One of the most fun Section 8 times

two years ago

Open Cup Final

-v- L.A. Galaxy

Lou's consolation prize: Manager of the Year

Charlie Manuel got a World Series ring, and all Lou got was the this lousy NL Manager of the Year Award. This means nothing to me, you can take this award and shove it up Lou's ass for all I care. I want a ring.

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Lazerbaseball

written by Lazers

If the Jake Peavy deal doesn't go through for the Cubs, what do Cub fans think of this idea- Soriano for Barry Zito? Bad contract for bad contract. Cubs need to shake-up the lineup of postseason no-shows and would acquire a former Cy Young winner. Just how good a pitching coach is Larry Rothchild- can he turn Zito around. From SF perspective, they get a marquee name to replace Bonds.

Thoughts?

rumours

So says it here that not only is Joe Montana being considered for a spot on this years dcs Bowl Special, but musical group Bully Pulpit is also being considered. Stay tuned.

(the) Harlem (Stands) is (/are) burning.

Some serious thought was given by me to drive the eight hours to Ohio next week to catch the Fire’s next game - if it is to be against the Columbus Crew. If it’s not against/in Columbus, then the Fire will play K.C. here for the right to go to MLS Cup for the fourth time in the teams 11 season history. Either way, the important deal is that the fire advanced Thursday nite against the new England Revolution, winning the two game total goals series 3-0. The next opponent will be decided to-nite when K.C. plays the regular season best team Columbus*. The single game -OT and PK’s to decide it if it‘s tied in regulation- will be played Thusday nite (a rare non J & B Thursday nite game).

The fact that I gotta work the next day means I will not be driving to Ohio - for many reasons I’m pulling for the upset for KC over Columbus. The MLS playoffs are sorta like the Stanley Cup playoffs (or how MLB playoffs have become) , where anyone in a given series can win it. The first leg of the KC Columbus series was 0-0, so whoever wins the second leg advances to play the Fire.

This series showed the Fire to be the superior team to New England. The first leg, a 0-0 slugfest last Thursday in Boston, was thrilling. I missed the first half due to coaching my soccer team, but the second half was tingling. From what I saw, playing on the road to a team that had eliminated the Fire something like five out of the last six years (think NHL early 80’s when it seemed the Hawks played the North Stars every year in the playoffs), the Fire were the better team. Now wait - New England had two of their best players injured - Taylor Twellman and Steve Ralston- so the Fire had an easier goof it. Last year it was a a spectacular bycicle kick goal by Twellman to eliminate the Fire. But this year the Fire have outplayed the Revolution every time they met. The Fire won 3-0 and 4-0 this year @ home, and after the battle last week, I had every confidence in the team to advance.

So this weeks game was a really exciting thing to look forward to - and we were not disappointed. The game was great. Some soccer games suck, and I can lose interest quickly. Since this was a deciding game, there was a lot of interest in it- but it went far beyond that. Both teams are very good, in top fitness, and have been playing to-gether for seven months now. In other words, there were many beautiful passes, intricate passes, wonderful movement of the ball, on both sides - it was the beautiful game. But was obvious that one team was more beautiful - the Fire. Blanco was on his game, and the running, shouting, passing Blanco we all love was all apparent all over the field. Funny -a small back heel pass from him - even if it goes nowhere - sets the crowd alight. His lot loose @ the end of the firt half, and his parried shot was put in by Chris Rolphe. I felt @ that point that it mite be enough - but two more goals allowed Section 8 to start taunting.

And what a nite for Section 8. Fire playoff games - like playoff games in any sport - are a killer. From the first season of the fire in ‘98, the mood @ a playoff game is totally different that a regular season game. In the old days, when the fire would get maybe 5000 for a midweek playoff game, up to 20% of the crowd was crowded in Section 8, and they were always @ their loudest. Not only was Section 8 r evved up for those games, the sparse crowds w ere always dominated by Section 8. Last nites game drew 17,000 plus - a very nice crowd for an ESPN2 mandated Thurday nite game - and they were all loud. The knots in the stomachs mite have been lifted by Rolphes goal - but the shouting never stopped. And the surprise that Section 8 had promised for the game?? Turned out to be flares again - the endless battle betwixt Section 8 and security continues.

*The regular season winner is actually celebrated in MLS. They win something called The Supporters Shield - an acknowledgement of the many leagues in the world, like Englands Premiership, La Liga of Spain……… um, I guess every Euro league is set up like this - where there are no playoffs and the league is set up like a pennant race = the most points @ the end of the season wins the league. But the bigger deal w/ winning the Supporters Shield is that the team is qualified to the next season Champions League (along w/ the Open cup winner, and the two finlists in MLS Cup). The Fire may already have won a place in next years competition - since Columbus is already qualified, they do not have to win against the Fire to qualify for next years competiton. So even if the Fire lose this week, the tiebreakers for qualification could earn the Fire their first Champions league spot. I’d love that. Events will play out. But the exciting thought that next year the fire will actually be traveling to Belize to play Belize United (or whoever) is, embarrassingly, exciting to me.

Sox and Cubs

I'd forgotten that this years Chicago doublentries into the baseball playoffs are both performing a tribute to the playoff performance of the 1983 White Sox. Love those key HR's given up, those bases loaded situations where nobody gets home, and players screaming @ the other team.

Both teams - no doubt about it -are facing tough opponents. But these performances? The Cubs have been worse, and are in a lot of danger now. No Cub hating here, as the Sox have suxxed as well - just a realization that a Chicago Series is sadly slipping into the gutter and both teams have been deeply pathetic. The Cubs are too good a team to be swept - or even not advance from the first round.

The Sox, after a stirring few days this week, still have a bit of life. One loss, when they wanted only one of two in Florida, is ok. They have @ least one game @ Comiskey on Sunday. And, maybe most importantly, they got Vasquez out of the way. The next three starters are Burlhe, Danks, and Floyd - and, if a fifth game is needed, then I believe it should be - i'm changing my vote - Richard the Rookie. Vasquez is a nice #5 starter, but we need better for this series.

Both teams need better. yeesh.

Pathetic!

Horrible, Horrible!!! To continue last years futile playoff attempts, the Cub were lifeless again last night against L.A.D. Aside from Derosa's wind aided HR, they showed no life. Dempster had his worst outing of the year with 7 walks, Marshall looked ok, and Marquis continued his early outing fade.

There must be desperation on the field today. It is must win tonight. Let's hope Big Z can respond. The Dodgers did what they came here to do- steal a game. Pitching is vital, but the Cub can never seem to hit in the playoffs. What's also obvious is that Marquis cannot be middle relief- he takes forever to warm up.

Its do or die tonight, coming back from 0-2 is virtually impossible. Lets hope Zambrano has his head screwed on straight.

Black Sox Faction

One run on five hits was Enough

SOX WIN !! SOX WIN !!

And so the team continues. As near run as a near run thing can be, the Sox's 1-0 win allows us to watch playoff baseball on the Southside for the first time since 2005. It's been too long. One of the most famous of all Sox weekends in the teams 108 year history now leads into one of the most famous of all Sox postseasons (this being only the ninth postseason, so....)

And what a fucking game. I knew that the Sox had a good chance to win - even better than 50% because of the run they invented themselves up,because Minny wasn't the greatest of teams this year, and because game 163 was @ Comiskey. But it was also one of those churling games where every pitch had to be watched because one couldn't know where the pitch would finish.

The whole day yesterday was exciting. So exciting. The previous two days had Sox fans going nuts, and school was such an experience. Everyone instinctively got out their Sox gear, and both teachers and kids were Soxed up. Although there are cub fans @ the school of course (these teachers, mannnnn...), it's overwhelmingly a Sox school. People were shouting and smiling all day, acknowledging each other in the gear (I was best dressed, of course - I mean, I'd gotten my shirt in 1990, and to me historu is deeply important). And the call for the Sox fans to wear black @ Comiskey worked @ the game, and it also worked on me. I had that really really really old "Real Men Wear Black" - it should now be called "Real Men Wear Faded Black" - so I rocked that. I also had a black button up shirt whenever there was a chance I'd see the principal. And, I'd like to say, I was a little embarrassed. .
One of my favourite Bulls stories of all time was watching the terrible loss in Game 7 to the Knicks in '94. There was the usual 25-30 20-23 years olds crowded into my crib (The Lunt House, y'all) that Sunday, and I was the only one with Bulls shit on (Almost certainly it was my.....uh....."Real Men wear Red" shirt......). The Redhead, halfway through the game, turned to me, then looked all about the upstairs room where we were all hanging, and said "Oh Virgil, yr the only one here with spirit!" So, of course, I had to blackup my outfit and show my spirit. Lemming after Sox management, but.... It was great to rebreak out that shirt - for me, I felt it may be too provocative around cub fans so in the last few years I really de-emphesied the shirt. But it was perfect for this nite

Gallo had emailed me to come over so, I made the drive up to Evanston. The HD was on, grilled burgers (only salt and pepper -usually when I patty up beef myself @ home i throw in hundreds of spices -but I'll despice my recipe next time) delicious, a few calls to the bullpen for some matt Jenke relief, and both Yankee and White Sox fans in alighment. I was a bit late - I got there in the bottom of the first - and I was worried that POSSIBLY, knowing the history of these two teams the last 10 years or so -that it would be 0-5 after one. But this was to be a different nite*.

One run, five hits, but baseball hero's all around. Danks, of course. Luckily, it was a John Danks @ his very best - and every pitch of his seemed to land just on the corner of the plate. Every pitch. And when I say that he had his best game of the year - he had pitched no hitters into the seventh twice - it's saying a lot. he's had a real solid and promising year. There were the scares from last year when he was shut down near the end to save his arm. This year a few starts were delayed a few days, and he was pitching on only three days rest - a first for him in Chicago. But good as Buerlhe and Floyd have both been this weekend/season - Danks was there with them. His final record in the regular season was 12-8, but this is the type of game - a low scoring close game - he has lost several times this year. He deserved it. Nice regular season, but beautiful game 163. Six pitches one inning? Nine another ? Holy shit. Get ready for a start -v- Tampa.

The defense. Griffs catch and throw were rite on target, and A. G Pierzinski (sic)'s catch could have easily been hacked out of him. Images of Tori Hunter knocking the ball out of a Sox catchers mitt - nightmares for Sox fans - did not happen. But then again, that's one of the reasons A.G. is on the team. Griff got it right on. And yes - the runner should have gone. Although it was not very deep - i'm from the school of going for it, especially in a game 163 that was 0-0.


And the ninth had two nice plays. Supermaligned players Swisher and Anderson both made mighty plays in the final frame - Andersons wildly spectacular. Both players have had well, down Sox careers, and to have them come up big when they had to was great to experience. And then there were double plays and ordinary plays. To often the Sox would make some bonehead play to fuck their chances. No mistakes for the twins to take advantage of. And kinda funny as well - Anderson was brought in to run for Griff, and he usually takes over defensively for the older player-while Griff had already made the great outthrow home. I think that Griff might have made that catch - but glad Ozzie had taken him out. Same for Swisher - he has become a lateinning defensive replacement for Konerko, and although Konerko probably could have made the play, Swisher actually did get it done. Defensive replacements, in a one run game, can come to bite you back if the other team actually scores and your team now needs runs again - but it worked out. Both players have been starters for the Sox @ some point in their careers - it was good to see them fully play their part in winning the division.

And the batting. Yes, one run on five hits was enough. And Thomes homer - again, a maligned player ( from Hilts, no less) - was gratifying to see. And what a homer - it was Mickey Mantle / Dick Allen sized. Thome's been to the playoffs and World Series before, but hasn't won. One run on five hits was enough.

More than anything, the fact that @ the very least the teams season continues till next week carries its own reward. I love the fact that I will have three more games minimum to watch the team, listen to the radio, read the newspapers, wear black.... But that other feeling - the feeling of winning it all. I gotta say that that 2005 feeling is really really compulsive, and I got such a bad jones for it this year. I've said before that this year has been one of my absolute favourite Sox years, and the chance that they could brazen their way to another title has me fixed big time. Invested? Buffet of Omaha invested. Friday afternoon, in the Great state of Florida.

.......................................
*=and, news that Neice.1 had babysat the little Galla's over the weekend. She's really mature and has lots of experience - if you are reading and would like a babysitter on the northside - I'll hook you up. And, it was the first week -second day - of homework for guerra.1. It was nice to see the id get it done and then - work finished - go nicewilde w/ little sister. SO important to get that "get it done, then go pay" idea in to kids.

Let's Get It On!

Congrats to NW Indiana's team for making the playoffs tonight. What we now have is historic. Both city teams in the going for their respective pennants at the same time. Though the routes look different- all you have to do is get in and its a new ballgame. The Cub cakewalked in while the Sox fought and won a dogfight.

Will the dream of a Northside vs. Southside be realized? It all starts tomorrow and every pitch counts. Tonights Sox game was simply a preview of why playoff baseball is the greatest sport around-nothing can compare.

What would a Cubs vs Sox series offer? Finality!!!

Black Sox Faction

On Over
Sure, Kittle was one of the sparks of the 1983 team, Bere was 14-2 in 1993, and Iguchi was a key to the 2005 team: but shit, all that is eclipsed by that half of a second of a half of a second after Lex Ramirez swung the Sox into game 163 yesterday. He knew it, I knew it, we all knew it - even Minny knew it: that giantic swing wrought a giantic homer and kept the Sox on the road to another World Championship.

I will straight away amidt that this season has beenone of my favourite seasons of all time. We didn't think the team in 2000 or 2005 had a chance entering the season. But this year we expected even less: I scoffed @ GM Wiliams assesment of the Detroit trade that netted them Cabrera and Willis over the winter "It puts detroit in a better position to compete with us". What? And in the end he was right: Detroit couldn't compete for the one game the Sox needed them to win.

The season has been so exciting. Yes, the team has had it's downtimes - what team other than the Angels have not had them this year? Sometimes it was the starters, the relievers, the fielders, or the batters. Yes, injuries -in the form of both of the teams All Stars - have disrupted this team more than the other surviving teams, (but not as bad as, say, Cleveland. But the continued scrapping of the team - time after time they were left for dead before and during - and even the day after the end of the regular season- that to have them playing now is just a treat.

Funny. The addction to this team started early. There probably has not been another season of heavy transistor radio listening for me than this year. I have compulsively have watched and suffered this team the whole year, and they are JUST ABOUT THERE.

So-one game. AS Hawk would say it, "Thrill me one time". And can they do it? Like I wrote yesterday, anyone can win in a baseball game. The reason they play 162 games, instead of 16 or or 30 or 82 or whatever is because any team can win on a given day. Either team could win to-nite, and it would not be an upset. However, there are numbers and feelings that point well towards the Sox.

Though last weeks sweep by the Twins of the Sox was a horrow show and dropped them to 1-8 in Minny, Comiskey has had a similar hold on the Twins: they are 2-7. The Sox themselves have the fourth best home record in baseball. And even though one may assume that the twins sweep of the Sox would prove decisive - it's now the Sox who are on a huge roll. Even though Detroit and Cleveland were playing out the year, the Sox won the last two MUST WIN games. The Twins went 1-2 to end the regular season, when 2-1 would have them in Florida already waiting for the Rays. One can imagine that the twins, watching Lex's granny, had to be.....displeased that they had to go to the airport to catch a plane to Midway.

And the Twins mite win. They are good, and 88 wins are decent. John Danks will be on 3 days rest for the first time in his MLB career, and he is 1-1 in 4 starts w/ a huge ERA this year.

But man, that instant happiness in that half second of a half second right after Lex's swing. I just gotta see that again to-night. Or, as this game is on cable, i gotta listen for it.

Black Sox Faction

Last Thursday nite, with the Sox clinging to a 1/2 game lead over Minny, the game that nite took on the air of a "this is it' moment". Of course, since the twins are as completely inept @ winning a division despite the other contending team doing everything it can to lose it - there have also been "this is it" games on Friday and Saturday before a real "This is it" game happened on sunday.

So, as it is, although the pennant races of 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1964, 1967, and - remember - 2003 and 2005 (to name some off the top of my head) have been close - but there never has been a race this close. Sundays game, unprecedented in Sox history, now gives way to another game (today -v- Detroit) that is unprecedented in Sox history - and a win allows them to play -yes- yet another game that is unprecedented in Sox history- a divisional playoff/in game -v-Minnesota on Tuesday.

Good news, Sunday. They had to win -with Minny also winning - and they did. Althlugh i had made mark burhle the third pitcher onthe staff this year behind Floyd and Danks, there is no question he came up with one of his most clutch performances in one of the biggest Sox games in the teams history. One run in seven innings after only three days rest. The offense also did what it had to do. One of the worst things about the weekend was in Saturday nites game. When the minny lose was posted on the scoreboard @ Comiskey, the huge crowd reacted like it was one of those good october games in '05. Thunderous, and ongoing. Until whatever Sox batter in the box @ that moment immediately grounded into a double play. Great. But they got the runs, and they got the makeup game they need.

SO, Yesterday Cleveland @ Comisky, today Detroit. Although anyone on a given day can win, the Sox really have to be favoured. Tthe Sox have it all to play for, while Detroit is 4 -13 in their last 17, 2-6 @ Comiskey, and finishing off a miserable season.

But of course, anyone can win on a given day. Hopefully, however, this is a Gavin Day.

Black sox Faction

So it's come to watching the twins updates via Gameday or the Fox game on TV. After being blow apart in last nites Cleveland game, the Sox got a break ( abig fucking break) in Kansas city's unexpected win over Minnesota; @ this point, we'll take whatever we can get.

But it doesn't seem that this team wants to win. With four losses in a row when they should be taking it to the other teams is disturbing not just to any chance of winning in the postseason. The distemper and disassociation in the team with the Cabrera and Swisher. the Cabrera deal seems to have been boiling over inthis critiacl time for the team. But swisher - he seemed like such a gung ho guy. To have him down is bad. Although they have their 'fate' in their hands - Sox win out (four total against three teams in four days), they'll play Anaheim.

But they have to win. Last nite, following the Twins loss juxtaposed to the Sox loss, I was encouraged from my own longstanding theory that if enough time in a game/ games off the season happens, maybe just maybe the miracle - and yes, it seems it will take a milagro - can occur. But, as Churchill paraphrased about Dunkirk, "victories are not made from evacuations".

Two to two in thesixt at Minnesota. But it's the Sox that gotta win.

Manchester and Madrid in chicago

Since 2003 or so and the closing of the lower decks @ Comiskey to cheapcats like me, I'm used to sitting amongst the toughcrowd of the upper decks. (For Bulls fans, think of after M.J. crowds in the new Stadium - not the types who flocked to those wondrous SuperBulls teams. For those Cub fans, think of the individuals in the Wrigley bleachers of the late 1970's ((in the pre Tribune, pre corporatization of the arena) And Hawks fans....... well, shit, @ this point they take the toughguycrowd count by far.....but w/ the teams resurgence, watch out...) .

So, with much amusement, it was interesting to watch the crowd @ the Fire -V - L.A. Galaxy game last nite - a touch of the otherworldly visiting us. Fire crowds, like Sox crowds (upstairs), are overwhelmingly childladen - running, shouting, candy and soda pop buying. But for the return of David Bekham to Chicago last nite, the pretty crowd came out. Lots of fashionistas, sexpots, and that sort. Pretty for the eyes.

And lots of Bexx jerseys. I thought it kind of weird that there were so many L.A. Bexx jerseys in the crowd, but my guess is that they were making their first visit to Toyota park. However, it was also laden w/ the regular types. In Bexx's first season in MLS last year, the fire crowd earned the distinct badge of pride in the we were the only crowd to BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Bexx in America. Now, donot get me wrong - I love Bexx, and in ost game wold totally root for him. However, if I am called upon to rip on the guy, then I hed the call to duty. Although there were many who initially looked about askewance @ the volume of booss rounding the park, by halftime we had all gotten into the act. Every time Bexx touched the ball, boos came out. Even when Landon Donovan, the best forward the USA has so far produced, touched the ball, he stared to get booed. The best was his corner kicks. He takes them all for LA, and each time he walked over to take it ----BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!! The crowd was in a great mood (except for me - I was rocking the transistor tuned to Minnesota - well, actually I was in a great mood for most of the game........).

Another factor juicing up the crowd was the amount of Hispanic fans @ the game. Since C. Blano was signed last year, the amount of Latins - and specfiacally Mexicans - exploded. They always went before, but he is a huge draw. To Mexicans, in fact, he is a huge draw on the road. Mexico games in the past have always had an element of chaos if the game is tight. The most brawls ever - matching anything old Comisky could match - have been @ Mexico national teams -v- whatever soccer games.

So, it was a large loud boisterous crowd that took in the game. Being televised by ESPN, the whole nite had a festive celebratory air (excepting, of course, the late news from Minnesota). And that the Fire won a well played game topped it all. Both sides [l;ayed offense well, and there were great goals (3-1 fire), great passes and tough defense. Great win for the Fire.

Especial note towards Tiburon. Went w/ GF and Tiburon (husband of Kahla). He is an irrepressible joyous man, totally in love w/ life. I can remember a Soldiers Field game w/ the Fire 3-4 y.a. The fire had a player who shared Tiburons actual name. There occurred a stoppage on the field for an injury - and the player who shared tiburon's name was on the sideline ready for the play to resume so he could throw it in. I mean 20, 000 people there, and Tiberon riuns down the aisle to the field, calles out the player, and they have a conversation. during the game. We all had a giant laugh as we were watching this transpire, and when he rereached our row we quizzed him on what happened. Not much - they just had a little minute chat. during the game. So, last nite, we three sitting in the nice seats, laden w/ popcorn and snax. When Tiberon got the popcorn, he actually naturally offered some to the little kids sitting in front of us. Not exactly sure how the Dad of the three felt, but the kids ate heartily.

Black Sox Faction

Planning Changes

A long while ago I was attempting to plan just which Sox game would be the clo\\incher. Iw as there in 1983 and 1993 when the Sox clinche the old AL west. 2000 and 2005 were clinched in Minnesota -too far fopr me to visit. But this years tight race had me planning to attend one of those last wkd games -v- Cleveland. For the past two weeks -until Tuesdays loss to Minnesota made it impossible - I was planning to go to to-nights game. I knew I couldn't go Saturday nite - a date w/ My Bloody Valentine, who I haven't seen since what -1991?? There was also Sunday, but I was rather hoping that the division would be sewn up by then.

So, this weeks games highlighted some of the sox's woes this season in turn. Tuesdays 9-3 loss was all about the terrible start by Vasquez. Although the Sox starters -well, the top three, with about a half a good year from vasquez- hasn't been bad, but they did have that two week period in August (or so) when they threatened w/ collapse. Blessedly, it was the young guys - Floyd and Danks - who kept it all to-gether the whole year and allowed the staff as a whole to recover.

Wednesdays loss highlighted the poor hitting. The 3-2 loss had the Sox - except for Grff's hitting - missing opportunities w/ men on base. Although the team also had its hitting scares earlier in the season (and the loss of AL MVP favourite- as of 1 September - and the Sox's OTHER All Star really drove these worries through the last two months of the season), they have't duplicated last years flod.

And then last night. Going into this series, I would have been very happy w/ one win out of three. I pointed to the ace, Gavin Floyd's start, as the probable victory. Although it wasn't his absolute best star, he left the game w/ the lead....... So, last years bugaboo, the relivers, have been shakey -although not as shakey as last year burnouts - but this game's loss could be blamed on them. And, to make it worse, it was Linebrink and Jenks - who have been steady all year , despite Linebrinks recent stay on the DL- who gave up the lead. Not good.

So, the Sox have work to do. Both Minnesota (Royals) and the Sox (Cleveland)are @ home. K.C. has been terrible -v- Minny, but they are also 11-2 inntheir last 13 games. Cleveland made a nice run to bring themmselves to respectability, but they have lost their last three.

As it stand, both teams are tied in the loss colum, so Da Sox have the season intheir own hands. Depending on what Minnesota does, the Sox have to sweep Cleveland (though it's not necessary) and hope KC sweeps Minnesota. If that happens, the Sox do not have to make up that hurricane delayed Detroit game from two weeks ago. However, I sense that on Monday, the Sox will be playing Detroit in the makeup game. What else? There is also the heavy possiblility of a one game playoff -v- Minnesota (Sox 7-2 -v- Minnn. @ Comiskey).

So what am I gonna do?? My plans for this nite changed when a Friday clinching game was rendered impossible by Wednesdays loss. Sunday became the goal - it could be the day - but it could also be Monday (I'll have to work) or Tuesday (I'll have to work). My plans for this nite? On about Wednesday, that #2 St. Rita - #18 Providence game suddenly became very attractive - until I realised that I'd have to travel to the other side of the fucking world to get to it.

So now? Shit - w/ Danks pitching, even if it ain'tno clincher, it looks like it'll be anbother Comiskey nite for me.

17 September, 1983

On the occasion of Chicago's first ever Division Title in baseball history (have been pennants, but this was the first division) 25 years ago today - the only time have ever been on comisky parks' grass - we note that the Tribune gave into the inherent unfairness in their treatment of the two major league clubs in town. Thank you for finally regularly runnning the Sox's dwindling Magic Number - now @ ten - on the Sports page -just like they have been regularly runninght other teams magic number for these last few weeks.

Hell - even the Sun Times got into the act. Fact is, both teams suddenly have their numbers on both front pages. Like baseball championships are so common in Chicago that the Trib and Suntimes can be flip about it. For eveyone who remember the feeling in the afternoon of that 17 September day a quarter centuury ago - beforte the Sox clinched, when we were bizzarely young and the absolute impossible had finally happened (imagine the feeling in 2005 , huh?) - Chicago had a baseball team going to the playoffs.

Yes,a bit more commom now - even a World Series win for Chicago - but for Sox fans, the feeling is still sorta the same.

Except that a division win no longer is a massive deal. Justa step towards that deal. But it will still be an insane week. Last two game s@ Yankee Stadium, then a bit (hopefully) of a breahter -v- K.C., and then the series of series in the Major Leagues this year - the showdown betwixt the Twinkies and the Paws Up.

Tever whatcomes in the postseason, the Sox obv. have an upperhand in the division. Tough schedule to close out the season, but the Twins are losing. No guarentee here - but I can see the Sox closing it out in Minnesota. Just like 2000 and 2005, if I remember corectly.

here's hoping the 2005 link proves truer.

The Magic Number

I'd totally forgotten that since 2005, baseball postseasons are not that big in Chicago. Remember in 1983 as then Sox methodically erased games @ a time off of the magic number as they clinched the Western Division on 17 September? The end came dizzyingly fast that year - my homemade Magic Number Counter bored me quickly as the lead was extended to a record in the old four division setup for games ahead @ the end of the season (20).

But since the Sox won in in 2005, everything is taken for granted. I assume. Although the Tribune has been keeping us updated on the other teams magic number - it stands @ six - I can only assume that the greatness of this years Sox team precludes that paper from also running the Sox's magic number. We have gotten the other teams number every day - but I have to use my own math ability to come up with the new Sox clinching number every day. Are people sick of the Sox's success? Maybe the staff @ the Trib just isn't smart enough to tabulate both scores. That could be true, because I actually read the Tribune and have a good knowledge of the papers deal. That would certainly explain their ediitorial policy.

Well, I'm glad the Tribune has taken this postseason for granted for the South side team. I must amidt that it look slike it's going to go down to the final weekend to determine the winner in the AL's Central. Luckily, the Trib has full cnfidence in the team. Unless Mariotti is hired.

By the way, it's 12.

Shouting and Screaming

Finally, after about seventy twists laster, I actually got to use those Friday nite Rainout Soix tix on Sunday. Because for the 12, 735th time I left myn lites on and was not jumped till the afternoon, I missed one of those most beautiful things in life + a natural doubleheader +. It was the first for me since August 2000. I went only to the second game, and was of course treated to something that can only be equaled by a women who loves to danse = that'd be the go ahead run in the bottom of the eight @ Comiskey. Of course, the seven run comeback by the visting team came before it, but all's well that ends well.

And - it was a shouting screaming game. Because of the hurriane remenants that dropped our area into monsoon hello's, the sell outs the Sox had -a nd were rained out of Friday nite and Saturday nie = were turned into a tiny 8,000 type crowd for the Sunday double header. It was strange to see so few people @ a game - I rememer one 33 degree game -v- somebody in the mid Ninties where there was even less - maybe 1000 for the whole game. Of course, growing up in the Seventies and Eighties there were plenty of like crowds in Old Comisky and Old Wrigley* - not to forget the Sting and, truth be told, the Bulls**.

It takes fucked weather to deliver the kind of platform in which my bellowing can take center stage. In addition to that Sox game, possibly my greatest bellowing game was a chicago Storm indoor socer game which was played during ablizzard. We got 20 tickets or so for free, so it was Good Kixx, my sister, mybe even Sandra, and 10 kids - we all had ours. We 15 people maybe made u 5% of the crowd that nite @ the UIC Pavilion. Ideal weather donditions for a russian assualt on nazi positions in rusia and for an alour assault by my voice.

As the Storm were winning that game, we started to get real loud. Well, maybe not we, but i did. I forget most of what I delivered that nite, but an alltime classic was the following = and remember, there was a porfessional indoor soccer game going on : "CLEVELAND. THE STORM HAVE WON THE GAME. YOU HAVE NO POSSIBILITY OF VICTORY. IT IS TIE FOR YOU TO NOW SURRENDER TO THE STORM BEFORE ANYMORE GOALS ARE SCORED ON YOU. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO....IS WALK AWAY".....and this went on for the whole end of the game. With 300 others inattendence. Adn every fucking sylobal (sic) heard by everyone.

With that major success in mind - but an upperdeck seat @ coniskey and w/ 8,000 in attendence (meaning lots of white noise to kut into my projection), I staretd to bellow. S usual, there were the first quizzical looks behind fro fans in front to see "What the fuck was racketing all that shit?" Always happens. Then the laughter. And then there were two other squads piping in and supporting each other. Of course I was the loudest, but similar yahoo's ahead and behind me all pitched in the whole game. The guys in back yelling "Cut yr hair, magglio!", I started to yell out "HIPPY!!!". It was great - we supported each other, and of course entertained the fans.

There were many great quotes b me, if I may write. And I remember none of them. Except, winning 7-0, i started inon the "DETROIT. THE GAME IS OVER. YOU HAVE LOST. OZZIE IS WAITING WITH THE INSTRUMNTS OF SURRENDER FOR YOU TO SIGN. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WALK AWAY." Lots of laughter. And then, Detroit actually scored 7 runs to tie it in the eight. When the Sox came up to the plate, just having lost a 7 run lead,, I kept on: "DETROIT. THE GAME IS OVER. YOU HAVE LOST....... "

But it all ended well. Dwayne Wise, the grannie in the bottom of the 8th @ comisky. Dansing girls, where are you??

..............................

*= that'd be the pre Yuppie days, when the neighbourhood was still gay and Peurto Rican.

*=that last pre Jordan season they drew somewhere around 4, 700 per game - about 1/3 the Sting did @ the old Chicago Stadium.

umm

Back to the asses of female Olympic atheletes

byes

I, probably alone amongst all Sox fans the worldwide over, actually liked Jay Mariotti. Oh, he had problems, fer sure - but overall, I ususally checked out at least what he was writing about if I didn't read the article.

But boy, did people hate him. They just hated the dude. And I'm not talking about Ozzie and the rest of the boys - I'm talking about the people he worked with. Seems he was slightly less well- behaved than Barry Bonds and Albert Belle combined. In the week that followed his leaving the Sun Times, it was funny as hell reading the .......'tributes' that his co-workers wrote about his departure. Each one a rip job on him. Here is Roger Ebert's, and here is neil Steinberg. I know it's bad when there is human dissention, but shit read that stuff about him - how would you like to have to work in the desk next to that guy.

Oh oh, the Sox hated him too- his deep hatred of the team always showed in his articles. So -it's summer, and 20 out of every 21 columns are about the Cubs. The other one was his once every three weeks rip job on the Sox. I'd read them - the Sox articles, mainly, as the stunningly deep disparity in his coverage of the two teams generally shyed me away from his coloums the last few years - what Sox fan wants to read a rip job on the team by a Cubs fan?? Or rather, what would be the point?

Possibly the funniest Jay mentions are in books about the White Sox. In both Richard Roepers fantastic Sox and the City and Phil Rogers Say it's So, the writers gleefully track Jay's take on the 2005 team. Of course we have hindsite, but I'm pretty sure Jay was trying his best to get the Sox to lose even as Uribe's throw was crossing the infield to record the last out of the 2005 World Series. The constatnt tracking of "The Sox suck" and "The Sox will collapse" and "This is the biggest chock job or all time" and other jayisms is deeply funny.

As I said, I was interested in Jays take on most stuff. Buulls, hawks, bears, Cubs, etc etc etc... However, I had stopped taking him seriously for several years now. Should his hatred of the Sox actually affected his writing so much? I think not. His hatred for the team really ruined him in my eyes. Why bother reading Cubs fan diatribes on the Sox? Jay's was such.

But I must amidt I did want to read his take on the Bears last nite. What - Is aid I read him.....oh, I said I liked him.....well, wahtever.......good luck Jay.

America's Team - Not Messiah's

Wherever Cubnation goes, they take over. Wrigleyville north in Milwaukee, Wrigleyville west in Arizona, Wrigleyville south in Florida, and Wrigleyville east in D.C. Most verbiage categorizes the growing popularity of Cubnation to WGN. The fact is GN has televised less than 20% of the Cub games for the last several years.

Cubnation exists, is a fact and is very intimidating to the "home" team. So it was D-Lee, who revealed that Messiah is said to have added to the myth that Cubs fans only come to Wrigley to drink beer and look at women. According to the Ring Lardner of Politics, Cubs fans don't really know anything about baseball. Messiah claims that real ball fans are at Comisky.

First and foremost, if this flap gets any traction, he sure to lose some votes. Second, a completely asinine thing to say as the Cubs are having a great season. Simple fan attendance extrapolation shows that when a team wins it draws more fans. Hardcore fans can only be counted to show up for loser, shitbag teams with nothing to offer ie. Reds, Pirates. Pre 2005 Sox attendance was horrible, when they started to win they doubled their fan base. Are these real fans or bandwagon types. When the Sox lose again, their attendance will drop.

Win or lose Cubs attendance is always high. They are all real fans, who spend real money to watch the Cubs and really hot women. Another contrary indicator is road game Cubnation. They aren't coming to Wrigley, yet they still come like no other team has ever seen. Perhaps Messiah should stick to preaching-though I GUARANTEE he'll be at Wrigley throwing out a ball at the World Series.

Logan Tom

And there is Logan Tom. She came to me @ the last Olympics -or rather, in the hype of the 2004 Athens games. Logan was one of those girls who are in terrefic shape and like the world to notice. So, Logan was first spotted in 2004 magazines in poses like the ones shown here. Bless her. After seeing such pictures, I just had to check out the team. When I caught her in action, she was far sexier as an athlete than as the sexymodel the ads were dipicting her as.

She's very different than Giu Jingjing, but just as sexy. Tall, sleek, and that maddeningly tomboyish look about her, I instantly feel inlove w/ her. When the womens volleyball team started to play this year, I tried to catch all the games.

Logan is different now. Four years @ that age really change people. She's now longer haired - not a plus - but she's still that slim, slender, and sleek athlete I fell for four years ago.

And I wait to cheer for her in London.

queens

It's over, isn't it?

Olympics have a long time to go this summer still, but I mourn none the less - my new favourite, Chinese diver Guo Jingjing's Olympic career is over after winning another Gold medal. and for me, it was only just starting.

Never heard of her before this week - I didn't pay as much attention to the Athen's Olympics - but when I got 'wind' of her, I had to watch her compete. She's a superdiver and superfamous in China with several golds already. i came on board as she went for a last in her last olympic competition. She won.

But what really got me going was this little bow she did after every dive. NBC didn't cover it each time she did it, but it really got me going. Again - this is a deeply competant athelete, in the biggest games of her life, and has trained for years and years to win. This quest for athletic glory is what I should be concentrating.

Yeah yeah yeah. And I am a man. Love to watch her compete, root for her, all that. And all I can concetrate how wonderfully submissive that bow is. A great dive, hundreds of millions of people watching, and her, in that tite bathing suit, dripping wet, and that little bow. um. It's - as far as I know - totally unique in diving.

As far as I know, it's totally unique.

Four Homers

Written by Lazers

I did a bit of research to follow-up on the “4 consecutive homers” stat and found the following (note: teams have hit 4 consecutive homers only 6 times in MLB history):


JD Drew was involved in 2 of the 6 times (‘07 Red Sox and ‘06 Dodgers).
The ‘61 Braves did it but still lost the game.
For 2 of the 6, the same pitcher gave up all 4 homers (‘07 Red Sox off of the Yankees’ Chase Wright; ‘63 Indians off of the Angels Paul Foytack).
The most prolific quartet was from the ‘64 Twins- those players hit 138 homers that season (Tony Oliva, Bob Allison, Jimmie Hall and Harmon Killebrew).
The least prolific quartet was from the ‘63 Indians- those players hit only 35 homers that season (Woodie Held, Pedro Ramos, Tito Francona and Larry Brown).
Pedro Ramos of the ’63 Indians was a pitcher. He hit 3 homers that entire season.
The ’06 Dodgers hit the homers in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie the game against the Padres. After allowing 1 run in the 10th, the Dodgers scored 2 in their half of the inning to win the game.
The ’64 Twins hit their homers to lead off the 11th inning.

The full slate:
’61 Braves vs Reds (Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron, Joe Adcock and Frank Thomas).
’63 Indians vs Angels (Woodie Held, Pedro Ramos, Tito Francona and Larry Brown).
’64 Twins vs A’s (Tony Oliva, Bob Allison, Jimmie Hall and Harmon Killebrew).
’06 Dodgers vs Padres (Jeff Kent, JD Drew, Russell Martin and Marlon Anderson).
’07 Red Sox vs Yankees (Manny Ramirez, JD Drew, Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek).
’08 White Sox vs Royals (Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Alexei Ramirez and Juan Uribe).

Major League Records

Luckily, I was able to drag myself out of the house -wow- that early to actually do something I was planning. And then it turned out kooler than I thought. Plus, they will be recording the events of my day in the history books. And I just showed up.

It was to the Sox game, and the impportant thing is is that they won. With no Minnesota game, the lead went up to a full game (and some percentage points - they mite come in handy late in the season). Extra nice because of all the terror about the pitching staff after Jose Contrearas' season ending injury, they topped two shutouts and a no hitter into the seventh with another great start - this time Lance Broadway with a strong five and a third, allowing two runs in the first that better defense would have taken care of.

And finally, extra extra nice because there were not one but two seperate major league records happening in front of my eyes. Carlos Quentin extended his record of consecutive games being hit by pitch to six straight games. He's been hit by pitch twenty times so far - nice way to buck up the on base percentage. He's been so good all year it's nice to hear the MVP chatter about him. If the Sox win the division, his steady play will probabley be the major factor in that.

And then there were the four straight homers. I've seen three straight before - who hasn't, if they've gone to as many games as I have? The first homer was waited for - the Sox were leading only 3-2 (although it did seem that the team had it all in hand -nice confidence) and needed to put the gam away. it's nice to see Thome hitting the ball so well the second half of the season. And then Konerko hit the next - again, swell to see him produce anything. He had three hits. After ramariez's shot, people started to call for a fourth. And then after Uribe's fourth and final 'in a row' shot, i was really hoping for a fifth strait homer. At this point, I thought that the record was five in a row - and I wanted a second straight record set in the game I was @. I didn't realise that four was it and I already had it.

nice to relax @ a game in two regards. First, the Sox won early in the day -it was a 1.05pm game. There was to be no wondering all day what they and Minnesota were doing - it was all done. And accomplished. Pennant Race it is.

The second was that this was the first game in several years that I went to by my self. I used to go to maybe 10 Sox games a year by myself and just vegg out watching the game. I used to do so many things by myself - very very many so much so that I thought that my solitudeinal actions seemed one of the indicators of my wandering mind. But I'm different now/ and I'm glad that ...... well, solitude is great many times. You don't have to talk to anyone, sit near anyone, do anything, just stare @ the field and root....

I needed it. To the Sox game Monday nite - $8.50 tix !! - and then maybe to anther day game next Wednesday.

The reigning expert

Kop me up to loving the olympics. every four years. Yes, a lot of it marketing, but then again - am I not a sports fan and enjoy the competition? I am, I find.

So, there I was , snickering @ myself constantly for watching sports I would never in the nirmal run of play. Women's water polo?? There i was watching -and being into -the USA -China match. But, oh, it gets worse. The Argentines -v- England in womens field hockey? Thrilling. And when the USA mens gym team were down to the final event, this expert knew thatthe USA had clinched bronze because I realised that the Germans would never be able to get enough oints on their final routine.

Some expert I am, huh?. But I find that every Olympics, I suddenly become super interested.

I blame the marketing. It's done well.

What, me, notice??

Admits to being a bit of a sexist.

Admits to checking out the derrieres of the women's beach volleyball players.

Admits that they are fantastic.

Admits to being lucky to be alive.

volleyball, beach, womens

Black Sox Faction

Professor Grif

Kenny finally got his guy. He's been persuing Grif for years and finally added him to the Sox. I do not note this as a major trade. The Sox basically picked him up for free. Although nick Masset was a good pitcher and the bullpen will be thinned out because of his loss, he wasn't a team changer. And Danny Richar is last years experiment to try and develop a replacement for Juan Uribe - already done w/ the superior basball player Alexie Ramirez.

To me, Grif is replacing Konerko. Konerko has show no signs of beaking out of his - well, two year -slump, and that dead area needed to be addressed. Paulie was on his way to duplicating his great erformnce of a few years back when he hit 18 hr and had 65 rbi over an entire eason. Make no bones about it, that was where he is headed. I was sick of his and Thomes slow starts - but Thome has come out of his slump nicely.

I feel good about Swisher on first instead of Konerko. When Paul was on the DL earlier, the Sox went 13-7. So, the Sox are basically replacing one slow righty power hitter with another slow lefty power hitter. The difference is, Grif is having a decent year. Konerko is having a disaster of a yar.

Not a bad trade. W/ the starting pitching above all now beginning to be the main focus of concer, the additionof Grif was a suprise. But, I'll welcome him here. And though were not expecting 56 hr's from him - it'll be better than 18 with 65 rbi.

Black Sox Faction

The King of the South Side

say, um, what's the score?

History beckons again

Been progressively obsessively engrossed in Sox history. Took a giat 1000p encloypedia of Sox history, and have been becoming blitzedout with the 1951 - 1967 Sox, when they were one of the best teams in the majors after being such a sucky franchise from 1921 -1950. And man, that 30y period after the Black Sox scandel were terrible.

Funny how great those teams were. Appracio, Fox, Minoso, Pierce, Peters, Klu we all know about. 1959, the pennant winners. 1964, one game out. And the 1967 team that took it into the last weekend. We know about those teams and players and all that 88 years of frustration or whatever others call it.

Those teams had the bad luck of bucking their heads against the Yankee's (or Cleveland, but mainly the Yanks) in that period - no World Series wins for them. But those teams were also amongst the best in baseball during that period. There is no culture or worship of losing other frachises use to sell their teams, but these teams of the middle period* of Sox competitiveness are still worshipped by Sox fans. Among the older Sox fans (like my Dad), these are the greatest teams ever ( 'till 2005. Impossible to argue). I'm getting old enough and cranky as well - enough to start arguing "Mike Squires" -v- Jim Spencer" as the best fielding first baseman of all time.

But the progression of the team, the duels w/ NY and Cleveland through the 1950's and Red Sox and Twins in the late 1960's, and all the other pre Harry Carey years are fascinating. Names and stories are familier, but they have to be put into a proper context.

And yes, I still get very angry whenever I see "Eight Men Out".

..............................................

*= 1900- 1920, 1951- 1967, and 1990 -2008

2008 Fire

The Cubs Crew.

In Wrigley Field for the Cubs -v- Reds game on Tuesday nite. Jackson and Rocky and I were to meet in front of the Mac D.'s on Clark, but they'd already entered to reserve the seats. I was gonna see GF @ her werke, but time got the best of me and I had to go straight to 22d near the Chinatown El stop and El'd it to Wrigley. Again, I do so like riding the El from time to time.

Those fucks flew the coop - I was 5m late -so I decided to walk a little around wrigleyvilles alleys and discovered a funny thing - so many people rent out their garages for visiting fans that every alley has 6-7 very open garages. Smart $ makers w/ such a little effort.

Easil found the boys -we were in left field, near the curve in the wall. Pretty good game - the Cubs were obviously superior and had the upper hand the whole game. There were some great defensive plays on both sides. Aramis Ramirez in particular made several spectacular plays. I'd brought my radio -which - the Sox are so good this year and I have fallen into the obsession mode. So- yes I was watching the game in front of me, but on my transistor was the game that really mattered.

Oh - and up on the scoreboard. As I saw the Twins take a 5-2 lead on Boston @ Fenway (FINALLY the Twins were going on the road -and to Boston - the thinking went that the Sox mite pick up some games while playing K.C.). So -@ a certain point -the Sox were down 4-1 and the Twins leading byt ghat 5-2 score late. But it all worked out, @ least for this nite.

AH - but there was more than baseball this nite:

"He's working where??"

"Hey - I know the story of the first night they were to-gether"

"WHAT??"

"5000 hits!?!?!"

"So- compare this old girlf with this old girlf w/ this old girlfriend -which was the best?"

"Listen, listen -I got that story - listen"

etc etc etc...

The crowd around us was fine. Cub fans have a reputation as meatheads, but these ones were pretty mellow. We were heckling Adam Dunn, the Reds left fielder. I have the loudest voice of anyone that nite, but I didn't put in too much effort. I jabbled out a few warped Monty Pythonish bizarros, but it was mainly for my edification. Even I didn't get what I was yelling out.

Though the nite threatened rain -angry skies foto's by Rocky -whenever he flixx' them y'll see - it held off. I worked this day @ school, so I came in nice pants and tie to the game- and it was hot. Not opressively hot, but off the shirt. Was I mocked more for my shirtlessness or my Sox hat?

Dunno.

Rocky drop of Jaxx @ the Capital Ship, then me near 22d, and then we drove down to my crib so Rocky could crash over. But before we crashed...

Black Sox Faction

Many mite, but I have no real problem with the Sox only getting two All Stars this year despite being surprisingly having a top record. The team with the best record in baseball - Tampa - also has only two. And the Cubs? Seven. A bit of over kill, despite their best in the NL record.

Like I notioned above - I don't have a major problem with it. Every year there are many great choices to make the team. The fan vote and the rule that every team has to be repp'd severely tie in a roster set @ 32. It happens every year and makes for tough decisions and much arguments.

So- Carlos Quientin, near the AL lead in HR's and RBI's, deserves spot. He has slowed from his lightning start when he really carried the team early on - but he's consistently on base and driving in runs. Joe Crede? OK, that's kool. No way ever did I expect or even thnk to hope it. He also keyed the Sox beginning with a giant start to the season before slowing down, but remains playing well. 16 errors are uncharacteristic.

But there are more deserving elements of the team not in the game - well, not yet.

Jermaine Dye has similar numbers to Carlos Quentin - but the consistency!! He has not had a bad week - and the last three weeks he has been giant. And here is that ambivilence: I feel glad that even one or the other -in this case Quentin - got in - there were many other contenders. And the added cavet is that Dye can be still voted in by fans on the internet. I'm busy with that as I write this.

But the real loss is in the pitching. Three potential Sox All sStas and they are all batters. Jenks and Gavin Floyd had the best shots - but there other stoppers and starters as deserving. Shit -the AL Staff is loaded. And the most consistent Sox pitcher all season - Danks - only won 6 despite the low ERA. Tere is just no room for every deserving player. It's nice we got two and lets vote for another.

Although the Cubs may be a bit over represented -some years it just goes this way. Although Fukedome's spot is a gift, the other six all were well deserving.

OREVUA

There isn't a good word for it in English.

We'll see you again.

The Black Sox Faction

To the suprise of no one

There was a feeling among Sox fans that they blew several games in Wrigley Field last weekend. The typical over reaction of the press - that's it for the Sox season - was, as usual, expected. But amongst the connected few, it was disappointing that the Sox didn't take five out of six this Crosstown Classic (last Sunday's loss the only one where they didn't seem in it). As tough as last weeks sweep was, it was good to see the team respond by winning five out of six and keep ahead of the division as Minnesota won 10 in a row and Detroit's on a 14-3 run. This division, seemingly taking the shape of last years NL Central, now has three legit playoff teams as well as Cleveland in the weeds.

But they are playing well. The hitting is, of course, the worrying spot. The road hitting has been terrible, and something needs to be done. And this season is especially the year of the Superior Home Squad. The Sox, who have played less @ home than any other team, get an extended run @ Comiskey Park ten game home stand. Here's hoping that this extended run will get them into the hitting mood which will carry over into the ir next road trip. Although pitching rules the post season, thye have to get there -as well as score runs to win then.

There is a lot of season to go. However, the pace that the Sox are on - 92 wins - seems incredible - for a team that hasn't even started playing well yet. Although we love our team and totally note that they are in first place - there is a massive bit of frustration about this team. Simply put- they are better than they have been playing this season- a lot better - and they need to kick it into gear.

Or else no post season.

Never Ending Season

Manchester Uited of England ended the Europan soccer season last month, rite? That PK ending to the Champions League Final -v- Chelsea? But wait, didn't they win the English Premier League over Chelsea a month and a half ago? So what the fuck was the soccer final from Europe on ABC Sunday afternoon? Yes, yet another game in the never ending season.

More than any othe team sort, soccer just doesn't end. Most baseball players chill from October till early Feb., when they report for spring training. Similarily, football, basketball, and hockey players - unless they go deep into the playoffs - get a nice amount of time off. Not European soccer players. Generally speaking, they get a off a little more than a month off before the next season starts. And this year it's even less - with the European championships going on, the sixteen teams 22 players had to train and play in the tournement all summer. They also have to do this in World Cup summers. It's no wonder Beckham moved to America - the MLS season is nowhere as long as his European season.

And - benefiting it's world wide stature - as the European season FINALLY CONCLUDES w/out a doubt - that MLS is just starting up. But first things first- Europe - and it was a great conclusion. Spain beat Germany on a goal by Liverpool's Torres in the 33d minute, finally winning a major tournament after 44 years of losing.

And - they deserved it. They were not beaten, and looked the whole tournament the best team (although, yes, I had a bit of a Netherlands kick for a bit.) I was kool with them winning it - with Ireland and Northern Ireland, and England out, I did not have a natural team to root for. However, like the World Cup, just watching the games naturally draws you in. This tournament featured a lot of things: tight games, late goals, the emeggence of announcer Andy Grey - but what struck me most was business -every game was on ESPN or ABC. The first time I ever watched this tournement live -1988 - every game was on free tv. I can't remember what station - I'm sure it was one of the Spanish ones - but as a student it was great to have so many games to watch. However, as ti e went on, less and less games got on tv. I remember watching '92 on free, but the great '96 tournement in England went to cable. I remember having to get a guy on the block tape on ESPN one of my favourite soccer games of ALL time - the german England semifinal that went to PK's. 2000 and 2004 were all on pay tv. I was able to watch some of the games, but it was kinda shitty having to pay for them. It was catch as catch can - the England-France game was watched @ English Matts, and another @ Good kixx's.

Ah - but now. All games on ESPN, except for two games even better - free TV!! I'm always deeply interested in the business side of soccer, and it's an obvious good thing that this tournement was open to many fans for free. ESPN is smart - although this is a major world tournement and costs lots to air in othr countries, they must have gotten a cheaper rate because most of the games were played in the American afternoon - not primetime in Europe. And to those who don't know, these games draw rabid attention from soccer lovers - I know lots. And this was one of the best tournements yet, it was a fun time.

Now - with the final final final finally over in Europe, we can rest - or can we? Well, if yr in Madrid, yes you can. But if yr in Chicago, no you cant. I went to the Fire game on Saturday nite, and the season in America is at the midway point. I was able to take my nephew.3 to his first soccer game. I'd wanted to take him to a game for a long time - this is the one of my three sissters who lives way out in the suburbs, not in the 'hood with us - and it finaly got done. I was hoping that neice.1 and nephew.2 - nephew.3's favourite- was going as well, but one was in Germany and the other was in chicago doing the great graduation-time-of-the-year-party-circut and so unavailable. So, it was just he and me.

I love taking the kids out always, and always try to take them out for pizza or the like, The push here is to get my Mom walking more out of the house, so I originally was gong to take the kid, his mom, and Mom out for some pizzza. Mom wasn't feeling i, so I just brough the pizza here. Good fixings.

Nephew.3 and I parked in the "south" area. Since parking is $15, I park in two places and walk the mile to the stadium. The best spot is on 65th and 'old' Harlem Avenue (the 'old' Harlem tag is to differentiate it from the huge road bridge called Harlem that snakes over rail yards next to my spot), but since we were going for some ice cream after, I decided to park @ the older and longer distance 80th and Harlem spot - rite near the Castles.

Great first half. After I heard there was dissention between Blanco and Wilman Conde, but the team was tite in the first half. They couldn't put it in, but it looked good for the second half. We had been standing in Section 8 so that he could get a tas of it, but we sat in the good seats for the second half - also so he could see a soccer game being played from its optimal angle. ANd boy the Fire sucked it up. More by more they let the game slip away, and I swear -although they have the better team abd were @ home, I kept waiting and waiting for the game to end. Those last 10m took forever and I really wanted them to end.

European season? Englands Everton is here on their preseason tour - 30 July. The season never ends.

Child's Play

In episode #1 of Put Up or Shut Up, the appears to be a clear cut winner. I guess this is what a south side beat down looks like. The Cubs vs. the Sox left one wondering why people don't know there are two MLB teams in town. The Sox only prayer is to squeeze out a single win next weekend. The Cubs now stand 7-1.

Here is my all city team;

1B- D. Lee - no contest vs. Swisher/Konerko/Thome combined

2B Derosa- very unheralded, versatile - though A.Ramirez is quite a talent

SS. Theriot- quiet .310 hitter who is very dependable with glove and bat.

3B. Rammy over Crede. How could Phil Rogers have picked Crede? Ramirez has almost 600rbi's in last 5 years.

C. Soto over slimfast Perzinski- the rook is just beginning to shine. He has better power numbers and clearly calls a better game.

Lf. Fonzie over Quinten - no contest, though Quinten is probably their best player right now. Though Fonzie's frustrating with all of his injuries and attitude, when he is on, he is offensively one of the best.

C. Both teams have platoons. i'll give this to the Sox out of pity, though reed is great with his effort and edmonds is finally coming around.

Rf. Draw- Dye has better power numbers and fukadome has better oba. Both are great in the field. But Fukadome is clearly on the rise while Dye can only go down from here.

P. Zambrano is better than any of their starters. In fact he has a higher batting average than their entire team.

Relief- Woody over Jenks. Wood with a league leading 17 saves may have found his niche.

Coach- Not even close- Lou does whatever he has to to win. Ozzie is biding his time until he gets the Florida gig.

GM. Hendry without question over the no show Williams. Williams is all talk while Hendry is all action.

Black Sox Faction

It'll be like his the rest of the season. Thousands of hits and runs @ home, then one run on four hits on the road. Luckily they have been able to keep their head above water on the road so far while running up the third best home record in baseball. That, and the fact they have played eight less home games than road games give the team hope. The current stretch of home games the team is in will allow them to build more of a cushion @ the top.

But the team is looking like it will rely on pitching. The batting will only be apparent @ home - but can this team make any sort of a serious run? Now, come the playoffs, the teams pitching -possibly the best in baseball, both starting and relieving - bode great for the team. But can they cactually make it to the playoffs. Their current standing in the division bespeaks more of the horrid starts of Detroit and Cleveland than the supremeacy of the Sox - but part of their standng is also that they are good.

It's early still -38% of the seaon done. However, they will have to hit away from Comiskey and not when it's over 85 degrees F. Or they learn to steal some bases. But for a wait for the three run HR team, here's hoping that that is not too much to ask.

Black Sox Faction

The plot against Thome and Konerko

I will amidt it. I was wanting to kill both of these players last week. I was gonna post to get rid of the both of them to-gether. But winning has a way of changing things. That and the fact that their long slumps may finally be ending.

Despite the batters best attempts to turn the clock back to last season, the Sox have survived ruff spots and the early part of the season - if building a five and a half game lead can be called 'surviving'. Built on strong pitching in both the starting rotation and relief corps, the Sox have taken advantage of horrible starts by both Cleveland and Detroit and look ready to compete the whole year.

Last years collapse - keyed, I think, by Kenny Williams "trades for the future" that took the emphesis off of a 90 win team rady to compete for the division to a team looking forward to 2008. Well -it worked - the 2007 team was a joke, and this team is in it for this year. Williams off season moves this winter (Swisher, Canbrera, relievers)were for THIS season, and it's has payed off. The two starters acquired in 2007 (Danks and Floyd) have been outstanding this year. So, on almost all fronts, the White Sox are playing well and treating 2007 as an abberation. They may not win 90 games like they have two of the last three seasons - but looks like it'll be close.

And what may keep them from this? Injuries and relief pitching had huge roles in last year disaster. But for me, it was the stinking batters that keyed last years collapse. What didn't hurt them in September of 2005 has killed them since then. Although they won 90 games in 2006, there was something missing. And last year - despite the emphesise on the relievers -it was the batters that clued the fans into the fact that the team was garbage.

This year -even with four starters batting around .210 (or less) for the first two months of the season - they manageged to keep winning. And it is now - with the Sox (road warriors so far) in the midst of a streak of 26 of 32 games in chicago - that the hitting is finally solving itself -for this week. Do not think that they will be scoring 10 runs and 15 hits every game - those days of one run on four hits will make their return.

The key is to make these games appear as little as possible. I still have trouble with the lineup of the team - it still a 'wait for the 3 run Hr' type lineup. But the additions of Swisher, Cabrera (now that both have finally started hitting) and Carlos Quientin- added to the return of Crede - have added hope to the lineup. The fact that the Sox have the largest lead of any team in baseball despite the horrible batting slump the team has endured so far give even more hope that '07 was abberation.

My Favourite basketball player ever

Ronnie Fields

Simply the Best!

Carlos Zambrano is easily the best pitcher in the major leagues. With his 2.33 ERA he can pitch with anyone. He has matured and no longer allows mistakes ruin his focus. He takes a 8-1 record into this summer.

But what clearly separates him from the rest of the league is his hitting. Following tonight's 3-4 night, he carries a .366 average. In the real league, where you don't have some fat-ass hitting for the pitcher, everyone has to know how to play ball!
Big Z is the best hitting pitcher of his generation. He hits home runs and even a stand up triple tonight.

The best is yet to come with Zambrano-he is only 26 years old. With the Cubs rejuvenated bats, he should be on his way to a 20 win season.