All posts tagged Jonny Gomes

I Feel Like Breakdancing

September 14, 2011

The greatest Reds at-bat song ever belongs to Ken Griffey Jr. His strut-up tune, the “Soul Glo” jingle from the movie “Coming to America,” is easily the greatest at-bat song I have ever heard at the ballpark.

You may argue that it’s not a great tune, or you can’t dance to it (yes, you can) or it’s just kinda weird. Well, that’s what makes it the greatest at-bat song ever. I remember the first time I heard it and about fell out of my seat laughing. No one else around me (in the section… maybe even the stadium) got it. It’s beauty is in its randomness. The confidence in which Junior used it and the humor that was boiling just beneath the surface made it work. I’m glad to have been a part of it in some small way. I will be telling tales about it to my children and their grandchildren in the years to come.

If you’re wondering, the second best Reds at-bat song of all time is Joey Votto’s current selection, “Paint it Black” by the Rolling Stones. That’s big ballin’ right there, folks.

Jonny Gomes comes in a distant third with “Paradise City” with the Sam Kinnison (I think) scream edited in. Quality.

Let us know what ya think. Who had the greatest at-bat songs for the Reds? Here’s the most recent list of at-bat songs for the 2011 team, courtesy of Jamie Ramsey and the Assistant Directors of Media Regulators (Mount up!). Read more…

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Gomes. He’s gone to plaid

October 6, 2010
Jonny Gomes, rising fashion icon (Photo: Cincinnati Reds)

Jonny Gomes, rising fashion icon (Photo: Cincinnati Reds)

Alright, lets be clear – Jonny Gomes’ getup at Monday’s Reds Rally on Fountain Square was straight money. I’ll admit, at first I was a little “what the hell?” when he walked off the bus. But after stepping back and taking it all in, Jonny’s fashion statement was unabashed confidence – the same confidence this Reds team seems to be taking with them to Philly.

Jonny Gomes Strutin' (Photo: Cincinnati Reds)

Strutin' (Photo: Cincinnati Reds)

Okay, let’s break this down.

While some of his other teammates begrudgingly wore off-the-rack suits from Macy’s, Jonny strutted out a grey and red plaid TAILORED suit complemented with a red-checkered shirt and expertly-matched black and red striped tie. While it’s not something you’d wear out your daily sales calls, it was perfect for the event, and season appropriate. I could give or take the black-out Oakleys (Buddy Holly Ray Bans would have been so money), but they actually bridged the gap between suit and mohawk. Head-to-toe, Jonny pulled it off.

Why all this fuss over Jonny’s suit? Well, it reminded me of photos I’ve seen of the Reds traveling in the ’70s. While most of that decade was dressed audaciously, The Big Red Machine took trends of the day and amped it up, matching their swag both on the field and off. Check out the photo below of Pete Rose walking through the airport with the Big Red Machine.

Pete Rose traveling with the Big Red Machine

Pete sportin' the bow tie while traveling with the Big Red Machine in the '70s. (Photo: Rhodes/Klumpe Reds Hall of Fame Collection)

Folks, we’re seeing Jonny’s personal and professional style unfold before us, all with great ease. He’s gone from a sombrero rockin’, goggles-wearing, mohawk-sportin’ young ballplayer to a goggles-wearing, mohawk-sporting, custom bathrobe struttin’ small-market team fashion icon. It’s no small feat.

While it’s nothing new to Jonny, he’s single-handedly making the mohawk a fashion statement in the Nati alongside creating a gritty-swag all his own. You gotta admit, the whole bathrobe things is a gas. Wonder if Koch’s will make us up an OMGreds bathrobe?

Reds Rally fashion honorable mentions:

Brandon Phillips: BP always looks sharp.

Bronson Arroyo: I could only sum up his look as “Gangsta-Troubadour“. Not really sure what that means, but at least Bronson brought some style. The hat was tight. Tuck in the shirt next time though, holmes ;)

To cap this off… Gomes in his #31 Reds robe:

Jonny Gomes and his rob

Jonny and his magical Reds robe. (Photo: Cincinnati Reds)

Comments: 0 Posted by: Categories: 2010 NL Central Champs, Fashion Tags:

Gomes can do it all

June 2, 2010

Did anyone else get fired up when “IN THE BULLPEN: JONNY GOMES RHP” showed up on the TV screen while Cordero was warming up during tonight’s TV broadcast?

Jonny Gomes – one of two Reds to get on base four times tonight (granted, it wasn’t as pretty as Votto’s homer, triple and two singles, but it’s still getting on base four times) – pitching the bottom of the 9th? Hellyeah! Cordero did get the job done – which the bullpen did throughout the last four innings of the game (more on that later) – but we’re pretty sure Gomes would’ve struck out the side on nine pitches. The guy proved once again tonight that he is CLUTCH! He had a gorgeous outfield assist in the first to get former Red Felipe Lopez at the plate and then a HUGE hit in the top of the 7th to drive in Votto and tie the game at 8.

Look, Votto going 4-for-5 after a six-game absence and Rolen somehow hitting another two home runs, adding a third hit and driving in four were VERY impressive and both had a lot to do (along with the bullpen) with lifting the Reds to the 9-8 win. All we’re saying is don’t overlook the role Gomes had, not only in this win but the role he’s had in helping the Reds to first place in the NL Central. All the guy did in May was hit .364 (2nd in the National League for the month for players with a minimum of 3.1 plate appearances per team game) with 22 RBIs (tied for second, along with Rolen, in the NL for the month). His slugging percentage was .636 in May (2nd only to Corey Hart, who hit 10 home runs in May).

When the Reds were 12-12 and 4 games back on May 1, Gomes was only hitting .217. Now he’s hitting .307 and they’re 31-22 and 1 game up on the Cards.

BIG night for the bullpen too. It wasn’t an easy 7th for Arthur Rhodes, but the guy got a couple of huge strikeouts of David Freese and pinch-hitter Nick Stavinoha (to end the inning) to extend his scoreless streak to 19 2/3 innings.

Also impressive was Masset getting Colby Rasmus (who was 3-for-4 on the night entering the at-bat) on strikes with two on and two out in the bottom of the eighth.

Comments: 1 Posted by: Categories: Business Time, Television, Watching Games, WTF? Tags: