Happy Birthday Texy

Finally Somebody is Thinking of the Children

My hat’s off to the Marion School Corporation of Marion, Indiana for finally standing up and saying “enoughs enough!”  To what you say?  Rogue school buses!  Finally officials have heard the voice of the little man, the voice that says “how do I know if that person is a school bus driver?”  No longer will citizens have to live in fear of whether the large yellow bus with bold black lettering denoting its’ ownership is in fact a school bus or a pirate bus.  These pirates buses have been allowed to pillage our neighborhoods for far too long, but no more!

Dad, Lewis is Sitting on My Side of the Car!

So Ron Dennis says if Alonso can’t hack sharing the limelight at McLaren with Hamilton he’s free to leave. What’s he care right? Hamilton is leading the championship as a rookie, and Dennis figures there’s more where that came from having signed half the 13 years old in England (and apparently a few in China as well) to development contracts. If Lewis is going to be competing for championships what do you need Alonso for?

While Dennis probably isn’t bluffing, he did fire Montoya mid season after all, I also think he said it knowing that there aren’t many places Alonso can go. Ferrari? Probably not given that Massa has really stepped up this year, and Kimi is still touted as the most talented driver in the paddock. Williams? Its been awhile since Sir Frank has fielded a championship contender, and with Toyota power and chassis that don’t respond well that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. Honda? Probably not when Super Aguri is outrunning them. Back to Renault? Maybe, he’d have to spend the rest of his career groveling to Flavio, and the car has been out to lunch at a few tracks.

Which leaving out the minnows, the also running big boys, and the debuting ProDrive team (who would spend the money on a marque name, but is rumored to be a McLaren customer, what’s the point of marching out the front door just to slip in the back door?) leaves one team; BMW. Which makes sense, they’ve been producing unreal horsepower for years; and the cars have really made a leap forward this year jumping to a comfortable 3rd this year in the constructor’s championship. Considering after two seasons they’re well ahead of Honda and Toyota you have to believe there will be another considerable leap forward again next year. Sure Heidfeld and Kubica are nice drivers, but neither are double world champions either. So would BMW make a play for Alonso if he declared himself a free agent? That remains to be seen.

But I expect him to stay at McLaren, why wouldn’t he? He’s not being told to take the second seat to Hamilton, just that Hamilton isn’t going to give way to him. Why would he walk away from a team leading the championship that gives him a chance to win every week and a chance to compete for the championship every year? Would a true champion give that up for a team that give him preferential treatment?

I’m Pretty Sure Jesus Wouldn’t Do This

A 15 year old girl was tied to a van and dragged behind it after she stopped jogging at a Christian boot camp.  The camp is run by what I think might be the most ironically named entity ever, Love Demonstrated Ministries, and is part of the San Antonio Young Offender program.

Well she probably won’t ever end up breaking the law again, after all the lawsuits are settled she’ll be too busy spending her millions.

For What It’s Worth

Just as a cold snap doesn’t disprove the theories behind global warming, a heat wave doesn’t really prove them either.  But you don’t seem to hear as much from the doubters this time of year do you?

Why Do I Blog?

Tim from Dayton posed a question that aside from his misplaced smugness, is all the same a worthwhile question; why do I blog? Is it for attention? Is it because I think I can make a living at it? What’s the deal?

No, it isn’t for attention; in fact if this blog were to become popular or in any way compromise who I am it would disappear, immediately. I don’t have the time or inclination to make this my primary purpose in life; and I cannot allow it to take over the rest of my life. As for blogging for a living; it just doesn’t strike me something I’d enjoy, I wasn’t built for deadlines.

Then why? Because its a good pressure release; and its good practice. I can anonymously rant and rave about things (and occasionally argue with the delusional like Tim from Dayton, who assumes he has all the answers to questions nobody’s asking) that bug me, and practice my critical writing at the same time. Churning out the same type of writing and arguments dulls your skills after while; its good to jump head first into a matter you don’t normally discuss. Its cathartic, and it really helps sharpen one’s skills. I can see that in the course of the arguments I made, they started out poorly and got better as it went on. The point wasn’t to be right, it was to be better.

So no Tim from Dayton, I don’t care if I get a lot of traffic, and I didn’t link to a post in hopes of getting traffic. I haven’t yet submitted a link to deadspin, and probably never will. As long as huckleberrys like you happen I don’t need to. I know that isn’t the answer you want, you so desperately want to think you’re better then me, but I can’t help you out here.

But hey, I still have a crappy banner, so you win. Try not to spend all that newfound pride in one place.

A Note from the Human Resources Department of the Globex Corporation

The Globex Corporation is pleased to announce the opening of the position of fanboy for Mr. Scorpio. This individual will work closely with Mr. Scorpio to help maintain his image, and promote his internet endeavors.

Duties will include:

• Relentlessly submiting Mr. Scorpio’s ramblings to the editors of deadspin.com. It is the only way to validate Mr. Scorpio’s existence.
• Oversee the banner project. It has become a top priority at the Globex Corporation to procure a banner; price is no object.
• Becoming inarticulate and lash out at other bloggers who disagree with Mr. Scorpio. Advanced skill in ad hominem attacks are a must.
• Maintain LJ’s wine inventory and intercept any errant wine boxes thrown in the direction of Mr. Scorpio.

Interested parties should send a resume and goals for world domination to the HR Department immediately. As Mr. Scorpio is a Cubs fan he’s willing to spend any amount to buy a championship caliber fanboy.

What?

This post, I don’t care for so much. Sure as a Cubs fan I don’t like seeing them criticized; but mostly I don’t like it because its a piss poor argument. The idea that the Brewers are some how a more authentic team because they don’t have big name free agents, is at best a joke.

Claim One: The Cubs are a collection of big name free agents assembled to win at any cost.

Analysis: Bullshit. Three starting pitchers (Zambrano, Hill, and Marshall) all came up through the farm system. As did most of the bullpen, of the 12 pitchers the Cubs carry 7 are farm grown; and none classify as big name acquisitions. Theriot, Fontenot, Cedeno, Pagan, and Murton are all fielders who came through the farm system, and most of the rest were acquired by trade; years ago. Ramirez has spent 5 of 7 complete season in the Majors as a Cub.

Yeah, they’ve picked up free agents, who hasn’t? Are you telling me that Ted Lilly is different then picking up Craig Counsell? That Mark DeRosa is better know then Damian Miller (yes, the Brewers have players who didn’t come up through their farm system OMG!!!!!!) Yes, they picked up Soriano, that’s what you’re supposed to do, go out identify the best players available and get them. Equating picking up one superstar in Soriano with the Yankees buying Clemens, and A-Rod, and Giambi, and… just don’t hold water.

Claim Two: The Brewers have better chemistry.

Analysis: Bullshit since June 19th. That’s the day the Cubs traded Barrett, and they started their hot streak. They play well together and shots of the bench show guys who seem to enjoy playing on the same team.

The Brewers? Nothing says togetherness like getting in a fight with the manager.

I can handle homerism, but Jesus at least think it through first. How can you claim a team has better chemistry the same week they have a fight after the game? For that matter how can you claim they have better chemistry when they’re 3-7 in the last 10? When they’ve blown what was a very sizable lead? The Cubs winning this is no sure shot; but let’s not turn the Brewers into the MLB version of Hoosiers.

Addendum:  Can the author say that the Brewers have always been homegrown?  Free agency has been around a long time, what was the make up of these two team 5, 10 or 15 years ago?  Would the facts support his argument?

Curt Flood himself has been dead for 10 years now, free agency is probably older then a good percentage of the readers of this blog; the Brewers may symbolize the past but its an idealized past, one that may not even be true.

Hell Hath No Fury…

Texy is gonna gut this guy like a fish.  Its going to be long, drawn out and brutal.