Procrastination is a wonderful thing.  I've been meaning to cast my All-Star ballot for many days now, and of course, I was busy and said to myself, hey, I've got plenty of time.  I'll just do it tomorrow.  I just ran out of tomorrows as the deadline for a fan ballot is tonight at 11:59 pm (EST) - which for me in Illinois means 10:59.

Speaking of 11:59 and 10:59, I'm tired of people selling me things for $9.99 (or the like) as though I'm saving money.  Let's just call it $10 even and go about our business, okay?

I try to rely on statistics, I really do, but for some human reason I cannot.  You would think that being an engineer that I would be a numbers guy, but when it comes to sports I'm really not so much.  Sure, there are stats that you just can't argue with, and we'll cover that as we get into my National League lineup, but there are times when I just have to go with my fan instincts - as drunken and wobbly and misguided as those instincts might be on any given day/night.  Bottom line, I gotta trust my gut.

Sincere apologies to any American League fans, but I won't be sharing any of my AL All-Star picks with you, because basically you don't want to read who I picked and honestly I don't want to defend who I picked.  I watch very few (if any) AL games and so my picks are very simplistic in nature, and in reality I'm just not that enthusiastic about AL baseball.  Get rid of the DH and maybe we can talk.  We'll just leave it at that.

Which brings up the question, should we baseball fans even be voting for the All-Star starting lineups?

Simple answer = yes.  The game is for the fans, and therefore we fans deserve a voice.

Realistic answer = no.  (My answer)  If the outcome of the All-Star game is going to decide which league representative has home field advantage for the World Series, then no, fans do not (and should not) have a voice in choosing the lineups.  That should be done by the coaches and players of the respective leagues - i.e. Who do those folks want to represent their best interests.  And no, in case you were wondering, the media do not deserve a voice either, let them just be fans like us.

Okay, with all of that out of the way, let's get down to brass tacks and talk NL All-Stars.

1B Lance Berkman, Astros  Not much emotion involved in this one, this dude certainly has the stats (68RBI currently leads NL) and I for one can't see anyone that I would rather pick.  Maybe Albert Pujols if he stayed healthy, but maybe even that's a stretch.  Berkman is my starting first baseman.

2B Chase Utley, Phillies  No surpise, but a little bit of emotion here simply because Utley's 2008 season is definitely a feel good story and he's a fan favorite - and the numbers don't lie.  I've noticed articles trying to poke holes in his game or trying to nibble away with some random criticisms, but I'm not buying any of that.

SS Miguel Tejada, Astros  Ah yes, baseball guts make a show at shortstop and that's a good thing.  I constantly debated between Tejada and Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins, and while Ramirez maybe has the better numbers I just can't get away from Tejada's experience (or Ramirez's inexperience).  If I had to choose, I want Tejada in my lineup, it's as simple as that.  Not to say Ramirez hasn't had a great start, I'm just going with my preference, and though both are very solid defensively (as a shortstop should be) I like a veteran at this position.

3B Chipper Jones, Braves  This is a fun selection because Chipper has always been a baseball favorite of mine, and the fact that he's chasing .400 makes it even sweeter.  The hitting numbers are there (.393avg 16HR 46RBI), but so is the emotion as this dude just seems to embody baseball for me.  If you asked me to describe in general terms what I thought a pro baseball player should be, I would probably end up describing Chipper Jones to you.

LF Matt Holliday, Rockies  Not long ago I might not have been making this pick, but Alfonso Soriano can't stay healthy and Ryan Braun just doesn't impress me beyond his power hitting.  I like the competitive nature of Holliday, and I like his moxie.  That's an old school word "moxie" that we need to use more often because it basically describes a gamer that will do what needs to be done for his team.  Don't kid yourself, there are still many guys like that in baseball, and there's always room for a dude like that on my team.

CF Nate McLouth, Pirates  To be honest I struggled selecting a centerfielder.  I don't like many of the NL centerfielders and I guess that showed in my struggles.  I'm going against my gut here, which is notable, and I'm voting a Pittsburgh Pirate.  I do this because I'm pretty certain McLouth has moxie (being a Pirate), and as previously declared I value moxie.  He's got solid hitting numbers (.282avg 15HR 53RBI), and I do watch him enough to know that his fielding doesn't scare me away.  My second choice would be Aaron Rowland of the Giants, and while I definitely love his toughness, I thought McLouth brought more pop so I'm going with Steel City on this one.  No denials here, my CF selection is certainly up for debate.

RF Kusoke Fukudome, Cubs  I tried to keep this guy out of the lineup, I really tried because I was afraid of being biased for the Cubs, but I couldn't do it.  There are no stats to point at and there are no numbers to shout about, but as a Cubs fan I get to watch on WGN/COMCAST and (mostly) listen on AM720 how wonderfully this dude plays the game of baseball.  There are no weaknesses in his game, he is a complete player.  Xavier Nady and Ryan Ludwick are having great seasons, but for my team I want Fukudome.

C Geovany Soto, Cubs  First full season with the Cubs and he has managed games extremely well - and hit extremely well.  Very solid defensive catcher, very solid throwing arm, and obviously very solid offensively, and I don't have any hesitations about putting a Cubbie catcher on my team.  Brian McCann of the Braves would be a close second, but I've followed Soto working games day in and day out and he's my All-Star catcher.

P  Edinson Volquez, Reds  Similar to my left fielder, not long ago this pick would've plainly gone to Brandon Webb of the Diamondbacks.  Sure Webb had a tremendous start and leads the NL in wins (12), but if we're going to talk numbers I like ERA better and Volquez leads the NL with a 2.24 ERA - to go with 10 wins for the Cincinnati Reds.  He's my starter.  Not sure how tough he is as a starter in an All-Star game, but I guess we'll find out (or maybe we won't depending on how the votes turn out).

There's my NL All-Star lineup, and that's my fan vote.  It is just one vote, but hey, it's my vote.

With a one-two finish at the Canadian Grand Prix, the white cars let it be known that they intend to be players for the 2008 Constructor's Championship as well as the Driver's Championship.  There will be no waiting for the future, the future is now.

Sure, it can be argued that the main reason for the BMW-Sauber sweep (and David Coulthard's podium finish) was the pit lane mishap which knocked Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton of McLaren-Mercedes out of the race.  More about that incident in a minute, but first, I don't think it can be denied that BMW-Sauber are for real and have a realistic chance of winning a title.  But until a white car defeats the two elite teams in a straight up fight for the win, there will certainly be some doubters - but not me.

I'm a believer, and in fact, I'll go one step further and predict that before the season is done Robert Kubica or Nick Heidfeld will notch another victory and they'll do it in a "fair" fight over Ferrari and McLaren.  My guess would be the night race in Singapore, but that really is just a guess at this point.  That also raises the question about the hierarchy at BMW - is Heidfeld still considered the team leader or has Kubica assumed that role with his incredible start and monumental first victory?  I doubt anything has changed in that regard, but Heidfeld is certainly being outpaced by his younger Polish teammate.

Looking ahead to this weekend's French GP at Circuit de Nevers in Magny-Cours, the favorites have to be Raikkonen and Massa of Ferrari.  The red cars traditionally run very strong at Magny-Cours, and Raikkonen upheld that tradition last season by posting the victory.  McLaren's best hope for victory will ride with Heikki Kovalainen since Lewis Hamilton has been given a 10-spot grid penalty for his role in the pit lane crunch in Canada.

Yeah, about that crunch.

In Monaco, Raikkonen slammed his Ferrari F2008 into the back of Adrian Sutil's Force India machine, knocking both cars out of the race.  That raised the dander of some F1 fans, and there was a call for apologies or penalties or fines or something.  There would be no apology from Ferrari (that I'm aware of) nor would there be any penalties or fines levied against Ferrari or Raikkonen by the FIA.  I'm still bummed about the crash at Monaco, but I stand by the Kimster.  It was a racing accident, and I didn't think (and still don't think) any apologies or penalties were necessary.

In Canada, Lewis Hamilton slammed his McLaren MP4-23 into the back of Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari F2008, knocking both cars out of the race.  Little bit different situation as the accident occurred while Raikkonen was stopped at the pit lane exit waiting for the light to turn green.  Why was the light red?  I can only assume that the pit exit was closed as the Safety Car (and whatever cars that hadn't pitted) passed by on the track, therefore trying to prevent any collisions between cars leaving pit lane and those still out on the track.  That's the only reason I can think of as to why the light was red.

The 10-spot grid penalty seems harsh to me.  Just as before, I look at the event as a racing accident, and I don't think McLaren owe Ferrari an apology nor do I think Hamilton's actions warranted a penalty (certainly not 10 positions on the starting grid in France!).  Naturally, Scuderia Ferrari whined about the incident, and that's to be expected, but to me it was just unfortunate that Raikkonen was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Hey, that's racing.

The Iceman didn't whine about what happened, to my knowledge he's just said it was a bad break, and he's putting it in the past.  I've said it before and I'll say it again here, I'm not a Ferrari fan, I'm a Raikkonen fan - he just happens to drive for the Scuderia.  I think you can tell that I don't like whining in racing and I don't really believe in bringing down penalties for things that happen during a race.  #### happens in racing, deal with it and move on.

Anyways, the races in Montreal are usually pretty crazy and the 2008 Canadian GP was no different.  The hairpin provided some of the wildest racing and some of the most exciting passing we've seen all season, such as Massa's double pass late in the race or Piquet's bizarrely aggressive dives.

Magny-Cours is not known for crazy races, and in fact, overtaking is usually fairly scarce at the Circuit de Nevers (should we call it Never-Never Land?).  Sorry, that was bad wasn't it.  Not to say overtaking can't be done there, just that it's extremely difficult, which doesn't bode well for Mr Hamilton in the silver car.  In contrast, BMW-Sauber have shown they can qualify very well, but will that be enough to hold off the Ferrari's in a straight up fight?  Probably not, but as we've seen if the red cars have troubles or reliability issues, the white cars are ready to pounce.

With three teams legitimately contending for the Constructor's Championship and five pilots legitimately contending for the Driver's Championship, 2008 is shaping up to be an incredibly exciting F1 season.

Top Five in Driver's Championship after 7 of 18 rounds

1. Robert Kubica          BMW-Sauber              42 pts
2. Lewis Hamilton       McLaren-Mercedes   38
3. Felipe Massa           Scuderia Ferrari         38
4. Kimi Raikkonen       Scuderia Ferrari         35
5. Nick Heidfeld            BMW-Sauber              28

Top Five in Constructor's Championship after 7 of 18 rounds

1. Scuderia Ferrari         73 pts
2. BMW-Sauber              70
3. McLaren-Mercedes   53
4. Red Bull Renault       21
5. Toyota                          17

Bowling?

Bass Fishing?

Ping Pong?

Billiards?

I say no, no, no, and no.  Sure there is a certain amount of skill in each activity, but there is a certain amount of skill in peeing my name into a snow drift - but I have yet to sign a lucrative contract for my snow peeing skills.  I wonder if there are such organized events in Minnesota ... or maybe Canada?  I should check into that.  I imagine that would be a somewhat male dominated sport, but you never know, there might be some very nimble female competitors.

Bowling is the process of rolling a black ball of about 15 or 16 pounds in weight at some stationary wooden pins, although the ball doesn't necessarily have to be black.  Knock all the pins over and you get a strike, but if you don't knock all those pins down have no fear, we'll send your 16 pound ball back to you and you get another roll at those pins still standing.  You need only be capable of walking from your seat (and alcoholic beverage of your choice) to the place where your ball awaits you.

Just so you're official, we'll make you wear these 50's style wingtip shoes while you're present at the ball rolling place.

That's not a sport, that's Happy Hour.  I enjoy bowling, but I can't in good conscience label my drunken times at the local bowling alley as "sporting events".

Bass Fishing is (as the name fittingly suggests) fishing for bass.  Again, you're required to perform very little movement on your own.  Simply motor your boat to a nice secluded spot on the lake, river, pond, fjord, ocean, or whatever body of water you happen to be inhabiting, and put the little metal hook in the water, and  ....  wait.  At that point it's sort of basically up to the fish to do the rest of the work, although you will be required to turn the little #### on your fishing pole to bring a fish in.  As with bowling, you may partake of your alcoholic beverage of choice while you wait, and it helps to have a radio so you can listen to actual sporting events as they happen.  Be aware that there are Boat Cops lurking out there, so know when to say when, or have a designated boat driver with you.  Just ask Cedric Benson.  A three hour tour?

That's not a sport, that's a prelude to Gilligan's Island or something out of Deliverance.  I also enjoy fishing, but again that's just an excuse to drink too many cold beers, it's not a sporting event.

Ping Pong is an Olympic sport?!  Who decided that?  I bet it can be traced back to the Chinese.  After all, they even name themselves Ping and Pong and Hu.  They possess a cultural advantage to excel at Ping Pong, but I doubt very seriously we can consider smacking that little white wiffleball around a green table as a sporting event.  I understand that there is some hand/eye coordination involved, and I'll admit that's respectable.  But let's be honest there's quite a bit of hand/eye coordination involved with swatting a fly as well, isn't there?  And masquerading Ping Pong as "Table Tennis" isn't fooling anyone.

That's not a sport, that's recess in junior high school during the winter months.  I haven't played Ping Pong in many years, but I suspect that I could pretty much pick up the game right where I left off.

Golf comes dangerously close to a leisure game as well, but I'll let golf slide because there is alot of walking involved - at least there is movement.  On the downside, whatever sporting benefits golf gains from having Tiger Woods as an athlete/competitior, those benefits are canceled out by the exploits of John Daly.  Golf is on the fine line between sport and not-a-sport.

Badminton?  If badminton is a sport then should Lawn Darts or Horseshoes also be considered sports?  It's a conundrum, for sure.  Where do we draw that line?  How about dog racing?  Or horse racing for that matter?  Must the athletes be human for it to be considered a sport?  I'm not sure.

Is hunting a sport?  Once upon a time it was about survival, but not so much anymore.  If we do it just because we can, is that considered a sport?

Professional wrestling?  Hahah, I kinda laughed a little as I typed that.  If pro wrestling is a sport then so is body building and/or teaching a 5th grade class.

Lastly, we come to billiards, or pool as you and I commonly call it.  That's not a sport, that's a Friday Night at the local bar.  Pool is marbles for adults, with sticks, and beers, and loud music.  And it's great.

Have a great Father's Day Weekend everybody.

I've tried several times to form a comment over on jbroomy's blog about the Monaco GP and each time I try to contain myself within a character limit I only come up with gibberish.  So when faced with gibberish commentary, naturally I decided to turn it into a blog entry.  Some Coors Light has also helped the gibberish process along too.

First off, I'm bummed that Adrian Sutil of Force India did not get the race result that he fully deserved.  He had posted an inspired drive to that point at Monaco, there is no denying that, especially when you look at the fact that he completely outclassed his veteran teammate Giancarlo Fisichella.  And I'm sure the prying eyes of F1 did not miss that drive by Sutil.  Fisi is no slouch.  For a young driver trying desperately to make a name for himself, I fully understand Sutil's anguish regarding the accident.

But it was just that.  A racing accident.

Let's not use this as an opportunity to belittle and attack Raikkonen as if he were some reckless and incompetent hack behind the wheel.  I understand that he has made some haters across the F1 fan landscape, and that's cool.  I have my hates too.  I can't stand Fernando Alonso.  Can't stand the guy.  Every time he did those goofy little animal-impression dances after a GP win, I went into a tirade about how much I hated the guy.  My friends that witnessed some of those beautiful tirades thought they were laugh out loud funny occasions.  I didn't see the humor, but hey, we each have our quirks.

I watched the crash at Monaco that jbroomy has highlighted.  I saw Raikkonen get bad loose under acceleration on a wet track and start swapping.  I mean bad swapping, like really nasty swapping.  Three swaps maybe four, but Raikkonen kept the car off the walls ... at Monaco.  Off the walls at Monaco while being out of control is not a/n {expletive of jbroomy's choice} driver, that's not a car breaker, that's a car saver.  A driver worthy of a World Championship title and a race seat at Scuderia Ferrari and a Ferrari car that has number 1 stenciled on it.

The argument being, "Well, if Kimi was so great he shouldn't have been out of control in the first place."

Amen.  I agree.  He shouldn't have been out of control, but doesn't that go with racing?  He did make that mistake under acceleration, and as pro racers do, he saved it.  If the track had been clear leading into the chicane, Kimi would've had a "moment" and he would've corrected and gone about his business of chasing down Sutil (which he was doing).  Sutil was in front of the faster Ferrari by racing clean and smooth and being mistake free, and I love that about Sutil's drive.

I don't think Ferrari owe Force India or Adrian Sutil an apology for anything.  I genuinely don't.  If Sutil and Force India are that sensitive, well, Formula 1 is probably not the place for them.

Should I go into the times that Kimi Raikkonen has been screwed?  A rear wing flying off?  Anyone remember that?  How exactly was that Kimi breaking the car?

But you don't hear Raikkonen complaining.  That's the kicker right there.  The dude that has every right to whine about bad luck doesn't do that (at least to my knowledge).  The Iceman just continues to go about his business of driving an F1 car as best he can, which in my humble opinion is pretty damn good.  I tend to think that being an F1 Champion takes some talent.

I admit that I sound like a crazed Raikkonen fan, and yeah, I am a crazed Raikkonen fan.

Pick a driver and cheer very loudly, or pick a team and cheer very loudly.  That's a big part of being a race fan.  I've followed Raikkonen from Sauber to McLaren to Ferrari and will follow him to the point that he calls it quits, and believe me I know when to #### at the Iceman for driving like a ####.  Monaco was not one those times.

Memorial Day honors those that have lost their lives in our nation's service.  The spiritual and symbolic center for this holiday weekend is at Arlington National Cemetary and the Tomb of the Unknowns as the Honor Guard sentinel walks the mat, pacing out 21 steps then turning and marching back 21 steps.  Rain or shine, night or day.  And the changing of the guard is something every American should witness at least once.  Honor all of our veterans and our men and women currently serving our nation by just taking a quiet moment out of your weekend to say a little prayer of thanks to them.

This weekend is also known for racing, most traditionally the Indy 500, but also Nascar's 600 mile marathon at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte.  Throw in the glitzy crown jewel of the F1 season (the Monaco GP) to start Sunday off in style and you've got quite a racing line-up there.  Plus the added bonus of having Monday off from work as a recovery day.  As I sit here at my Dell home computer, anxiously looking forward to watching the races with friends and to drinking too much beer and to burning various meats on a Coleman grille, I can't help but also reflect back on some racing history as well.

It's good to stop and remember.

Racing is inherantly a dangerous sport, always has been, always will be.  It's just the nature of the beast.  Everyone involved realizes that, the drivers, the track officials, and the fans.  I'm amazed at how far safety in motorsports has advanced, but the danger from pushing vehicles to go faster and faster, closer and closer to the absolute limit will never completely be eliminated.  Engineers design and build cars that test the technological boundaries, and race drivers take those cars right to the edge of the precipice.  And sometimes beyond.

Ayrton Senna.  My all-time favorite Formula 1 driver was killed on May 1, 1994, at the San Marino GP in Imola.  That was a dark day, in fact, that entire Grand Prix seemed cursed.  During qualifying Rubens Barrichello was injured in a crash, and then during a practice session Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger was killed when his car slammed into a wall.  Then finally during the race, Senna was leading but being pushed by a young German driver named Michael Schumacher when in the Tamburello corner of the Imola circuit Senna's car went airborne and struck the outer barrier of the track.

Something like that happens so fast.  In an instant, and you blink.  Did I just see that?  Some crashes just have a bad look to them, I can't really describe it, but maybe it's from watching enough racing and seeing enough crashes or maybe as humans we just have a natural understanding of physics that some crashes you know to disregard and some you know to hold your breath.  Because that instant can have long effects.

Track officials later found a folded red and white Austrian flag in the cockpit of Senna's car.  Apparently he was planning to wave it as a victory flag in tribute to Ratzenberger.

Senna is still my favorite driver for many reasons but mainly because the dude was almost psychotically driven to win and he had plenty of talent to go with that passion.  That combination certainly made him alot of enemies in his day too.  His days at McLaren-Honda were obviously the most memorable of his career, and the interesting part of it was that McLaren didn't give him team leader status.  McLaren was an equal opportunity team, there was not a team leader and a support driver - there were two team drivers.  Anyone that witnessed the incredible 1988 season and the bitter rivalry between Senna and Prost can vouch for that.  People that argue Michael Schumacher is the greatest F1 driver of all-time should consider the fact that during his days at Ferrari, Schumi had everything slanted in his favor, while during most of his days at McLaren, Senna had to fight for every pole position, every fastest lap, and every GP victory.

Dale Earnhardt.  Sometimes nicknames just don't seem to make sense, while other times nicknames just embody a person's image perfectly.  The man that was basically the image of the Nascar Winston Cup Series became known to even those of us who didn't regularly follow Nascar as "The Intimidator".  That right there is a race driver's nickname, and it was only fitting that at the pinnacle of his career, the 3 car was painted in black.  Like the old western movie in which the bad guy wore that signature black hat.

Dale Sr played that part perfectly too.

Similar to what made me a fan of Senna, I liked the attitude of Earnhardt.  He had that aura about him.  For me he was Nascar.  I didn't watch many Nascar races other than the big ones (Daytona, Talladega, the Brickyard, etc.), but when I tuned in most often it was because of him.  Earnhardt's career was intertwined with Daytona, and when he (finally) managed to win one in 1998, it was just one of those feelgood moments in motorsports.  Dude deserved it very badly, and it was very cool to see him get to victory lane at that event.

Then on Feb 18, 2001, on the final lap of the Daytona 500, Earnhardt's car speared the concrete wall of Turn 4.  He was most likely killed instantly.  I did happen to be watching when that crash happened, and unlike Senna's crash I honestly don't remember initially thinking that it was too bad.  I suppose the fact that there was a dash to the line for the win going on while Earnhardt hit the wall might've been a distraction from the wreck.  The replay isolation on the 3 car showed just how severe that impact really was, and in many ways I truly believe that crash and the loss of Nascar's icon led to great advancements in safety throughout stock car racing.

And that's probably the best tribute that racing can give to these two icons.  Just keep racing, and just keep improving for the future.

I know that's an odd pairing: Ayrton Senna and Dale Earnhardt.  But as I was thinking and remembering about past drivers that we've lost, those two names immediately came to mind.  For sure, two very different people, but yet very similar in many ways.  I also thought of the story of Bill Vukovich who was killed May 30, 1955, in a crash during the Indianapolis 500.  Of course I wasn't around to see that crash, but naturally I've done my fair share of reading about the history of American racing.  Anyone who has read about the history of the Indy 500 has no doubt read about Vukovich, who has been called by racers of that era, "the greatest driver in American motorsports history".

But there's no sense in me just reposting the Wikipedia entry about him, so I'll let you research all of that for yourself.

Yeah, we all hate Illinois Na zis and we all love Wrigley Field.  "We" being Cubs fans of course.  And right now as a Cubs fan, I'm beginning to get downright giggly excited about this version of the North Siders and the hopes and dreams of what might lay ahead for this team.

What has me so giddy is that the temperature has been very cool for springtime, and yet, the team is spraying hits and scoring runs like ... like ... aw hell, I don't know what it's like but I know I'm loving it!  And when the temperature warms up, I can only think that the offense will be even more potent.

Combine that with a respectable starting rotation (led by Big Z) and a bullpen (led by Carlos Marmol) that appears to be settling in nicely, and the future looks very bright.

Now, before any Illinois Na zi preachers can begin their internet sermons about the history of the team, let me say that I understand it is still basically very early in the season.  Besides, this is the Chicago Cubs, my beloved Cubs, we're talking about.  There will be rough seas ahead, it's a Law of Nature, just like when there is a full moon the crazies will come out at night.  Everyone knows this.

Illinois Na zis are out there, and some of them even pretend to be Cubs fans.  To these "fans" that recommend being cautious and curbing my enthusiasm and waiting to see what happens, I say, "Kiss my ####."  I live for these rare times when the team is actually doing well and I actually have something to cheer about.  And I will enjoy every moment of it, just as the dude that survived AA savors every sip of that first cold beer as he falls off the wagon.

I've suffered enough and had my heart broken enough, and that just makes the good times all the more worthy of celebrating.  I'm not saying this is "The Year" nor am I making any predictions of greatness for this team.  I'm simply saying the fans should enjoy the fun, every drunken and misguided minute of it.  The main thing I enjoy about this team is just that, it's a team.  There is great depth and each game it seems as if a different player is stepping up and making a big play at a crucial moment.

Sure, there are tweaks here and there I'd like to see, such as I'd like to see Theriot leading off and Soriano batting second.  Or Reed Johnson leading off.  I don't like Soriano's weak OBP, and getting on-base is what batting in the lead off spot is alll about.  Not swinging for the fence with every at-bat.

But hey, Lou Pa is the manager and Lou Pa likes Soriano hitting lead off.  So Soriano is hitting lead off, and I'm left writing a blog b!tching that Soriano should not be hitting lead off.  I've never managed a Major League team before and most MLB games that I've attended I've gotten so drunk that I've forgotten more than I can remember about those games.  So it's quite possible that Lou might just know what he's doing.

One strange question mark has been the defense.  The relatively high number of errors and unearned runs have really got me scratching my head, but looking at the fielders the Cubs have I've got to believe that the nagging defensive problems will slowly disappear.  The defense is just too good to struggle like this for an entire season.

On the flip side, a great positive has been Kosuke Fukudome.  The dude just doesn't seem to have any weaknesses in his game, and day after day, he just goes out and gets the job done.  I'm only wondering here, but it has occurred to me that Fukudome's workmanlike attitude has had a tremendous effect on the team.  It's possible that I'm exaggerating for effect, but I certainly feel that he's had a positive influence on overall team discipline.

**Film capture from Blues Brothers Central website

Blogger's Note: This Cubs blog is dedicated to myself only, and no one else.  Not another goddam soul.  That's right, only my own insufferable wit and my own intolerable writing are responsible for this Cubs blog.

And I take full credit.  For myself.

Well, actually, I would like to dedicate this Cubs blog to my parents because without them I could not be here to write this great Cubs blog.  Can't forget the folks.  But that's it.  Just me and my folks and no one else.

Okay, upon further consideration if I'm going to dedicate this Cubs blog to my folks then I've got to also dedicate this Cubs blog to my two older siblings, Lisa and Eric.  And I guess my sister's husband Dan and my niece Sarah and my nephew John.  Them too.  So there you have it, just me, my folks, Lisa, Eric, Dan, Sarah, and John.  And not another person in the world.

Uhm, that's not right either.  I have to give a shout out to my drinking buddies Cheese, Scuba, Pheebs, Lenny, Schmitty, my neighbor Christine, my rec league basketball team, my friend Lisa W, and all of the goobers at work.  Basically all the people that promise to read my blogs, but never do.  So even though none of you will ever read this Cubs blog, I dedicate this Cubs blog to you.

But really, that's it this time.  I mean it.  This Cubs blog shall not be dedicated to another freakin person!

Here's the thing.  I have to at least mention the other bloggers.  All of them, every single blogger out there who has inspired me to write this wonderful and terrific Cubs blog.  This Cubs blog is dedicated to all bloggers everywhere, both big and small, both short and tall.  There are too many to name by name and in fact I don't even know them, but this is dedicated to them anyways.

Seriously, that's all.  No more dedications.  You know, I think maybe all of the Cubs fans everywhere should have this Cubs blog dedicated to them, because I like Cubs fans.  Hell, I am a Cubs fan ...  and  ...  and  ....  oh god I need another beer.

I, Jerry Jones, Great Owner, Owner of Owners, Ruler of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Irving, and of regions across the pan handle, conqueror of Iggles, destroyer of Dedskins, have hired many players and trainers and coaches and assistant coaches and errand peoples to serve in my quest for another Super Bowl triumph.  Great was the craft of those that served with the terrific Coach Tuna, and great was their number, which was in the hundreds maybe thousands (give or take a few job-shoppers and free agents).

They strove mightily too, for they knew employment would be brief if they strove not mightily.  All in the pursuit of my Super Bowl glory.  But many games did pass, and many times dem Cowboys did win victoriously, but my next Super Bowl eluded me.

So I, Jerry Jones, Owner of Owners, and all that, did hire a new Lead Coach for my staff of coaches as it was thought that a kinder and friendlier atmosphere for dem Cowboys would be just the ticket to my Super Bowl.  The name of my new Lead Coach was Wade, but I simply addressed him as "the lil Bum".  Furthermore, as incentive for dem Cowboys and my legions of Big D worshippers I did hire many Designers of Structures and Makers of Buildings to wrought me plans of a house worthy of my Texas sized fanaticism and intelligencia.  All who gazed upon what the Designers of Structures and Makers of Buildings had crafted did marvel at their genius, and I, Jerry Jones, did also look thereon and declare their plans to have much nift.

And the name of my capital development project would become "Texas Stadium Number 2", or as I refer to it, "The Big Building That I Builded."  The Big Building is to be big enough so as to be visible from orbit, and the Big Budget of the Big Building is just as big.  Construction began and the Big Building began to rise in the heart of Texas, and I looked upon my creation with great pride and proudness

So I, Jerry Jones, Great Owner, did hie me to the training complex where dwelt my new Lead Coach and my staff of coaches and assistant coaches to see what progress was being made with my team, and there I found not coaches and assistant coaches but drinkers of coffee and talkers of ####.  I was flabbergasted and flummoxed not to mention angry as an f'ing hellhound.

"Look here, O Fearless Leader," spoke thusly the Lead Coach (aka the lil Bum).  "Some things can't be rushed, for can thou win thy Super Bowl without us?"

Fumes did rise from my ears and blood did boil into my face, but I did remain compositional.  "What more do you require to win me a Super Bowl?  Name what is required and you will have it."

"O Jerry, Great Owner of Owners, etc. pay substantial moneys to keep the employment of my OC and my QB," saith the lil Bum as he refilled his cup of coffee.  "And maybe dining utensils of silver and electrum for our cafeteria, as it is common knowledge that Cowboys with full bellies are Cowboys with full dedication."

"You shall have all of that, just get my Super Bowl team builded."  And I, Jerry Jones, Owner of Owners, Ruler of Dallas, did depart the training complex where dwelt my coaches and assistant coaches with Rogaine lightning crackling from my hair follicles.

And many games did pass, and many times dem Cowboys did win victoriously, yet my team looked not mighty in status nor Super Bowl in quality.  My opponents did not tremble before my team as I had desired.

So I, Jerry Jones, did ask my Lead Coach, "What goeth on here?"

The lil Bum stopped partaking of his cheeseburger and said, "O Great Owner, Owner of Owners, my quarterback has become beguiled by the ways of a vixen by the name of Jessica Simpson.  Verily when she is near, he is a man not of swift feet and clear mind but rather a man of ten thumbs and wood in his britches."

So I, Jerry Jones, Great Owner of Owners, Ruler of Dallas, gave certain orders to keep Miss Simpson away from my prized quarterback so as to keep his mind focused upon my Super Bowl and not on Miss Simpson's Super Breasts.

And many days did pass, and my team seemed ready and able, yet disastrously the demise came suddenly in an ugly playoff skirmish against the G-men from that decadent Apple City.  And many days after that defeat did I rant and rave as does a lunatic, and many times did the moon wax and wane as I sleeplessly lamented my failure.

So then I did seek out my team's OC named Jason from my staff of coaches, since he seemed to know what's what about football, and I asked, "How come no Super Bowl?"

And he did answer, "O Great and Wealthy Owner, I be limited of playcalling available for my offense."

"Well, craft more plays to be called!"

"I have, O Great One, but my offense has not the ability to perform my plays."

"So?"

"So add another RB to my roster, O Great Owner, a special RB that possesses a fleetness of foot and a toughness of spirit so as to compliment our QB and our TO."

I, Jerry Jones, Ruler of Dallas, did then demand that a special Running Back be drafted, preferably one that possesses fleetness of foot and allegiances to Arkansas.  My far reaching scouts and network of spies tell me this cat named Felix will be just the ticket to my Super Bowl, and for the sake of my staff of coaches I hope this to be true.

Because I can avouch that if another Super Bowl failure is in my future, my Lead Coach and my staff of coaches will become permanent residents among the concrete foundation of the new Big Building That I Builded.  Thou can take that to the bank.

And God Bless dem Dallas Cowboys.  Can Jerry Jones get an Amen?

Are BMW-Sauber for real?  As Formula 1 comes out of the three week break and heads to Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix, BMW sit atop the Constructor's Championship with a one point lead over the surging Scuderia Ferrari.  Everything that I've seen and read has certainly reinforced the idea that BMW have continued to improve their game, and most notably the team were on pace with the red cars in Bahrain.

In the desert three weeks ago, Polish driver Bob Kubica qualified his BMW F1.08 in the pole position (yes, a Pole on pole), and despite struggling during the opening laps and allowing both of the red cars to get past him, he stayed on the radar screens of the two front running Ferrari's.  Teammate Nick Heidfeld brought his F1.08 home in 4th place, and all in all, it was a strong weekend for BMW Sauber.

But do they have enough to take the fight to Ferrari?  Staying in contact with the Ferrari's is one thing, but defeating the Ferrari's  ....  well, that's something else.

In Bahrain, the outfit from Maranello finally showed the championship form that most were expecting from them.  After two disastrous rounds to open the season, Felipe Massa finally screwed his head on straight and got down to business.  For Phil, the season opener in Australia and the following Malaysian Grand Prix yielded a whopping total of zero championship points.  That's not so good.  Bahrain proved to be much kinder to Ferrari, with Massa taking the checkers, well ahead of his teammate Kimi Raikkonen.  At one point during the middle portion of the race, the two cars were trading fastest lap times, but eventually Raikkonen backed off for whatever reasons, allowing Massa to cruise to a relatively comfortable victory.

It's a little ironic that Massa has had a very Raikkonen-like start to his season.  Race results for Felipe = engine failure (0 pts); spin (0 pts); win (10 pts).  That's the type of results that Kimi usually puts up.  Either take the win or get a DNF.

Speaking of the Iceman, he's done enough to still be considered the favorite for the Driver's Title (he leads BMW's Nick Heidfeld by 3 points), and he is possibly showing some patience as a driver.  In the not-so-distant past, Kimi's mode and modus operandi, his central kick, was just to win at all cost, and honestly it appeared as if he wasn't aware they actually gave out points for finishing in second place.  While he has been far from what I would call dominant at the start of 2008, I like what I see from the Iceman.  Have no fear though, Kimi will probably not run away with the title, I believe he will keep things interesting.

That win at all cost attitude is probably why I'm a big fan of Raikkonen.

At this point, only 3 races out of 18 have been completed, and I'm sure the Kimster has many thrills and spills yet to accomplish, so stay tuned.  Massa will have his moments as well, and Ferrari must be at least a little satisfied with the early pace of the new F2008, although reliability might still be a little shaky for the once bulletproof Ferrari cars (especially after the calamity of a two engine failure at Albert Park).

As for the third team of the Big Three, McLaren-Mercedes squandered a strong start to the season at Albert Park.  Hamilton took the victory in Australia and new teammate Heikki Kovalainen brought his shiny new ride home in a respectable 5th place, and McLaren looked ready to put the debacle that was the 2007 season behind them.

Oh, not so fast.

McLaren is quickly becoming known for Mickey Mouse goofiness and a knack for drawing the wrath of race officials everywhere.  Case in point, both McLarens were penalized in Malaysia for impeding the progress of BMW's Nick Heidfeld and Renault's Fernando Alonso during Q3 qualifying.  Their crime?  Not moving off the racing line quickly enough while other drivers were on a hot lap.  Their punishment?  Both McLarens were docked five positions on the starting grid for their rudeness.  The question with Hamilton has been can he challenge for the win when starting back in the grid?  So far, the answer has been 'no'.  Hamilton's five F1 victories have all come from pole position, and in the past we've seen that he's prone to make mistakes when starting further back in the pack.  So a five grid penalty was a big deal for him.

For a racing team that has been traditionally known for its precision and professionalism, McLaren-Mercedes in more recent times appear to be operated by the Marx Brothers.  In 2007, a car that was at times very dominant yielded no driver's title, and a goofy spy scandal ("StepneyGate") forfeited all constructor's points for the season.  Is 2008 going to be more of the same slapstick from the silver cars?  We'll see, but it has not exactly been a fantastic start for McLaren.

As Formula 1 rolls into Spain, what should be of more concern to Ferrari is BMW Sauber's continued improvement and not the comedic drama of Team ... M-I-C .. K-E-Y .. M-O-U-S-E .. er, I mean Team McLaren.  The Spanish GP will be interesting to see if BMW will defeat Ferrari in a straight up fight, or if Ferrari will begin to assert the dominance that we've been expecting.  McLaren are by no means drowning, but they better start swimming in the right direction.

Top Five in Driver's Championship after 3 of 18 rounds

1. Kimi Raikkonen         Scuderia Ferrari          19 pts
2. Nick Heidfeld              BMW Sauber                16
3. Lewis Hamilton         McLaren-Mercedes     14
4. Robert Kubica            BMW Sauber                14
5. Heikki Kovalainen     McLaren-Mercedes     14

Top Five in Constructor's Championship after 3 of 18 rounds

1. BMW Sauber              30 pts
2. Scuderia Ferrari        29
3. McLaren-Mercedes  28
4. Williams-Toyota        10
5. Toyota                           8

Today we play mad scientist, ala Victor Frankenstein.  With the college football teams in spring practice and everybody gearing up for the upcoming intrasquad scrimmages, it is time to construct the perfect college football coach from DNA, scraps, spare body parts, and icons from around the coaching industry.  I will send my faithful henchman Igor out with a shopping list to gather all of the materials we need for this project and then finally after everything has been gathered, we will need a bolt of lightning to animate our coaching creation.

First off, our coach should be a class act, preferably a dude of genuine integrity.  We want to run an honest program here at the medieval University of Ingolstadt (the "Rambling Werewolves"), so we need a coach that is a stand-up kind o####uy, a coach that represents good wholesome values.  For this we will need the sweater vest of Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.

Loyalty and longevity are absolute requirements, since we can't have our perfect coach jumping ship to the NFL at the first sign of success, but rather we want him here at the U of I for many decades to come.  He will not just be our coach, he will be an institution.  We will build many statues of him, name streets in his honor, and he will forever be linked with our Werewolf football program.  For this we will need Igor to retrieve the broken (and healed) leg of Penn State coach Joe Paterno.  It might also be a good idea to get Joe Pa's coke bottle bottom glasses too, just to be safe.

Next, we need a leader that has that certain aura of intimidation.  When our coach walks into the media room for the postgame press conference, we want those reporters trembling in their loafers.  When you sit in a room with our coaching creation, you should feel as if you're in the presence o####reat military general.  For this we will need the houndstooth hat worn by Alabama's Paul "Bear" Bryant.  Nothing says scary like a big dude named Bear wearing a checkered hat.

Igor laughed at that one, but believe me, no one will be laughing once that lightning bolt shocks our perfect scary coaching creation to life.

Okay, where were we?  Ah yes, recruiting, recruiting, recruiting.  Our coach can't win if he doesn't have the athletes, right.  This means that our coach must be able to relate to the modern young adult as both a student/athlete and as a person.  He must be able to provide strict guidance while at the same time connecting with the players on a personal level.  For this we will need the ears and vocal chords of USC coach Pete Carroll.  As a back-up plan Igor will also get the ears and voice box from Illinois coach Ron Zook.

Hey it just makes good sense to have some spares lying around since recruiting can be so fickle.

In today's college football the coach must also be able to think outside the box, so we're gonna need some big doses of creativity and innovation.  With time to prepare a gameplan, our team's playcalling will be next to impossible to defend!  We will be intelligent yet unorthodox, and we will be fun to watch.  So for this we'll need the right brain half of Florida coach Urban Meyer.  Wouldn't hurt if we also convinced QB Tim Tebow to transfer over here to Ingolstadt as well.

Can't forget about Old School football either though, you know the glory days of "win one for the Gipper" and passionate speeches that could make grown men cry.  The days when players wore leather helmets and regularly got their noses busted during the games.  We're talking about an inspirational leader here, and our coach had better be able to belt out an uplifting halftime talk that gets our guys charged up.  For this we will need the left brain half of Notre Dame great Knute Rockne.

Intangibles are very important but also very difficult to capture.  Elusive things like instilling team chemistry and player confidence and strength of character are crucial to building a truly great football program, but then again we're not sure how to gather these intangibles.  I'm not sure how, but somehow we need the spirit of Grambling coach Eddie Robinson, we need a leader that has the respect of the entire football community.

Fists of fury will likely be required since football is a tough sport and being a football coach means you gotta bust some heads every now and then.  Fire and intensity should be good to get the job done, and of course a wicked nasty right hook can be very valuable.  For this we will need the arms of Ohio State legend Woody Hayes, and we will schedule the Clemson Tigers for our first game.

It's gonna be great!

We had better balance out those old school fists of fury with some discipline though.  Can't have our coaching creation running around punching everybody in the mouth, that would be bad public relations and might get us in trouble with the NCAA.  So, our coach must also have an air of quiet and steadfast toughness to him, and he must rule with strict but fair methods.  For this we need the backbone and heart of Nebraska coach Tom Osborne.

Our coach can't just be a humorless stiff though, he's got to have a little wackiness to him and a good sense of comedic relief at just the right moment.  We've got to be very careful here though because too much wackiness and we run the risk of crossing over into fullblown psycho like crazy Les Miles - and that ain't good.  Wackiness is a critical ingredient for life, but we only need a dash or two and that's all or else everything could very easily spin out of control.  For this we'll need the good ol' boy southern attitude of Florida State coach Bobby Bowden.

Last but not least, our coaching creation needs an identity, a name.  A real catchy name, one that people will remember.  We shall call him    .....    Art Vandelay.

And in the off-season he'll be an architect.

I'm a newbie to Nascar and I like Nascar.  I mean I really like Nascar.  This was not supposed to happen, after all I'm a fan of road course racing, of motocross racing, of basically everything that flies in the face of Nascar.  To me Nascar = turn left, turn left, turn left  .....  yellow flag pitstops  .....  then turn left, turn left, turn left.  Any driver could win at any time because there seemed to be no rhyme nor reason to it all.  The luckiest driver just seemed to win.  That's basically what it looked like to me as an outsider.

My first love is motocross.  Beyond that I will always be loyal to road racing such as F1, ALMS, SCCA, what was Champ Car, and other series.  I will acknowledge that Nascar goes road racing twice a season - at Sonoma and Watkins Glen.  I love those races.

This all started when a friend here on the blogs asked me to join a fantasy racing league.  I considered the offer genuine enough, but in reality I was simply telling a friend what she wanted to hear.  Okay, okay, I'll give this silly fantasy racing #### a try.  This friend is a fellow UofA alum, so I figured that I'd cut her some slack.

Well, now after 6 cup races, I'm hooked on Nascar.

I live and die with the four drivers of my fantasy racing team.  I'm not a fan of any particular driver, so I love/hate them all very equally.  One week Kyle Busch is my hero, the next week I'm hoping  he has some "mechanical" issues.  Hey, I'm a competitive person, and I always always struggle to win, even if it's against the niece and nephew at Sorry - I'm in it to win it.  No worries, my sister will clean up the crying kids after I whup them at Sorry.

Don't even get me started about Stratego.  I dominate.

This week's racing brings Nascar to Texas, and I have absolutely no idea why I'm picking the way that I'm picking.  I'm sure the leader of our league will know it all before they race, that leader of our league would be some tightwad by the name of ramchargers by lyndon.  Whatever.  This ramchargers person has picked the winner 5 out of 6 races so far!  That's just ridiculous!

He and/or she must be cheating!

I have selected my drivers for this week based on the guess that this week will be similar to Atlanta - I'm going with Dale Earnhardt Jr, Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, and Brian Vickers.  Obviously lil'E and cousin Carl are some upfront choices, but keep in mind that in our fantasy league you can only use a driver 4 times over the course of the first 18 races.  That throws some strategy in this for the long haul, or at least that's how I look at it.

The truth is, I'm trying my very best at this fantasy racing league stuff.  I really am.  If I get my butt kicked, then so be it - but I'm bringing all of my meager racing fan skills to the table.  That may count for something.

Let's be honest, it ain't where you start but where you finish that matters.

Some personal thoughts about Nascar racing that I've watched:

(1) Kyle Busch is for real.  I'll be honest when I say that the dude's driving style freaks me out a little bit, but I can't deny that he's a racer  ....  and he's a winner.  I keep reminding myself that he's very young and that he'll mature as a driver.  I'll be very surprised if Kyle Busch doesn't win a championship (or multiple championships) in his Nascar career.

(2) There is no tire controversy.  Look folks, Goodyear is the sole tire supplier, and that is a good thing.  Tire supplier for Nascar is not about capitalism where competition is good, tire supplier is about safety.  Goodyear as the sole tire supplier is better for safety than tire competitors trying to outdo each other for more speed.  Even as a newbie to Nascar I know this.  (Please refer to F1 USGP of 2005).

(3) I'm becoming a fan of Kevin Harvick.  The Richard Childress Racing team seem to be on their game, and all of the team drivers (Burton, Bowyer, Harvick) look strong to me.  Harvick seems to be a little abrasive and a little arrogant, and believe me, that is very cool in a race driver.  They are not out there to make friends, they are out there to win no matter what.

I'm throwing down right now that I'm pulling for the #29 to win it all - and of course by doing this blog I have now jinxed the #29 team.  But hey, I'm an opinionated cuss even when I have no idea what I'm cussing about.

Let's go racing boys.

Let the madness begin.  Let every "expert" from across the internet fill out a bracket.  We must whittle 65 teams down to one ultimate fighting champion, and I would pick the Florida Gators, but they weren't allowed to play with the big kids this year.  I would pick the Vanderbilt Commodores, but each time I think about that I get a little bit sick to my stomach.  I would pick the Stanford Cardinal, but it is written somewhere that a tree can never be a champion.  I think that's in the New Testament, maybe the book of Revelations.  Maybe Corinthians.  I don't know.

So, as I embark on my exacting science of bracketology, I must admit to myself that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.  Of course, ignorance has never stopped me from blogging before, and it won't burden me now.  (see: Kiss of Death)

SWEET SIXTEEN  (whatever happened to Molly Ringwald?)

East Region = North Carolina, Notre Dame, Louisville, Tennessee.  The Tar Heels will have little trouble making it to Charlotte, while Notre Dame upsets Wazzou to punch a ticket to the sweetness that is sixteen.  Louisville survives the surprising Oklahoma Sooners, and the Vols are erratic but talented enough to get past American University and Butler.

Midwest Region = Kansas, Clemson, USC, Georgetown.  UNLV is very capable of putting a scare into the Jayhawks, but the Rock Chalkers still advance to Detroit.  Clemson is quietly lurking as a dangerous team, while USC runs past the plodding Wisconsin Badgers.  Georgetown could fall victim to a feisty Davidson team, but I'm going with the Hoyas in a close one.  (Upset watch: Siena over Vandy)

South Region = Memphis, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Texas.  Oregon should make Memphis fans nervous, and a close game begs the question, will free throw shooting doom the Tigers?  Nah, Memphis will make it to Houston unscathed, but stay tuned.  Pitt is a very resilient team, and I like the way they compete at the defensive end.  My upset pick for this bracket is Temple over Michigan State, but the Owls then fall to Pitt.  Marquette is a streaky team, and given the right circumstances could chop down the Stanford Tree, but I'll go with the Cardinal.  The Texas Longhorns quietly go about their business.

West Region = UCLA, Connecticut, Purdue, Arizona.  The UCLA Bruins seem to be the trendy pick to win it all, and they will hold serve for the first two rounds.  UConn is too athletic for Drake, while Georgia shocks Xavier but then falls to Purdue.  In a complete and utter disregard for logic and reasoning, I'm picking my Arizona Wildcats to upset West Virginia and then the Blue Devils of Duke for the chance to play in Phoenix.  You were expecting me to pick Duke?  Not gonna happen.

ELITE EIGHT  (orange whip?  orange whip?  three orange whips)

East Region = Notre Dame vs Louisville.  Upsets, upsets, as the Fighting Irish knock out the UNC Tar Heels and the Cardinals eliminate the Tenn Volunteers.  How can this be?  I don't know, but it be.  For the honor of traveling to San Antonio, the Irish go cold and the Louisville Cardinals get hot.  Rick Pitino returns to the Final Four, and the Big East is recognized.

Midwest Region = Kansas vs USC.  The Clemson Tigers scare the beejeebies out of Kansas, and yet the Jayhawks won't die.  The Trojans return to the Elite Eight by upsetting the half court minded Hoyas.  Hoya Paranoia and Roy Hibbert get a real bad case of the yips at a real bad time.  USC is just too quick, and that OJ Mayo is for real.  But the Men From Troy just don't have an answer for the Jayhawks as Kansas advances to San Antonio and Bill Self guides them to the Final Four.

South Region = Pittsburgh vs Texas.  The bubble will burst for the Memphis Tigers.  The Pitt Panthers are battle tested, they are gritty, and they are not intimidated.  Free throw shooting has nothing to do with the Memphis defeat, the Panthers are the tougher team.  Texas dispatches Stanford in what promises to be a very slow and boring game, and then the Longhorns squeak past the emotionally spent Panthers from Pitt in a real meatgrinder o####ame.  Burnt Orange returns to the LoneStar state, and the Big XII spots two teams in the Final Fearsome Foursome.

West Region = UCLA vs Purdue.  The UCLA Bruins emerged as champs of the toughest conference (kids, that would be the Pac-10 for those that have been paying attention), and while injuries may yet spoil things, they're a relatively deep team.  UCLA vs UConn promises to be very entertaining, while Purdue vs Arizona promises to be very messy.  The Boilermakers end the joyride for my beloved 'Cats, but then get steamrolled by the juggernaut that is Bruin Basketball.

FINAL FOUR  (you can't handle the truth!)

Louisville vs Kansas.  All we are is dust in the wind, and yet somehow the Jayhawks keep surviving.  Is Bill Self really a good coach?  Maybe, maybe not.  What is it about these Jayhawks then?  It's gotta be the shoes!  (Carry on wayward son ~ if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know)  Whatever it is, Kansas finds a way to take the air out of Pitino-ball and advance to the title game.  Is there a Danny Manning in the house?

Texas vs UCLA.  You know, if you look at burnt orange long enough, you start to get dizzy, even a little hallucinatory.  I'm not sure why.  The eyes of Texas are upon the Longhorns and  .... and the Longhorns proceed to choke.  UCLA shows no mercy, and the Bruins are on a mission from God.

THE GAME  (we represent the Lollipop Guild .. the Lollipop Guild .. the Lollipop Guild)

Kansas vs UCLA.  It all comes down to this.  The Bruins face their second consecutive Big Dozen opponent, and the result is the same as before.  The Wizard of Westwood himself, Coach Wooden, couldn't have drawn it up any better, and all is joyful throughout La-La Land.  Bruins have better coaching, better tournament experience, and better guard play.

UCLA cuts down the nets.

....  or not.

This entry is basically just a picture blog more than anything.  For whatever reasons, I usually save my ticket stubs when I attend various sporting events.  I'm not really sure why.  Trying desperately to preserve the past?  Possibly.  Trying desperately to remember the good times?  Absolutely.

I'll confess too that I'm a photo album junkie.  Although I'm not a particularly good photographer, I've always loved still photos that capture a moment in time.

Anyways, I've got all of those saved old (and new) ticket stubs in a desk drawer, and the other night I shuffled thru them and was really surprised at all the memories that came flooding back.  For the most part I could remember quite a bit about each event that the various tickets represented.  Who I went with.  Some of the highs and lows.  Who won and who lost.

Here's a sampling of some of the ticket stubs that I've got rat-holed away in that desk drawer:

I've got alot more racing tickets than anything, but I tried to scan in a sampling of the different sporting events that I've been to over the years.  There's some pretty cool moments in sports buried in there.

Such as the Bulls vs Pacers pre-season game at the Peoria Civic Center.  That game was among the first that Michael Jordan played with the Bulls during his rookie season.  He had a short contract holdout, and joined the team a few games into the pre-season.  I remember that he didn't even start in that game against the Pacers!

Also caught a Bulls vs Hawks game at Chicago Stadium during Jordan's rookie season.

Of course there's an Arizona vs ASU football game in there too.

A Blackhawks playoff game.  And a Blackhawks game during a strike-shortened season.

Notice the Hawaii vs UCF game.  That's a true sign of a sports addict when while vacationing in Honolulu, you look up a football game to go to.

Cubs vs White Sox at Comiskey.

Bears vs Packers MNF game (at the Univ of Illinois).

I have friends that live in Seattle, so whenever I trek out to see them, we always catch a Mariners game and then the Washougal MX National.

There's even a College Baseball regional in there.  I went with some buddies to watch one of their younger brothers play (for the Nebraska Cornhuskers).  I'm not a big fan of aluminum bats, but the games were alot of fun to watch.

Sad part of this whole walk down memory lane was ... I could not find a single ticket stub from Wrigley.  I've been to a few Cubs games at the Friendly Confines over the years, and somehow I didn't manage to save a single ticket stub!

Whew, too much Old Style at those games I guess.  That's alright, this is the year that the Cubs win it all, and so I'll just have to save a ticket stub from this championship season!