two races

OK, OK.... so my blog has once again been ignored. I've been poked at by some friends for not posting anything recently. It's sad and pathetic.

I know several people who have blogs about their families, political views, culinary adventures, religion, cupcakes, favorite sports teams, etc. They make regular posts. The honest truth is, sometimes nothing is happening on the lot. Sometimes nobody's on tour. Sometimes you just don't have time. Sometimes you just don't have anything to say.

Well I've got something to say. There is something happening on the lot. These days I'm following two things very closely: 1) The Presidential Race and 2) The Pennant Race. (I will watch the sausage race at the Milwaukee Brewers games too.)

In the Pennant Race, I'm clearly for the Chicago Cubs. With only a month left in the regular season, the Cubs have a great chance to take the best record in the National League into the post-season and make something special happen. As I have been doing all season long, I'll follow this team by watching and listening and I may comment about it here.

In the Presidential Race, I'm definitely in favorite of one candidate over the other. However, I want to hear everything they have to say. And I would love to hear it without the opposing views demonizing the other. I hear friends and family tell me things that they can't back up. I hear friends and family recite a part of a candidate's statement, but leave out the rest of the sentence.

I hear people say Barack Obama is arrogant -- I think these people mistake confidence for arrogance. To me arrogance is defined as somebody who thinks more of themselves than any other being, person or cause. Part of arrogance is ignorance. Ignoring what contrarians are saying, ignoring historical lessons, ignoring the facts and pressing on toward's their own cause above all else. Our current president is arrogant. I think deep down, George W. Bush loves this country more than anybody else who visits the lot, but his arrogance has misguided him. I believe he is a good person, but he has not listened to the contrarians, only his selfish family friends and advisers.

John McCain has consistently been labeled as a centrist during his 26 years in the Senate, a maverick, somebody willing to do things differently. But to win his nomination, he has been forced to abandon that centrist view to appease a very large voter base. This voter base puts social issues that are decided by one's own morals before everyone's well-being. This voter base is unwilling to give out a hand-out to somebody who needs help. They don't want their hard-earned money to be used to benefit anybody but themselves. Yet they support the notion that if you feed the wealthy, the benefits will trickle down to the needy.

I have watched a few of the speeches from the Democratic National Convention and I will watch the keynote speeches from Minnesota next week. I am currently replaying the 1-on-1 interviews of the candidates with Mark Warner of the Saddleback congregation on Youtube. I plan to watch the debates. I plan to listen to the candidates and not the pundits. I plan to listen to the plans and not the propaganda. I plan to do some real listening and observing, lest I be labeled arrogant myself.

primary concern

turning japanese

Is this a scene from Cloverfield or does Fukudome have the fans at Wrigley "turning Japanese-ah?!?!?!"



OK, so the Cubs lost a heartbreaker yesterday, but Kosuke's 3-run, bottom-of-the-9th shot to right center is my new personal opening day highlight. Instead of a having a pitcher's duel and losing out in the ninth, I look at yesterday's game as a pitcher's duel and a comeback that fell short in 10 innings - much more palatable.

Maybe Marmol should be closing - his stuff looked light lightning in the storm-ridden sky.

opening day

I'll let this video speak for me today. I'll be busy from 2:20 until about 5:30 when Kerry earns his first save.

kerry the closer

The Cubs wrapped up spring training today and I decided to watch from the comforts of the couch in my guest bedroom (that means I watched the first inning and then fell asleep until the tail end of the eighth). My impeccable timing allowed me to witness Kerry Wood as the new Cubs closer.

Although he got himself into a little potential trouble with runners on 1st and 2nd, he barehanded a bouncer up the center and launched to 2nd to start a 1-6-3 double play and then proceeded to strike out the final batter. Let me just say that I love the confidence and I'm excited to see how Woody handles the regular season.

Opening day is Monday, till then I'm cheering on Davidson in the NCAA tourney to give my hopes of winning my bracket the chance I've been waiting for all my life since I filled out a my first bracket in middle school.

chances

The cubs made a trade today. See official news here.

In summary, the cubs got a good, versatile outfielder who can split time with Pie and maybe Ronny Cedeno if he makes the roster. Cedeno could also platoon with Theriot at shortshop. The one year deal makes him a one-and-done type of player. The Cubs will be some type of champion this year - wild card, divisional, league or world, whatever.