two summer seasons. Not kidding in the least bit, action junkies will get their fix and some with this flick.

The Raid's biggest strengths can be contributed to the direction and cinematography. This film lacks lighting; it lacks a polished look, and avoids the wide shot like the dickens. Close-ups are abundant when building tension, when the stakes are raised, and especially when the fights are delivered. Containing some of the best-directed martial arts since Jackie Chan himself, the fights are extremely well-choreographed, tightly edited, and are so intense that during my viewing, half the audience walked out. This is no PG-13 fight flick, you'll see nasty body blow after blow, and see more knives than a butcher, and more fatalities than every Mortal Kombat game combined. The death and dismembered count is nice and high.

For the nitpicky, the plot is definitely clichéd and definitely predictable. For the nitpicky, the acting is honestly not the best, and neither is the writing. But nobody is walking into this movie to focus on any type of story. You are entering this movie with three things in mind: action, carnage, and martial arts.

And you will have plenty of all three.

And perhaps way more than you can handle.

Obama/Clinton 2012: A Sure Fire Victory

So the War on Women rages on as the Republicans and Democrats are playing nice and complimenting mothers and females everywhere after those controversial comments made by Idiot (I know she has a name, but for now let’s just call her idiot). This election is resting mainly on the shoulders on two specific groups: women and Hispanics. Get both and your victory is pretty much guaranteed. There are 9 million more women than men in the United States (According to the 2000 Census, and I can guarantee you the number remains around the same) and Hispanics are becoming the loudest and proudest minority in the country. With Hispanics being prevalent in Florida and California, notorious swing states, it is vital to appeal to them. Obama leads the Hispanic vote by far and is ultimately destroying Romney in the Women sector as well. But there is still no knockout punch. Obama, you want to wipe out Romney for good?

There is one solution. Clinton.


And I am not discussing Hilary Clinton.


I am talking about ex-head honcho President Bill Clinton. Make Bill your vice president; make him your running mate. Now, the amendment states that Bill cannot become president ever again-----but there’s nothing that would bar him from being the right-hand man. Drop Joe Biden (Is he even alive?) and give the passenger seat to the last president that sat in office when America was making fantastic money. Give the passenger seat to the man that dominated the minority vote in the 90s so badly we forget whom he ran against on both elections. Give the passenger seat to the man that has appealed to African Americans better than any president since Lincoln. What could possibly go wrong here?

Clinton’s worst mistake was getting caught in an affair—during his 8 years as president. Others will argue some of his flaws, but this man drove the nation through two terrorist attacks, one nasty school shooting, one of the wildest storms in the history of weather, and a couple quick conflicts in the Middle East. The 90s thrived heavily in terms of economy in growth and while we can’t attribute everything to Clinton, he certainly deserves some of the credit for helping America remain America. What better good luck charm, what better beacon of hope is there than having Clinton at the helm? Biden has not contributed much during Obama’s first term---Clinton has accomplished more and he doesn’t even have a seat in office.

And this is not just a mere ploy to grab votes like what happened with Palin years ago. Clinton is a legitimate political force that has contributed plenty long after he stopped serving in office.Now, he probably doesn’t even want the opportunity to be Vice, but the attempt should at least be there. Obama is nicely in the lead but if he wants to honestly bury the hatchet, Clinton is your man.

Obama/Clinton 2012: Change. Hope. Improve. I can see it. Use the expertise, experience, appeal, and knowledge of Clinton and combine it with the drive, uniqueness, and leadership of Obama. How can this fail?


P.S. Hilary Clinton would be a decent alternative…except I am afraid of her….

2012 National League Preview

This is Part 2 of my 2012 baseball preview articles. Part 1 can be found here.

It is in the air. The atmosphere seems to have improved. The sun seems to be shining better. There seems to be an aura of happiness surrounding us. There’s only one explanation for this: Its baseball season. Here we are in April 2012, about to start another insane year of baseball, attempting to follow up one of the greatest seasons of baseball we’ve ever experienced. The September leading to the playoffs was incredible, the postseason was chock full of surprises, and don’t get me started on the World Series.

And to now add a Wild Card team, give cellar franchises some actual life (Miami Marlins, Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers), and major players getting bounced around everywhere (The American League is even tougher now) and we have a highly anticipated season that can’t quite possibly have a predetermined finish line. The beauty of baseball is that anybody can beat anybody, and you can name a dozen teams that if the right pieces fall into place they can end up in the World Series and win it all.

Nonetheless, here I am with the predictions for the season. I will go division by division and start with the American League and move on from there. Alright, I know it late but here we go.

============
The teams I believe that will make the postseason will have the picture next to my prediction of their season.
============


NL East



1) Philadelphia Phillies
This Phillies team is a long-shot from their 2008-2009 form with the plethora of injuries, sudden lack of offense, and not as much fear-striking as before. They still have the best rotation in baseball, and as long as the pitchers stay healthy there’s no reason why this squad couldn’t win the division----again. But those 100-win seasons will do you no good if the bats don’t wake up in October.


2) Atlanta Braves
Remember the Braves had a share of injuries prior to their infamous collapse in September. Now with a full lineup, the young team gaining more experience, expect them to develop much more ground when trying to catch the Phillies as kings of the NL East like they used to be ions ago. Age is always an advantage for these long baseball seasons, and the Braves still hold a lot of promise.


3) Miami Marlins
Very rarely does a baseball team grab a bunch of great players and suddenly win it all immediately. It takes time; baseball is all about time and experience. The Marlins have potential of becoming something very special in the long run as long as the fans and the owners invest in this revamped squad. They have an excellent manager, great infield, and a rotation that should be taken seriously. The Marlins will be a strong third place team that will fight long into the night—but keep an eye on them two/three years from now.


4) Washington Nationals
The NL East has emerged as one of the nastiest divisions in all of baseball with the Braves emerging, the Marlins rocking, and the fourth-best squad still looking like a threat. Don’t look now, but the Nationals have the pieces of creating a tough young team that can wreak havoc in the division. With Steven coming back, Harper around the corner, and a good manager at the helm…..who knows?


5) New York Mets
It’s the Mets.




NL Central


1) Milwaukee Brewers
With the Cardinals losing their manager and their top player, this is the perfect opportunity for the Brewers to repeat. Even if they lost Fielder, they still have a killer offensive powerhouse, and underrated Zack Grienkie hungry for more playoff time. Remember prior to getting knocked out by St. Louis, they pretty much conquered this division. Expect them to do the same thing this year.



2) St. Louis Cardinals
The World Series Champions are still deadly, they are still a major threat, regardless of who they lost. The unsung heroes of the postseason are back, the fanbase is always hungry, and the bullpen is now among the best in baseball. To be champs means you’ve outlasted everyone else, so there’s no way losing your best player and your manager would dip you too far in the standings. The Cardinals and the Brewers will be neck-and-neck throughout the season, but I can see them both meeting again in the playoffs.


3) Cincinnati Reds
Last season was mildly respectable, but unfortunately locked in the tightest division race in the National League. Even the Pirates at one point held first place. The Reds remain below the radar because of the Champs and the Brewers. Nonetheless they have great pitching from rotation to bullpen.


4) Pittsburgh Pirates
I honestly feel bad for this team. They were a great hungry young team that got shafted in one of the worst calls in the history of baseball. All momentum died right then and there. This season however they can once again attempt to make a push to shock the division yet again with its small ball play and never-say-die attitude. Unfortunately as long as they have the same owners, they will remain a great puzzle with missing pieces.


5) Chicago Cubs
While some franchises have crappy owners, owners that don’t care, etc., the Cubbies just have a nasty string of bad luck on their side. Every acquisition turns bust, every promising star becomes fallen comet, and the lingering events from 2003, 2007, and 2008 continue to residue in Wrigley Field. I don’t see them doing much once again this year, and I strongly believe they should start all over with their new GM by focusing on prospects and rookies.


6) Houston Astros
Pretty much all the attention in Texas Baseball has been converted to the Rangers, and so has all the success. Perhaps the Astros will find new life by switching divisions and leagues. Until then, they will remain a bad joke in the National League.




NL West


1) Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks shocked the division by sweeping the division away from ex-champ San Francisco Giants. Under a great new manager and rising star Upton, this team will continue the success because of weaker competition and because of a team that has developed to mesh well with each other. A series of utility men combine to become a powerful team. Outside the Brewers and Cardinals, this is arguably the best squad in the National League.



2) San Francisco Giants
Posey came back and the momentum is no longer shot like what happened last year when he went down. The Giants have fantastic pitching day in and day out, but lack all aspects of offense—which came after Posey got hurt and they didn’t sign anyone with a good bat. In order for the Giants to have any shot at winning the West they need to start hitting more, that or rely on pitchers to consistently throw no-hitters. Despite this, the Giants have a clear shot at the Wild Card.


3) Los Angeles Dodgers
Expect this team to have a new breath of life with the new owners and the fact that they are no longer associated to the nasty divorce. Good squad that’s a few steps from grand with a baseball expert as manager, excellent pitching staff (Recurring theme of the NL West), and rising crew of offensive stars. Although I place them at third I would not be surprised if they pushed for a Wild Card spot.


4) Colorado Rockies
The Rockies should learn to win in other months not named September. This team hasn’t improved much in the offseason while the other teams received good news and good acquisitions. Barring a spectacular run in the early Fall expect the Rockies to stay put in the dweller standings.


5) San Diego Padres
Fascinating how 5 years ago, the Padres and Rockies were two tough teams fighting a one-game playoff for the division. My what time does to organizations. I have nothing more to add about this team---its just a sad state of affairs here.





Go Rays!!!!!!!!!!

2012 American League Preview

It is in the air. The atmosphere seems to have improved. The sun seems to be shining better. There seems to be an aura of happiness surrounding us. There’s only one explanation for this: Its baseball season. Here we are in April 2012, about to start another insane year of baseball, attempting to follow up one of the greatest seasons of baseball we’ve ever experienced. The September leading to the playoffs was incredible, the postseason was chock full of surprises, and don’t get me started on the World Series.

And to now add a Wild Card team, give cellar franchises some actual life (Miami Marlins, Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers), and major players getting bounced around everywhere (The American League is even tougher now) and we have a highly anticipated season that can’t quite possibly have a predetermined finish line. The beauty of baseball is that anybody can beat anybody, and you can name a dozen teams that if the right pieces fall into place they can end up in the World Series and win it all.

Nonetheless, here I am with the predictions for the season. I will go division by division and start with the American League and move on from there. Alright, I know it late but here we go.


============
The teams I believe that will make the postseason will have the picture next to my prediction of their season.
============



AL East



1) Tampa Bay Rays
This looks bad because of my fanfare surrounding this team, it honestly does. The AL East is also a very nasty division to play in, as even my fourth place pick has a decent shot at rising to the top. But I don’t see the Yankees, whom didn’t make many moves, or the Red Sox, who are probably still trying to recover from last season’s utter self-destruct push for that top spot like the Rays. Baseball is a marathon, and what better way to survive then have a hardcore young rotation, a fresh mind in the manager position, and a few hitting veterans that can also provide extra defensive help? Carlos Pena came back, the underrated Luke Scott is here, and we have Molina as catcher. These sound like small pieces, but the Rays have always run on dozens of small pieces adding up to become a complete team that is the thorn on the sides of the heavy-spending competitors. If Jennings and Moore are as advertised, then there is no stopping the Rays. While their offense still lacks pop, the Rays will knock you out with pitching, defense, and strategy.



2) New York Yankees
Love or hate them, the Yankees seem to always be in the playoff hunt. Focusing their strategy on younger talent and smaller-profile players nowadays, the Yankees barely touched their core roster and remain essentially the same team as 2011. Nothing wrong with that, except their biggest opponents improved their squad significantly---the Rays, the Rangers, and especially the Tigers. The Yankees are the oldest team in baseball, its only a matter of time before you see a sharp decline in Jeter, Rivera, Pettite, Rodriguez, and others.


3) Boston Red Sox
The biggest collapse in the history of sports, the 2011 Red Sox will remain infamous because of their awful September and missing the playoffs by one strike. Doesn’t matter if you switched managers, doesn’t matter if you try to forget, the memory will linger in the organization for quite some time. Not many changes to the lineup will help your chances in a division that enjoys piling on the pain. I don’t see this team rising past third, although they have a legitimate shot at the second Wild Card. Bobby Valentine has a lot on his plate, and it will be a while before we see an imitation of the 2007 Red Sox—the team that is quietly awesome enough to win the whole thing.


4) Toronto Blue Jays
In any other division, the Blue Jays would be fighting for the top spot. They have the hitting, they have great fielding, and their pitching isn’t half-bad. But, it’s the American League East and having to play the Red Sox, Yankees, and Rays will diminish your win total no matter which way you look at it. Now, a great Spring Training may tell you something different, but for me the tape still reads: Good, but not that good.


5) Baltimore Orioles
See above explanation. The Orioles are in the nastiest division in baseball, and are far away from their late 90s days as a major threat to the league. They have an exceptional manager, so they can still shock and at least reach third place. But they need output from the higher-profile players, need to stay healthy, and just can’t have a paper-thin starting rotation. They need to also find a way to translate their second-half winning ways into the first half.




AL Central



1) Detroit Tigers
The easiest division in baseball meets one of the nastiest offenses the division has seen in recent years. Fielder and Cabrera together? Sounds amazing when playing offense, but defensively it’s going to become an issue. Bunt down the first base line and it will all make sense. The weakest infield defensively among the playoff hopefuls will lead to small ball veterans like the Rays and Yankees having a field day. At least the Tigers have the offense, and of course the pitching. Verlander is the top pitcher in baseball, and as long as he continues to dominate, there’s no reason why the Tigers couldn’t claim the division again.


2) Cleveland Indians
In the latest segment of God Hates Cleveland, the Indians lost another slew of key players before the season even begins. But, with the division being on the weak end they can still provide a nice push for the second place crown. At this rate, Cleveland Sports will take anything to erase the pain of The Decision. They will be exciting to watch, they will play scrappy ball, but are a few key players away from truly walking away with it all.


3) Minnesota Twins
Their reign of success is over unfortunately just as their new stadium was unveiled. Too many injuries, too many holes in their offense, and just not enough stuff to compete. With minimal movement in the offseason, with several lingering injury questions persisting, the Twins will remain in baseball purgatory at least through this season.


4) Kansas City Royals
Once upon a time, this team was deadly, this team could win championships. And once upon a time, they were a young upstart team with some pop. While both of those days are long gone we can’t escape the fact that the Royals do have a great minor league program with many potential stars lurking in the corner. They are like the Orioles of the AL Central, good young talent, just in a disjointed organization with minimal hope as of now.


5) Chicago White Sox
They lost the manager that kept them together, lost one of their star pitchers, and still are trying to bring life to Adam Dunn. There’s nothing positive going on in the South Side. They can still surprise, they can still deliver—but this will happen after this recovery season.




AL West



1) Texas Rangers
This team has been to the World Series two years in a row and was essentially one misplayed ball away from winning the entire thing. Now they are adding some more pitching and were able to keep the entire ballclub intact. Now, if that’s not a reason why they should repeat as champions again, I don’t know what else to tell you. They are the thorn to the side of the Rays, Yankees, and Tigers. If there is a team that looks poised to strike the World Series, its these guys.



2) Los Angeles Angels
Pulling out all the stops to pull a division crown from the clutches of Texas, the Angels nab great players—and then the incredible Pujols. That being said, Albert will learn that the American League is a different beast from the National—the pitchers here throw pure heat and will not back down from any challenge. The National League is all about strategy, the American League is pure brute force. That rude awakening will prevent Pujols from getting similar numbers, and if he doesn’t produce well, neither will the Angels.


3) Oakland Athletics
They are essentially like the Rays, all pitching no hitting. Even a random Manny Ramirez pick-up won’t contribute much. The difference is the Rays will beat you in multiple different ways. The Athletics lack that sort of flexibility. And until they can develop alternate ways of coping with their flaws like the Rays, the Athletics will remain nice and low in the standings.


4) Seattle Mariners
Their best player is an aging legend and a loan great pitcher in a weak rotation. The franchise is a long-shot from the good ol’ days of before and are in a very tough division. With the Astros arriving next year they will no longer sit in the bottom but as of now they have to take a brutal beating from a brutal division and become the best of the last-place squads in all of baseball.


The National League preview is coming soon...

Recovering as a Marlins fan

It was October 1997 and we had just finished watching one of the greatest World Series of all-time, one that went to seven games and went the distance. Five years in the Florida Marlins history they had won their first championship and had a bright future ahead of them. But, for some inexplicable reason, just a few days later the owners made a massive, massive fire sale that resulted in trades that sent everyone everywhere and plummeted the Marlins into misery for several years.



It was November 2003 and we had just finished watching one of the greatest postseasons of all-time with both Championship Series going to seven games and it ended with the Marlins shocking the world by defeating the New York Yankees IN Yankee Stadium. Then, inexplicably they start cutting some corners and didn’t make much of an effort to keep the team that sent them the entire way just a few moments ago. Sounds very familiar.

The Florida Marlins did this rare thing of repeating ugly baseball history within a span of 10 years. They are the only franchise in history to destroy their team after winning a championship……twice. They are the only franchise in history to manage ridiculous attendance AFTER winning it all…..twice.

I used to be a Marlins fan, this was before my days as a pure die-hard Rays fan. I was a fan back in 1997 when they went the distance and won the whole thing. But during 2004 something in me snapped---I couldn’t do it anymore. I can’t keep rooting for a team when there’s a chance that the owners would etch-a-sketch the entire organization over a few lousy bucks. I know it’s not my money but don’t reward promise with frustration when you don’t get immediate results. Either way the Marlins just didn’t have an identity, didn’t have a consistent style, didn’t have much of a personality altogether. With the Devil Ways (whom became my official team from 2004 onwards) they were the lovable losers that would play some determined ball from time to time—even if they were leagues underneath the competitors. They sucked but at least they consistently sucked--and consistently lost their rising stars to go elsewhere.

So now with Miami becoming a rising city in the United States they decided to turn their attention to this franchise that is in Miami, but yet doesn’t feel like it. Red Sox is so Boston, Yankees is so New York, and the Giants are so San Francisco. It is unexplainable, but in baseball (and to an extent football) the teams mold itself to resemble, match, and represent its city. The Florida Marlins had not done this during its stint in Miami Gardens, but a new stadium and a new fresh coat of paint would fix this.



Miami Marlins is born, the merchandise is indeed selling, the hype is definitely there, and it feels like a fresh new start ala the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2008. Am I saying the results will be the same? No, but I hope at least in attendance and attention in South Florida there’s a major improvement.

That being said, is it safe to become a fan? Is it safe to wear the colors? Is it safe to wear that baseball cap? Is it safe to pursue the season without fearing another heartbreak? Is it safe to root for the team we have in front of us? Can they guarantee that with success we won’t get a repeat of 1998 and 2004? Similar to my childhood days as a big Magic fan, it was so tough getting back to the groove of fandom when we didn’t give earth and fire to keep Shaq. 4 rings later, it’s still a tough fact to chew on.

I am not ready to root for the Marlins and make them my NL team. I am not fully convinced that this is not the same Marlins team that shattered me twice before. It might be something new, it might be an organization prepared to represent the city and bring decades of delightful sports history into the state. Perhaps. But still I ask in the midst of the party glitz and glamor----





----is it safe?

My Odd Magic Kingdom Discovery

This was an e-mail that I sent to Disney Communications, the one e-mail address in which you can send in questions, compliments, and/or complaints. It explains the photograph in the beginning of this entry.


I was visiting the Magic Kingdom the other day and I came across something odd in Casey's Corner. Background, I am a massive, massive baseball fan and love Casey's Corner because of their food and also because of its old-school baseball vibe in the dining area next door. There is a variety of very old photos of baseball players and teams of the early 20th century--ranging from random local teams to legends like Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth. But there is one random picture in the midst of this that is obviously fake. The picture you see in the attachment was taken in late March and features a couple gals wearing mustaches, and several baseball jerseys that are newer than the supposed date on the image. There is a chance I even know where this fake picture was taken.

Now, I don't know if this was done on purpose, I don't know if its replacing a picture that had been stolen, or it was a practical joke. Either way, it left me quite curious as to why in a room full of authentic baseball images we have one that is obviously fixed. This is not a complaint but instead more like a very curious observation. Any reason why this obviously docked picture hangs with old photographs and old memorabilia? Any feedback would be appreciated.

Random Disney Fan,

Milton Malespin