Dusty's Whine is Well-Aged, though the Skin is Thin

In the Tribune today, poor Dusty Baker whines about the Cubs spending money, the end of his tenure here, and, most pathetically, being afraid to go back to Wrigley. Johhny B. also talks about becoming a wine maker.

"At this point I'm not ready to [call a game at Wrigley]. I don't need any more abuse, you know what I mean? I was booed and jeered enough. You use every experience to your advantage to learn. Some you'd just as soon forget; some you don't."

Hey Dusty, I have heard you on ESPN, and you are brutal, dude. Because of blackouts, I will likely have to watch the game Monday on the U! instead of ESPN. A pity.

He is also very relatable, as he talks about not wanting to wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row, which means he has to pay for the extra weight in his luggage on a (gasp) commercial flight.

I would say I cannot wait until Dusty is a manager again, but I think I will have to. I cannot imagine him getting a job any time soon. Who would want him? Unless Joe Morgan is buying a team.

P.S. Found a really good casual but upscale restaurant in the neighborhood last night.

Sweet Story, huh Tony?

Tony LaRussa is a jerk, and a bad guy. He had to have known that his beloved Josh Hancock was drunk when he plowed into the back of a tow truck, but threatened anyone that “want[s] to turn this into . . . some kind of story that's not all sweet” with a fungo bat. Better for the recently DUI'ed to threaten anyone who wants to learn the truth than take the time to bemoan drinking and driving. What a man.

Turns out, he was legally drunk, had a full pipe of pot in the truck, and was talking on the phone when he crashed his truck. Now I have no objection to doing any of those things, but not while speeding down the Interstate driving. Hancock went from mop-up pitcher to being mopped up off the highway.

It was really incredible that the initial reports were that there were no containers of alcohol found in his car, so the inference was that this was a “sweet, horrible” accident.

I always root against the Cardinals, but now I really do.

Good to know I am not alone on this.

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0-1, but No More Softball Uniforms

Sure, they are 0-1, and Big Z looked shaky again in an Opening Day start, but this is good news as far as I am concerned, from today’s Tribune:

Cubs starting pitchers usually get to select which color jersey the team wears, with the choice of blue or gray on the road and blue or white at home. Carlos Zambrano always has preferred to pitch in the blue jerseys, as he did all of spring training, but the team wore gray Monday.

As it turns out, Zambrano had no choice. Cubs President John McDonough has decided the Cubs will wear gray on the road and white with blue pinstripes at home. The move corresponds with the decision to put names on the backs of the uniforms.

FINAL 32

Indiana played well enough to win, as their tight defense and just enough offense beat the stoned, hallucinating Gonzaga team.

You knew they were going to win when Rod Wilmont made his first three-pointer, as he and Earl Calloway were playing as if it were their last college game, which will come Saturday night, when they get dismantled by UCLA.

Super Bears Super Bowl

GO BEARS

Back...and it's 16-5 (6-2)

As I spent the month of January bathing in the Super Bowl Bears' performance, I was still following the Hoosiers.

As tough as the Illinois loss was and is (especially with that piece of crap Bruce Weber and his shameless whining), the fact is that this team is really coming together.

Beating Wisconsin was the best example. Coach Sampson alsways says that this team has to play like it has a chip on its shoulder, and I believe him. This is a team that has dispatched the lesser team and has really competed agisnt the good or better teams. What makes me apperhensive is that this team cannot be overconfident playing anyone, be it a lesser team in the Big Ten tournament or in the first round of the NCAAs.

And they must beat Illinois February 10.

This Is the Way It Is?

For reasons that need not be expouned on here, I receive emails (mostly fundraising) for the Drug Policy Alliance, and I was blown away (to put it bluntly, pun(s) intended) by who I recently got a missive from the Most Trusted Man in America:

Dear (my name here),
In my career as a journalist I knew how to recognize a good story and jump on it. When opportunity knocks, we must respond.
That's why I wanted to make sure you knew about a special opportunity to support the Drug Policy Alliance -- your tax-deductible gift today will be matched dollar for dollar by an anonymous donor. That means your investment in national drug policy reform will go twice as far toward building a new foundation of reason, compassion and justice. But please hurry - the dollar-for-dollar match ends December 31.

As part of the DPA community, you already know that we are at the forefront of efforts to expose the waste, brutality and civil liberties invasions of the war on drugs. We are also among the leaders in advancing creative alternatives and new policies, solutions that work and help people, rather than suppress our personal freedoms and swell our jails.

There is hope for significant reform in 2007, and the Drug Policy Alliance will press forward to tell the American people the truth - "the way it is." That's why I strongly urge you to renew your support or become a member today.

Americans are paying too high a price in lives and liberty for a failing war on drugs about which our leaders have lost all sense of proportion. The Drug Policy Alliance is the one organization telling the truth. They need you with them every step of the way.

And that's the way it is.

Sincerely,
Walter Cronkite

What Would You Say?

According to the Associated Press, the Dave Matthews Band is hoping to play Wrigley Field July 8 & 9. They are getting clearance from the City Council before they announce.

Sign. Me. Up.

Though Wrigleyville will be overwhelmed with people, like it was 2003 again, most of the DMB fans will be hard-pressed to get into the bars…

7-3

Even though they played a Western Michigan team that seemed as spirited and hard working as Indiana, the sheer level of talent and shooting allowed Indiana to escape with an eight point victory.

Indiana was coming off what I will call a quality win over Southern Illinois, and Western Michigan has more Indiana natives than the Hoosiers, so they were playing with extra gusto.

Now, two games against the bottom feeders in the fictional Hoosier State Conference, IUPUI and Ball State, where Indiana holds a 1-1 record, before the Big Ten opener against the intimidating Greg Oden.