Before I head off to watch tonight's important British Columbia at Edmonton CFL tilt, and the less critical, but very entertaining The Kumars at No. 42, I've been piling up some notes around here and it's time to share my complaints and observations with you. I know. You are thrilled. Go Esks!
* Phil Garner's not exactly getting rave reviews for his World Series, is he?
* I know some say the World Series was boring, but the games were all very close and most of the casual sports fans I know enjoyed the Series.
* What is up with Bobby Valentine? This guy just can't shut up about a "true" World Series between the Japanese League winner and the MLB World Series champs. I'm not sure what his motives are, but Valentine just seems obsessed with this international world series concept of his. Note to Bobby: Shut up, already.
Three points, Bobby V. First, whining about it isn't going to help your cause. Second, there is a true lack of interest in the States for international baseball of any kind. Olympic baseball can't draw flies. The upcoming World Baseball Classic is illiciting mostly yawns at this point. Baseball fans I've talked to are indifferent at best to any international series under any format. Third, if the ratings are falling with teams from Chicago and Houston in the World Series, does anyone really think a Chicago versus Chiba Lotte match-up is going to be a ratings winner?
* The Detroit Lions are playing the Chicago Bears for first place Sunday. Really. The Lions could be alone in first place by Sunday evening. No, I'm not kidding.
* The other day I'm watching PTI. The boys are kind of chuckling at the lack of attendance at NHL games. Fair enough. Within a half an hour, I'm watching a Carolina/Boston contest where the fans have come dressed as empty seats. It's either poor attendance or the greatest Halloween promotion ever.
Later that same evening, I'm watching C-SPAN. Me? Watching C-SPAN? Scary, I know. However, I digress. I'm watching a representative from Florida pleading for an independent Hurricane Katrina commission. The rep. from Florida actually had displays made to support his statements. The one I saw look like his middle school kid did it for homework. (At least it got an A.)
Anyway, the Florida member is talking to about five people in the chamber. There are three members of the House present plus a couple of aides. That's it. Five people in the United States House of Representatives. Which seems more ridiculous? The small amount of people who refuse to pay to attend a professional hockey game in the South or the even smaller amount of people, whom we pay to govern, actually sitting in the House while business is being carried out?
* Maybe I'm just not well versed enough in football, but when the list of would-be Hall of Famers is announced each year I find that I think the majority of players named should be inducted. This year is no exception. No, I wouldn't vote for every guy, but I'd give the nod to a large percentage on the ballot.
* In this edition of Things You Don't Care About, I offer the Breeders Cup. If I'm home tomorrow, I'll be watching. You will not.
* Hoops season is about to begin. I think the Pistons will still be a force. If the bench can come through, they can still beat everyone in the East. Yes, even Miami and Indiana. Here is ESPN.com's power rankings for the NBA. Apparently, Marc Stein shares my sentiment on the Pistons.
* Can a Boston Celtics fan please, please explain to me what Danny Ainge is doing? Thank you.
* For you college basketball fans, here is there look at ESPN's college top 25. If you love college hoops, here are two blogs that are mandatory reading. Yoco: College Basketball and Big Ten Wonk. Neither needs an ounce of my support, but in the remote chance you haven't come across one or the other, let me encourage you to do so now. Why are you still here?
* Oil companies weren't gouging us at the pump. I mean Exxon barely increased revenues in the third quarter. You can't make money with a 75% increase in revenues each quarter.
Well, I've got more, but kick-off is nearing. Contrary to the rumors, I do have priorities. Skewed priorities, but priorities nonetheless.
Post-script: The Eskimos prevailed. I know you are as happy as I am.
2 comments:
- I think this is Bobby Valentine's motivation: He's chirping about a "true" World Series because he wants to show everyone how great of a manager he is. "Hey, I beat the best major league team with the best Japanese team."
From what I read this weekend, by the way, he sounds like a shoo-in for the Dodgers job.
- I agree with you when it comes to pro football Hall of Famers, but I can't help but notice how much more inclusive the Pro Football Hall of Fame is compared to Baseball's.
It almost seems like everyone gets into Canton, while Cooperstown has a great wall around it. But maybe it seems that way because what makes a Hall of Famer in football is much more intangible than with baseball. Baseball, it's all about the numbers. You point to them and say "YES!" It's not that simple with football players.
- As a Pistons fan - and I can't believe I'm going to say this because I HATED the guy when he played for the Celtics - I think we all have to be indebted to Danny Ainge for allowing Detroit to make the Rasheed Wallace deal by taking on Chucky Atkins.
Oh, and one more thing:
It'll be interesting to see how the Astros play for Garner, after the way he sold them out to the press after Game 3 of the World Series. Really classy move.
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