FIPS SALUTES: TENNIS PLAYER DAVID FERRER

You know how sometimes you're playing a championship tennis match, and then maybe things aren't going so well, so you're rully, rully trying to concentrate hard in order to turn your game around? And then like maybe you actually *could* turn your game around except not, cause, you're tryin and the entire stadium is quiet except for the sound of one MOTHERFUCKING CRYING, WHINY BABY??

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Park Slope's Ye Olde Minor League Baseball Team

Here's your fun Park Slope fact 'o the day: We used to have a baseball team right here in Park Slope. Ye olde Park Slope, 1883-1891 style. And they played right where your kids play 'n' poop 'n' spread viruses: JJ Byrne Park by the Old Stone House, right on Fifth Ave and 3rd St!

Check this shit out. And if you find it interesting, you should probably read Fifty-Nine in '84, where said fun Park Slope fact 'o the day was acquired. 

And why am I posting about this? Because it's fucking awesome. And because baseball (even, sigh, National League ball) > strollers. And because you know you're that jerk who shows off at cocktail parties. And because WATSON MUST BE DEFEATED.

(Photo via Wikipedia)

BREAKING: YOU ARE NOT EUROPEAN [Fuck the World Cup]

This was sent in from FIPS reader, Raye, I couldn't agree MORE (at least about the fuck the World Cup stuff):

Honestly, who gives a shit about the world cup? We’re AMERICANS, for testosterone’s sake!

Soccer’s gay, unlike football, where REAL men grunt and sweat and wrestle on top of one another. All of America should be dancing around burning effigies of soccer balls while chugging warm beer and discussing the imagined sex life of Sarah Palin… but, of course, such is not the case in our beloved hometown. Just a few nights ago, I passed by a sports-bar-that-shall-remain-nameless spilling drunken fans onto the street, all pretending to know what was going on in the game, spitting out such insightful remarks as, “Catch it! CATCH IT!!!” After throwing up, I gained some thoughtful new insight on our fellow Slopesters- they’re really just trying to be foreign.

So I call for all Park Slopians to rejoin America! Fire your au pair and your acupuncturist! Get off your lazy ass when you hear the national anthem! Eat a bacon wrapped sausage or two! But most of all- STOP PRETENDING YOU CARE ABOUT FUCKING SOCCER.

ESPN Match Truck: World Cup B.S. AND Delish Food

Yo, so if you're looking for another spot to watch this World Cup insanity, and don't mind standing out on the sidewalk with 11 billion strollers and homeless people, you can come to GAP today from 9am-5pm and hit up the ESPN Match Truck.

They'll be showing shit all day.

More importantly (in my eyes, however) they're also serving food from all over the world, with a menu designed by the LA-based Kogi BBQ truck chef Roy Choi.

Here's a detailed rundown of how all the food tastes, and you can also follow the action on Twitter from the Match Truck's offish account.

[FULL DISCLOSURE: Sadly, this was NOT a sponsored post].

WHO GIVES A SHIT: Best Places to Watch the World Cup?

The World Cup is awesome.  The universe comes together to hate on each other through the vehicle of attractive men playing soccer, which cues most people in the US turn to the foreign friends they have and say, "We're supposed to be caring about this, yes?"

I, for one, do give a shit about the World Cup, as you might have guessed.  So, as USA vs. England kicks off today at 2:30 (yes, I realize this is a photo of Wayne Rooney and not Landon Donovan, but come on, it's Wayne fucking Rooney), where are y'all going to be watching?

The awesome Korean lady from Brownstone Cleaners was standing outside of Okeanos at like 8:30 am, watching South Korea beat the shit out of Greece through the windows.  (She > you.)  So, you can go that route, or try out these suggestions from the crowd: 

• Old Carriage Inn, which has a big projector situation going on.  That's where I'll probably be.
• Black Horse Pub, the choice of Brooklynian.
• The Dram Shop, so you can burger while you watch.
• Loki, which I personally hate, but listed for Allison and a bunch of you who dig this place (see, I listen to you).
• 200 Fifth, duh.

 Anything else to add to the list?  And come on, USA, let's not embarrass ourselves too badly.