Merry Christmas from Latvia. Although we had a white Christmas, we have not had as much snow this year as you.

I taught in Moscow during the last years of Soviet times and in those days the shapka was everywhere.

I have not traveled to Moscow in over 10 years as my lectures now take me more to Europe and America, but all I know is that in my country this type of hat is no longer so ubiquitous. Perhaps it is the association with the occupation, because truthfully, it really is a warm hat.

I hope that you and my American friends, including my new friends on this blog, have a very prosperous 2010.

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Pete's reply: Prof, thanks for the note and happy holidays to you and yours. My daughter assumes you will understand when she says...С новым годом!

Just be sure it isnt a nutrium rat hat before you wear it in any precipitation.
Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, Pete.

Your shapka brings back memories. A few years ago my family and I went to Germany. There was street vendor, a Russian, selling merchandise in front of the museum in Berlin. Everyone else was afraid to talk to him, but I hagled with him and got a fox hat for my daughter and a fur hat for me at a fraction of retail. What's funny is that both he and I spoke very little German, most of the negotiation was hand gestures and pretending to walk away. Maybe AM should try that.

Sell the team Pete!

Merry Christmas Schmuckster, the hat is awesome. I'm content with the flat screen tv and ps3 I received that's for sure.

Wear the shades with that hat, Pete.

Merry Christmas Pete-

A donation has been made in your name to the Baltimore Orioles.

Personally I prefer the Floyd R. Turbo model with the mudflaps.

Just remember; The bigger the hair, or in this case, the hat, the closer to God.

Merry Christmas.

Hey Pete,
I'm sure you noticed but the blog on the "plan" has generated over 200 posts. I only did about 48 of them so at least 100 or so others seem to be interested in the hot stove. Good work. Seems like there should at least one picture in between the Beach look and the Russian look or perhaps we are looking at before and after.

Pete,

I like to consider myself a man's man. I live in North Africa and work for a travel agency spending my days backpacking into the Rif mountains and learning Arabic. In fact, a hat like yours would make a great addition to any backpacker's cold gear.

In the last few months, I've carved out 15 hours to make my mom a quilt. She loved it. I was happy. Perfect conditions for a flight home on Monday.

Not exactly off the wall, but the shout out is for my mom. And as usual, Go Os! And Merry Christmas, Pete.

Pete, you look like an older version of that actor playing the lead role in the movie Defiance (just add the beard to the actor, and eureka!)

P.S. There was Orioles news today Pete. Last place finish on the horizon, 13th straight losing season, no big bopper in the lineup, etc. You didn't read?

Do you get the hat from Kosmo Kramer's friend Bob Sacamano? If so, that's not good for anybody.

Recruited by the K.G.B at a young age, the Soviets discovered that young Yoltzi Senitzyn actually a double agent.

In a secret deal with the United States Government , Mr. Senitzyn was deported to the the United States where he assumed the name of Peter Schmuck. As part of the deal, The United Sates Government agreed to the Soviets demand that Mr. Schmuck should be forced to cover the Baltimore Orioles for the rest of his natural life.

Your hat would look better with the cartoon bird on the front.

I got Mr. Beer and a bottle of 2006 Stags Leap Cab... woo hoo!

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Pete's reply: I'll be right over.

I appreciate your daughter's new years wishes. After doing a little googling, I believe that we might have some acquaintances in common.

Hey Pete. They didn't have the hat in a nice Hawaiian print? :D

OK, We send the hat and Wiggenton and a player to be named later to Milwaukee for Prince Fielder.

Is anybody watching the tom davis show today ?

They are carrying water for the warehouse today as if they got talking points from that old malaka greedy petey himself

Incredible (as in not credible)

Can someone find the link where Flanagan said that the Orioles would see the effect from the MASN money IMMEDIATELY. These guys are acting like the callers who are asking this question are making it up. I remember reading that quote too but cant find it. I know it was in the Sun originally

Jason c:

http://www.examiner.com/a-298129~O_s_expect_immediate_impact_from_MASN.html

Thx marco

It was a great show today. A lot of callers were asking the tough questions. A guy named John hit em with the Forbes numbers and Ol Tom Davis was mumbling stumbling and fumbling and got annoyed that ppl arent buying into the LIES from the warehouse anymore. LMAO,

then Johnson pathetically tried to save Daivs by saying that the O's are going to "be in trouble" in 3yrs when wieters et al are arbitration eligibe, LOL -- U cant make this up. SO according to Johnson not only can we not afford FA's, we're going to have trouble making arbitration.

What an EMBARRASMENT those tools were today, DISGRACEFUL.

that aritcle is three years old. in theory, MASN shouldpay big dividends, but a losing team coupled with poor economy (thus the Amstel commercial EVERY break) has not made them as much as expected. The network supports two lousy teams.

Tom Davis is an old grouch and I can't stand him, but Johnson seems to know what he's talking about.

Whats with the sinister Warehouse Conspiracy plots????

I like it. Stop by and say "Hi" to Pat Sajack. He lives near you.

Shamrock,

Tom Davis is a shill for the Oriole organization and is not a serious sports commentator. Some on the blog{as old as me} will remember Davis as a teen age member of the "committee"on the old Buddy Deane show. He used to sell Ameche powerhouse sandwhiches.

Johnson is good, and I think he knows what he is talking about.

I don't think there are any sinister warehouse plots. They are too incompetent to carry one out if they wanted to..

Pete,

Along the lines of funny gifts...I play santa clause for my young cousins every year on Christmas Eve. This year, to play a trick on her wildly spoiled nephews, my cousin bought a few gag gifts which were given out first.

The first two boys (6 yr old twins) were given a set of barbie dolls. As always, when Santa (me) called out their names to receive the gifts, the joy on their young faces was palpable. Then when they tore off the wrapping paper and both saw barbie dolls, the look on their faces was priceless. a mix of confusion and disdain. They didn't know what to do. Then their older brother (8 yrs old) got the next present which was a box filled with rocks. Same reaction.

It was great. It's such a rare moment these days when you get to turn the tables on the kids. That being said, after we had our fun they still got their usual piles of presents. some things never change.

It's pretty simple....

1057's ratings took a hit leading into 2009's all star break. Then, after the break, the ratings simply tanked. People are NOT listening to Oriole games anymore - not on the radio.

And it's not about radio's decline. In city's all over america, while radio advertising is definitely hurting, people still listen to baseball. Not in Baltimore though!

Why?

Obviously the first reason is dismal Losing. When you never have even one season that attracts interest, the audience simply stays away. Names (prospects) don't attract listeners, winning does!

The second reason is the incredible hype and bias. Fans are simply turned off! While Johnson speaks frankly at times, even he is told to reign it in when he gets too critical. Guys like Davis are simply unlistenable!

To put it mildly, 1057 is in panic mode with Football season winding down. They're selling a losing product (The Orioles), and they know 2010 is going to be another brutal year of Losing.

Accept for guys like Davis, who is simply a generic company guy (whether it's the Orioles, Masn or whoever), you have to feel sorry for some of those on 1057 or 1300.

Just know that when you hear the incredible hype....it's not their fault! They're just doing what the station tells them as they're trying to survive by creating interest....

Jason-Mentioned the Forbes article several days ago and got called to task by Chris from Hawaii,who never once showed any indication that he knew or understood what Forbes even is.Would think that would be a more logical and pragmatic argument as to why the Orioles payroll is so skewed by the MASN shills,as someone called them,not to mention the sweet deal that Pete got from MLB that guarantees he will always make money no matter how many actual fans are in the stands.Tom Davis is knowledgeable about ancient Orioles history,i.e.,players statistics,etc,but not too knowledgeable about the "financial aspects" of the company that employs him.Could be a reason for that,people in the orginization who are critical of the PA seem to find themselves jobless,irregardless of thier level of competence,i.e,Jon Miller,Davey Johnson,Mel Proctor,John Lowenstein,etc.Even Rick Dempsey has toned his criticism down quite a bit.

Pete,

When I saw your picture on this blog, I thought that you were a dead ringer for one of Sly Stallone's Soviet bodyguards in Rocky 5.

You didn't have an earlier acting career that we don't know about, did you? How about a little BIO sometime. By the way you write you must have had some interesting lif experiences.

I have blog suggestion. Start a thread called "let's make a deal" In other words, who would your bloggers trade for who if they could right now, or who would they sign if they could. I'll bet that thread would do over 200 posts like the one still going now.

Kid you not, I got a Mike Flanagan signed baseball in my stocking this year. It came from my mom, so I'm not sure if there's a story behind it or just random coincidence, but I just started laughing when I realized who it was.

I do agree 105.7 is about as fair and balanced as Fox News (couldn't help it). Though I do think Tom Davis isn't bad. Hearing him shill just reminds me of watching him do it on HTS when I was growing up. They are more in the tank for the Ravens than the Orioles anyway as a whole. I can understand why, but it's almost like listening to porn they way they are sucking up to them. It's like Purple Zebra on there.

It's kind of a dead horse to me with the MASN money stuff. They got paid $26MM for their broadcast rights (as did the Nationals), which is the guaranteed side of the deal. Up until recently, they couldn't sell local adds, and the 90% of the station that Angelos owns can't be clearing much. Especially with the Nationals games drawing a .39 rating average. Compared to the YES Network which made $340.5MM in 2006 and the Yankees got $67M of that just for their rights that year. On top of that they also get their percentage of the overall profits and can spend based on their stake in a $3 Billion network.

Basically MASN is Angelos' Ty Wiggington as YES is Steinbrenner's Mark Texeira. People have to actually be watching it for them to make serious money like that.