Steve Sanders looking ahead

For all you Beverly Hills 90210 fans out there, the CW will be premiering a spin-off series creatively named "90210." The series will feature some of the old cast members we have come to know and love including Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty.

Noticeably absent from the cast will be Ian Ziering (Steve Sanders). When asked why he won't be involved in the spin-off, Ziering remarked,

“I’m really looking down the line pretty far and this might be a step backwards.”

Ziering is currently involved in the filming of 301: The Legend of Awesomest Maximus Wallace Leonidas.

Are you an American?

According to boston.com,

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services will unveil a new citizenship test in October.

Here is a sample of some of the questions you must answer to become an American:

Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Name one U.S. territory.

What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

Why did the colonists fight the British?

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

How did you do? Are these really the things you should know in order to become an American citizen?

And you're telling me that Manny Ramirez passed a similar test? Fo real?

Schapp awarded muzzle by 360

The intonation of Jeremy Schapp's voice makes me want to put my head in an oven. I can't put my finger on it. Does he speak with Iambic Pentameter? Is he speaking like a valley girl?

Andy Katz 360 is handing out our first muzzle of 2008 to Mr. Schapp. I believe it is long overdue.

Our friends at deadspin hold an approval poll of Jeremy. Vote here.

Best Appetizer?

One of my absolute favorite appetizers is crab rangoon. According to a Food Network episode, it seems as if they are not so difficult to make. All you need is cream cheese, crabmeat, garlic powder, vegetable oil, and wonton wrappers. And I almost forgot the secret ingredient--steak sauce. Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 12 minutes.
I'll let you know how it goes. I might add some scallions for a little crunchy crunch.

Click here for step-by-step instructions.

Sweet Sixteen?

If you have been watching the women's gymnastics competitions in the Olympics, you have heard the accusations that some or all of the Chinese women are too young for Olympic eligibility. US coach and gymnastics icon Bela Karolyi has not been afraid to publicly express his opinion on this matter. On the NBC telecast the other night, he flat out accused the Chinese of cheating. (The rule states gymnasts must be at least 16 years old).

Will there be any recourse?

You have to admit there is an advantage in having a smaller body in gymnastics. I remember how I used to be able to contort my body at a young age. Today, I have trouble lacing my sneakers without pulling a hammy.

Battle of the Bandboxes

A few weeks ago, I made my first trip to Wrigley Field (long overdue). Below I compare the two oldest major league baseball stadiums: Wrigley Field and Fenway Park.

Neighborhood-Wrigley
Close call on this one...
Fenway has done a great job to integrate the surrounding streets into the ballpark experience. But, I am turned off by the bar scene which has been "upgraded" from dive bars with great atmosphere to swanky sportsbars with flat screens and blasting hip hop.

The neighborhood surrounding Wrigley really gives you that classic baseball feel. Solid bar scene. The clincher...they built stands on top of the apartment buildings.

Food-Wrigley
Wrigley's menu makes you feel like you're at a baseball game. Fenway's menu makes you feel like you could be at a Cheesecake Factory. What happened to, "Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack?" AND...Wrigley sells beer in the stands.

Proximity to Field-Fenway
The main seating bowl at Wrigley is noticeably larger than Fenway's.

Unless you are tucked away in the rightfield corner or way up in the bleachers, the Fenway experience is as tight as they come in major league baseball. Recent seating additions above the Green Monster and to the roof boxes really frames the stadium nicely and gives fans an even greater feeling of intimacy.



Old School-Wrigley
No video scoreboards. Very little advertising. How do they resist the temptation?

Fans-Fenway
Red Sox Nation is in the game. Wrigley Nation is in the bag.

More 360...Coming Soon

As of late, my blog posts have been less than regular.
I've been spending more time updating my baseball strategy blog (BaseballThink), and my co-authors have clearly used Andy Katz 360 as a launching pad for their own blogging careers (visit my friends at Pax Arcana and Karl & Betsy's Excellent Adventure). Now I know how the Minnesota Twins feel(or the directors of the Mickey Mouse Club).

But, I assure you that the interns at 360 are working hard to bring you MORE in the months to come.

Before signing off, I wanted to mention the Olympics. I've never been an Olympics enthusiast but the US Men's relay team caught my attention last night. They put forth an amazing performance last night to beat the favored French team, coming from behind. If you have no interest in swimming, you still have to be impressed with the marvel that is the natatorium in Beijing. It is appropriately named "The Cube."