THE NERD REPORT

Nerds around town: Fixing the Hedgehog, comic books and more

Nerds around town: Fixing the Hedgehog, comic books and more
ART BY JESUS RODRIGUEZ

Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio, Sports and Wrestling. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!

Hey Nerds!

It's Friday and the weekend is now upon us. There are so many good times to be had and enjoyed but as you're getting crazy and living the life just remember to take a few minutes to think of others and be kind.

GOOD DEED OF THE DAY

Stuff happens all the time, sometimes great stuff and sometimes bad stuff. We never know when stuff is going to hit us and how it will hit us. You're asleep in bed when suddenly the wildfires that were three miles away when you went to bed are burning your house down and you and your loved ones barely get out in time. Now you don't have your wallet, extra clothes, even a car or a tent literally everything is burning, these are the times people like the American Red Cross step in and help. Make sure to donate and help out. #NerdsUnite

WELL THAT'S DIFFERENT

This week history was made as the internet actually did something good. They got the director of a movie to acknowledge they messed up and to move away from the decisions they've made. Sonic the Hedgehog after being universally panned and hated by honestly everyone in the whole entire world, is going to be redesigned to be closer to the version everyone knows and loves. The director of the film made a tweet and basically said, we get it, if we do this movie as is we will lose tons of money so lets fix the dumb hedgehog. I can't think of a ton of times that the internet has whined about something and it actually happened, and it was for the better. This is a completely odd moment. Everyone take a bow.

WHILE YOU'RE OUT

This weekend while you're going by the hardware store and hanging out at the mall food court, and going to little Bobby's birthday, make sure you swing by the comic book shop. Your local comic book store has all kinds of goodies and things to check out and this week there are some cool things out. DC comic's is launching a new event called DCeased which features a world where a virus has spread dangerously and quickly and the heroes of the DC universe are caught quite unaware. Tom King is the writer and he's a rising star in comic books and this is going to continue that rise. Also debuting this week is Marvel's Savage Avengers, Conan the Barbarian is now a part of the Marvel Universe and he joins up with a team of crazy tough badass killing machines and form their own team of Avengers. Wolverine, Elektra, Punisher and Venom are hanging out with Conan. Also this week in the world of Indy comics comes Dragonsblood #1, it looks like it might be just the book for Game of Thrones fans to check out, I recommend giving it a look.

JAWS

I just saw a preview for a new movie about a city being flooded by a hurricane and a woman in particular in this small flooded town being harassed by a killer Croc. The movie looks tense and scary and I'm sure it'll be interesting but overall there's nothing overly original about the idea or the concept and it all comes back to Jaws. Young Steven Spielberg created the modern summer blockbuster by building a mechanical shark named after a lawyer named Bruce who ate pretty college co eds as they partied all summer on the beach. The gigantic and terrifying shark at the time winds up attack and destroying a boat and then finally is killed when an oxygen tank lodged in his mouth is shot and he explodes (spoilers, sorry). It was the original, scary what's in the water movie and since then sharks have been terrifying to me and some little kid gets to grow up with an unhealthy fear of crocodiles because of this movie. Get excited.

NOT THAT YOU ASKED

So I'm a little confused about something. Why on earth do we celebrate Cinco de Mayo? I know why Mexicans do, although it's not a great story, honoring a battle they lost in a bid for independence much in the same way that the Alamo became a rallying cry for Texans. The question that I'm getting at, is why do we celebrate it though? Why is Taco Cabana and whomever else giving away cheap margs and turning this thing into a three day party? How did we get to that? I'm sure people have the same question about St Patty's Day, I'm sure there are people thoroughly confused how these things became drinking festivals scheduled months out, with bands and crazy parties, but somehow we did and now the party just starts on the closest Friday for many. So be careful and be safe and be responsible and enjoy your now Cinco de Mayo (which makes no sense, but whatever).

I'm going to jump out and wish you guys a great Friday and remind everyone to be kind to each other and try a little harder to have a great day! I'm coming back Monday and we'll be bringing more good times your way. Feel free to check out my digital short story The Wilson House or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where $.50 from every shirt is donated to a good cause or listen to Nerd Thug Radio or support our Patreon Page. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.

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Cal Raleigh becomes the first catcher, switch-hitter to win the Home Run Derby. Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images.

Cal Raleigh approached the All-Star Home Run Derby like a day on the lawn. Dad was on the mound and baby brother was behind the plate.

Only this time, there were tens of thousands looking on at Truist Park and a $1 million prize.

“It goes all the way back to him coming home and me forcing him to throw me a ball and hit it in the backyard or in the house or something probably shouldn’t be doing,” a beaming Cal said, flanked by Todd and Todd Jr. after defeating Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero 18-15 in the final round Monday night.

Todd Raleigh, former coach of Tennessee and Western Carolina, threw the pitches and Cal’s 15-year-old brother, Todd Raleigh Jr., did the catching. A first-time All-Star at age 28, Cal became the first switch-hitter and first catcher to win the title. He’s the second Mariners player to take the title after three-time winner Ken Griffey Jr., who was on the field, snapping photos.

“Anybody that’s ever played baseball as a kid dreams of stuff like this,” Cal’s dad said. “I dreamed of it. He dreamed of it. When you’re a parent, you look at it differently because you want your kids to be happy.”

Leading the major leagues with 38 home runs at the All-Star break, Cal almost didn’t make it past the first round. The Mariners’ breakout slugger nicknamed Big Dumper and the Athletics’ Brent Rooker each hit 17 homers, and Raleigh advanced on a tiebreaker for longest long ball: 470.61 feet to 470.53 — or 0.96 inches. At first, Cal wasn’t aware whether there would be a swing-off.

“An inch off, and I’m not even in the final four, which is amazing,” Cal said. “So I guess I got lucky there. One extra biscuit.”

Raleigh totaled 54 homers. He won his semifinal 19-13 over Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, whose 513-foot first-round drive over the right-center field seats was the longest of the night.

 

Cal’s brother, nicknamed T, kept yelling encouragement to the brother he so admires.

“His swag, the way he plays, the way he hustles,” T said.

Hitting second in the final round, the 22-year-old Caminero closed within three dingers — MLB counted one that a fan outfielder caught with an over-the-wall grab. Using a multicolored bat and down to his last out, Caminero took three pitches and hit a liner to left.

“I didn’t think I was going to hit as many home runs or make it to the finals,” Caminero said through a translator.

Cal was just the second Derby switch-hitter after Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman in 2023. His dad was a righty and wanted both his sons to hit from both sides.

“Did it from the first day, when he was in diapers, literally,” Todd Sr. said. “I would take that big ball and he had a big red bat. I’d throw it slow and he’d hit it. Then I’d say stay there, pick him up, turn him around, switch his hands and do it again. I was a catcher. I played a little bit, and I just knew what a premium it was. I didn’t want either one of my boys to ever say, am I right-handed or left-handed?”

There was a downside.

“I don’t recommend it if you have two kids, they’re both switch hitters, if you want to save your arm, because that’s a lot of throwing,” said dad, who had rotator cuff surgery.

Raleigh hit his first eight homers left-handed, took a timeout, then hit seven right-handed. Going back to lefty, he hit two more in the bonus round and stayed lefty for the rest of the night.

“Was grooving a little bit more lefty so we were like, since we have a chance to win, we might as well stick to the side that’s working a little better,” Cal said.

Caminero beat Minnesota’s Byron Buxton 8-7 in the other semifinal. Atlanta’s Matt Olson, Washington’s James Wood, the New York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Rooker were eliminated in the first round of the annual power show.

Cruz’s long drive was the hardest-hit at 118 mph.

Wood hit 16 homers, including one that landed on the roof of the Chop House behind the right-field wall. Olson, disappointing his hometown fans, did not go deep on his first nine swings and finished with 15, Chisholm hit just three homers, the fewest since the timer format started in 2015.fter it was all over, the Raleighs headed out. Stephanie, the boys’ mom and Todd Sr.'s wife, is surrounded by baseball.

After it was all over, the Raleighs headed out. Stephanie, the boys’ mom and Todd Sr.'s wife, is surrounded by baseball.

“We kind of leave it in the cage. We’ve got a cage at home, a building,” Todd Sr. said. “Or we leave it in the car on the rides home. There’s probably been a few times where she says, yeah, that’s enough.”

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