Rambling to Exhale
This was a pretty good sports weekend for me.
First THE Ohio State Buckeyes survived against archrival Michigan in a game that actually lived up to the hype. I thought it was nice of the Buckeyes to torment me during the whole game by keeping Michigan in the game with two unforced turnovers. For three plus hours my heart was racing like a teenager before his first kiss. The Buckeyes though did triumph in a suprising shootout 42-39. Did you hear that the numbers for the Ohio Lottery picked after the game was 4-2-3-9. How freaky is that? Apparently, the lottery lost money because so many people played those numbers after the game.
The big question now is if there should be a rematch between these rivals for the National Championship. I will agree that Michigan is clearly the second best team in the nation. I don't really think there is a team that comes close to beating either of these teams. But, I don't think the way college football season works that there should be a rematch. Ohio State beat Michigan so why should they have to face them again unless they would allow for a rematch if Michigan would happen to win? Of course the only team that would really deserve to play Ohio State over Michigan would be USC, but they would have to win their last two games. So, really it will be either USC or Michigan probably.
The other big sport happening this weekend was that the Cubs actually spent money...a lot of money. The Cubs signed the biggest free agent hitter available, Alfonso Soriano. This is after they re-signed Aramis Ramirez. This is what happens when the GM knows his job is on the line. The Cubs have never spent this kind of money in the free agent market. They usually always go for what is considered the better "deal." Their inability to sign Furcal last year being the lastest evidence of their thinking. Now, Hendry realizes this year can save his job so he's convinced the Tribune to open the checkbook. Also, that report indicating the White Sox have exceeded the Cubs in popularity helped too. Clearly I'm not really complaining. This move gives the Cubs a solid line-up of.
Alfonso Soriano -- .277, 46 HR, 95 RBI (2006)
Cesar Izturis -- .288, 62 RBI, 25 SB (2004)
Derrek Lee -- .335, 46 HR, 107 RBI (2005)
Aramis Ramirez -- .291, 38 HR, 119 RBI (2006)
Jacque Jones -- .285, 27 HR, 81 RBI (2006)
Michael Barrett -- .307, 16 HR, 53 RBI (2006)
Mark DeRosa -- .296, 13 HR, 74 RBI (2006)
Matt Murton -- .297, 13 HR, 62 RBI (2006)
(From the Cubs website)
I'd actually switch DeRosa and Izturis in the batting order, but I can handle that. Now we just need a couple more starting pitchers, and I might be hesitantly excited that the Cubs might contend next season.
How great is that opening action set piece in the new Bond?
I'm going to go ahead and say that Gears of War is better than Halo in my opinion. Fanboys can begin attacking me...now.
At 2:09 pm PST on 11/20/2006 I shook Ronnie Wood's hand. And I think I broke his wrist.
Why can't insects be smart enough to know better than to enter people's homes? Also, why haven't we evolved to the point where we secret pheromones that ward off bugs. You'd think that would be first on the evolution check list.
I think I want to create my own TV show just so I can put songs I like in it.
Who knew Carson Daly still had a show? Oooh! Tom Green and Fiona Apple! It's like a MTV reunion circa 1999.
Clearly this is the end of this post.
3 comments:
AAAHH! You broke Ronnie Woods' hand? How could you?!?!
of course i thought about you as soon as i heard about the soriano signing, so i had to get your thoughts.
i agree that on paper this gives the cubs a genius lineup, but this seems very similar to the rangers' arod signing a few years ago. i don't think throwing money at mega stars is the way to fix an ailing franchise. (just ask yankee fan). scouting, bargain signings, smart trades are the way to go. and i'm afraid this contract will handcuff the cubbies when they have another need to fill in a year or 2.
Yeah, this contract will be a noose around their necks in three maybe four years. But, in a weak NL a signing like this can help make you a contender. The Cubs are also all about winning now. You also have to ask why didn't they throw around this money when a younger and better all around player like Beltran was available. Outside of on the field achievements, I think there are two more important factors to this signing. First, it does give the appearance that they are serious about winning and not just cashing in. Second, I believe the rumor that this is simply the Tribune making the Cubs more valuable when they try to sell it, and I'm all for the Tribune selling the Cubs.
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