Nice While It Lasted

Whatever the reason, it is over. Thanks for a decent year, anyway. I should know better to have epectations after so many years of Learned Helplessness caused by Battered Sox Fan Syndrome. Now Reisndorf has over $4,000 of my playoff money in his pocket as a deposit on next season. No, i didn't have a choice.

Busy Sunday

7:00 Wake up. Turn over.
8:00 Really get up. Take meds. Feed dogs. Make coffee.
8:30 Get twins up. Eat Cheerios.
9:00 take twins to riding lessons at the barn.
10:30 Get home. Fart around on line.
11:00 Make bacon for Julia.
11:20 Clean out dryer vent ducts with vaccy. Yuk
12:00 Start watching Bears.
1:00 God this game is boring. 45 minutes for the 1st quarter. Commercials everywhere. 3-3
1:05 Start helping girls clean rooms.
2:15 Throw out seven bags of trash from said cleanings.
2:20 Rest, watch rest of game.
3:00 Okay, that was an exciting ending. Bears stumble into a win.
3:05 Watch Sox. They go up 10-4 on a Uribe grand salami.
3:25 They let the Mariners back in, but eventually slog to victory. Twins win. Tragic number = 2.
3:30 Go downstairs for half hour on treadmill.
4:00 Okay, now to pick up dog crap outside.
4:15 Now to pull out tomato plants. What a disappointing year. Cut some late roses, put in vases.
4:30 Cut down some more basil, clean, freeze.
4:40 Cut sunflowers way back. Deadhead black-eyed susans. Hmm Try a granny smith off the tree.
4:50 Eeew grannys still real sour. I guess they do need another month.
5:00 Watch Giada on Food Netowrk. She is in ITALY! Some day.
5:30 Off to KFC for the kids' popcorn chicken. I am making pesto for me and DW, and will crack open some vino.

Still Alive

This is so painful. Thanks, Freddy Garcia for extending our demise another day. Go, White Sox, go.

Not So Much

Buehrle's ability in big games. Or small games. Or any games these days. +sigh+

R.I.P.

The "Jack" on the left is the poor, loyal Sox fan, shocked and saddened by the September death spiral. The one on the right is the Sox-hater, usually of the Cub variety, gleeful with Schadenfreude. The one in the middle is happy the Bears are 2-0, and glad he doesn't have to worry about missing playoff games while vacationing in Europe in October.

Somebody remember to turn off the lights when they leave the Cell next Sunday evening.

Lost Loves

Tonight the White Sox open a three game series with the formidable Oakland Athletics. The A's will be led tonight by two former Pale Hosers: Frank Thomas and Esteban Loaiza, both of whom were jettisoned from the team for being non-contributional. No doubt they are highly motivated to get personal revenge and keep their own march toward October moving smoothly. The StankyCranky Braniac superComputer had the A's winning the series two out of three. The Sox picked up a key game in besting LA two of three, thereby raising their win projection back to the original prediction of 91.

How about the Snowy Stockings just run the table and finish with 100 victories?

The Illusionist

I don't go to many movies. This one intrigued me for three reasons: A period piece, set in early twentieth century Austria. Secondly, a movie about magic. I am a sucker for quality magic shows. Third, Jessica Biel, an earthy, smoky beauty. I liked it a lot. Is it a brilliant, deep movie? No. It is a love story/mystery. Edward Norton was suitably contemplative as the hero. Rufus Sewell, who played the prince, was creepily malevolent and kaiser-like in his portrayal. Paul Giammatti is a brilliant actor, the Walter Brennan of our time. Go see it or watch it on DVD on the TeeVee when it comes out.

One For Eight

2 Strikeouts and a walk in Tuesday's 11 inning, 4-3 loss to the Halos. Somebody tell Konerko and Thome they are in a pennant race. Dye gets a pass for his 0 for 5 because he has been money lately. One-fer 13 in the middle of the order sounds worse, though, doesn't it?

White Bread Pom Squad

There was a picture of the Carmel High School (in Mundelein, IL) Pom Squad in today's Daily Herald. There was a Michelle and a Lauren and a Melissa, two Kaitlyns and a Katlyn, but no Waneshas, Toneshas, Juanitas or Consuelas. Hmm, now I know why so many neighbors send their kids to the Catholic high school. Religion? Maybe. Better education? Maybe. How about no african americans or hispanics like that gross Warren High School or grungy Mundelein High School. Maybe.

Daily Herald story
Carmel poms bring home trophies
Posted Monday, September 11, 2006

The Carmel Catholic High School Varsity Poms Squad recently attended Universal Dance Association (UDA) Dance Camp at Illinois State University and the team captured a first-place trophy for their home routine in the Large Varsity Division and a superior trophy for their overall performance at camp.

They also qualified for the UDA 2007 National Dance Team Competition in Orlando, Fla., in February.

90 Wins a Probability

The "StankyCranky Braniac 2010" superComputer predicted this series correctly. The White Sox split with the pesky Spiders of Cleveland. Although Vazquez dueled the brogmodian C.C. Sabathia admirably, he had to yield to the Sox bullpen, and once more Brandon McCarthy, the cross-eyed-anorexic righthander came through with a home run pitch. B-Mac is 'posed to be in the Sox rotation next year, but with an over-the-top straight fastball and a predictible delivery, B-Mac needs a re-tooling before becoming a starting mainstay.

Now the ChiSox must face a six game West Coast swing, traditionally a death march for the Pale Hose. First, a long, quiet plane ride to the OC. Then three games against the Angels, whose fans cannot get over the 2005 ALCS debacle and hence hate AJ Pierzynski and the Sox with a passion. After a day off, they play three against the AL West leaders, the Oakland A's. the Af-letics are led by the resurgent Large Francis, who already has six homers in September.

The win total holds at 90, and maybe only a total collapse by the Tigers can save the Sox playoff hopes. The Brainiac predicts a 2-6 West Coast swing to hold at the ninety win prediction.

We Trip We Trip We Trip Trip Trip Trip

The White Sox managed to lose to Julian Tavarez in Fenway last night. A Cubs cast off and well-traveled innings-eater, Tavarez had the Sox hitters tied in knots. Hawk keeps talking about the Sox batters' approach at the plate, about making adjustments. He noticed early on last night that Tavarez was throwing two sliders first, then two fastballs. The Sox hitters did not seem to pick this up. Does anyone reading this think the Sox hitters are making adjustments or are they engaged in Big League milk-straining trying to win the game with each swing?

As I watch this team I think of the lute-playing Daffy Duck playing Robin Hood, singing and falling down a hill at the same time.

Stumbling Toward October

This set-up's computer bank and staff of gelatinous-headed stats freaks projected 91 wins for the Pale Hose this year, based upon their September schedule. That is until Kansas City took 2 out of 3 this weekend by beating the Sox on Sunday behind the guile of crafty lefty Mark Redman. Just like Paul Byrd, Jamie Moyer, Brad Radke and others, Redman had the Sox chasing junk out of the zone on Sunday. The ChiSox just can't seem to adjust to pitchers that serve up a good change of pace. The team doesn't have 200 homers this year by shortening up their swings and protecting the plate, that much is sure.

Current projection is 90 wins and October on the golf course. If Las Medias Blancas can take two from the hobbled Red Sox this week, they go back up to 91 wins. Why do I doubt this team again this fall? Decades of Learned Helplessness ingrained by this bunch, I suppose. *sigh*