Rat Poison and Brandy: The 1904 St. Louis Marathon
August 13, 2016 1:53 PM Subscribe
In the newest episode of Pretty Good, Jon Bois talks about the worst Olympic marathon of all time.
[slyt], Jon Bois Previously
This was also the subject of an episode of The Dollop
posted by jason_steakums at 2:52 PM on August 13, 2016
posted by jason_steakums at 2:52 PM on August 13, 2016
Sounds like everyone survived, though, unlike the 1912 Olympic Marathon that featured the the rather bizarre death of poor Francisco Lázaro, the first Olympian (and only Olympian marathon runner) to die during an event.
But that race is perhaps better known for the slowest finisher ever, japanese marathon pioneer Shiso Kanakuri: "It was a long trip. Along the way, I got married, had six children and 10 grandchildren."
posted by effbot at 3:52 PM on August 13, 2016 [9 favorites]
But that race is perhaps better known for the slowest finisher ever, japanese marathon pioneer Shiso Kanakuri: "It was a long trip. Along the way, I got married, had six children and 10 grandchildren."
posted by effbot at 3:52 PM on August 13, 2016 [9 favorites]
Pretty Good is awesome! We watched a few episodes of it a couple of weeks ago as preroll for MST3K Club (we're always looking for new stuff!), some highlights are:
I Wish Everybody Else Was Dead, about the pathology of the universe of 24.
NO!!!!!, about the foolishness of desperation laterals in football and one of the few times they worked.
Lonnie Smith, a self-described clumsy baseball player who went to four World Series in his career, each on a different team.
Larry Walters, a man with a BB gun, a lawn chair, a whole bunch of weather balloons, and a dream.
posted by JHarris at 4:28 PM on August 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
I Wish Everybody Else Was Dead, about the pathology of the universe of 24.
NO!!!!!, about the foolishness of desperation laterals in football and one of the few times they worked.
Lonnie Smith, a self-described clumsy baseball player who went to four World Series in his career, each on a different team.
Larry Walters, a man with a BB gun, a lawn chair, a whole bunch of weather balloons, and a dream.
posted by JHarris at 4:28 PM on August 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE
Also, god I love that the board is basically Candyland!
posted by JHarris at 4:33 PM on August 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Also, god I love that the board is basically Candyland!
posted by JHarris at 4:33 PM on August 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Jon Bois is a national treasure. And this features a crossover with the McElroy Content Universe!
posted by kmz at 5:07 PM on August 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by kmz at 5:07 PM on August 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
Huh, I actually really didn't like this video, although yes the story was quite interesting. Is the rest of Bois' oeuvre similar in style? I wouldn't mind more interesting stories, but the pacing felt really off to me.
posted by nat at 5:38 PM on August 13, 2016
posted by nat at 5:38 PM on August 13, 2016
The experiment where he undoes the 3-point line in basketball and charts how it would have affected the season is brilliant.
The episode about 24 is interesting, if only to hammer home why I am glad I never watched that shitshow.
I thought that this might be prime material for The Dollop, and it is! Covered in episode 150.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 6:02 PM on August 13, 2016
The episode about 24 is interesting, if only to hammer home why I am glad I never watched that shitshow.
I thought that this might be prime material for The Dollop, and it is! Covered in episode 150.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 6:02 PM on August 13, 2016
If you'd prefer text: The 1904 Olympic Marathon May Have Been the Strangest Ever
I vaguely knew the story but I don't think I have ever seen a picture of Fred Lorz before. And now I wonder if anyone ever saw Lorz and H.P. Lovecraft in the same room.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:46 PM on August 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
I vaguely knew the story but I don't think I have ever seen a picture of Fred Lorz before. And now I wonder if anyone ever saw Lorz and H.P. Lovecraft in the same room.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:46 PM on August 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
Fell down a Pretty Good hole, and WHY DO I CHOOSE THIS FOR A LIVING is, indeed, pretty good. Jon's rules for poker are good advice.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 12:16 AM on August 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 12:16 AM on August 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
Showed my roommate the first Pretty Good about Koo Dae-Sung last night. She didn't really know who Randy Johnson was. "Wait for it," I told her. "Wait for it."
posted by maryr at 12:26 PM on August 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by maryr at 12:26 PM on August 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
His poker episode "WHY DO I CHOOSE THIS FOR A LIVING" was absolutely amazing, and specifically extra hilarious if you've played poker at any level beyond "random game at somebody's house once every few years"
The conclusion he draws, through typical Jon Bois masterfully hilarious means, is IMHO totally correct in regards to the "sport" and "job" of poker.
Given how smartypants everybody is these days, and able to crank out mathematically perfect poker styles and strategies, people often ignore that it's inherently designed to ignore skill quite often. The analogy with Kershaw drives home the point perfectly, and in my days as a very good but infrequent and "unwilling to commit" player the realization that you could do everything perfectly and lose, forever, kept me from committing.
His style of editing and use of maps and filters should be taught in a wing of Harvard named after him as well.
At least once a week I make sure that none of the "majors" have poached him and sucked out whatever magical ingredients exist at SB Nation that have kept him putting out A+ stuff year after year.
TL;DR - I really like Jon Bois, he is funny
posted by GreyboxHero at 4:28 PM on August 15, 2016
The conclusion he draws, through typical Jon Bois masterfully hilarious means, is IMHO totally correct in regards to the "sport" and "job" of poker.
Given how smartypants everybody is these days, and able to crank out mathematically perfect poker styles and strategies, people often ignore that it's inherently designed to ignore skill quite often. The analogy with Kershaw drives home the point perfectly, and in my days as a very good but infrequent and "unwilling to commit" player the realization that you could do everything perfectly and lose, forever, kept me from committing.
His style of editing and use of maps and filters should be taught in a wing of Harvard named after him as well.
At least once a week I make sure that none of the "majors" have poached him and sucked out whatever magical ingredients exist at SB Nation that have kept him putting out A+ stuff year after year.
TL;DR - I really like Jon Bois, he is funny
posted by GreyboxHero at 4:28 PM on August 15, 2016
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posted by zamboni at 2:36 PM on August 13, 2016 [9 favorites]