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So, lets see, 4th of July was the last time I posted.

Since my hiatus began:

• We came and went on our yearly vacation to West Virginia.
• They piled more crap on my shoulders at work, then took over a month to compensate me with a bit more money
• The Stock Market collapsed quicker than K-Fed’s career (Lame, outdated reference, keeping up with most current events has escaped me as of late)
• The Chicago Cubs blew it, AGAIN! 0 for 100 (YEARS) … BAH!
• Oh, yes … another new design to the blog, big surprise? I didn’t think so.

I figure, if my posts may come erraticly, I may as well simplify things a bit more, magazine theme was nice and all, but no real need for it. Besides, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense, a “Magazine” would imply people actually want to read the drivle I post on here, when we all actually know better than that, don’t we?

Enjoy the new look, I may change the colors around at some point.

Related Articles:

• Hubris and Humiliation: Chicago Cubs Fans Help Make It 100 Years

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The big bully on the block doesn’t want your lunch money anymore. He’s branching out, now he wants little Johnny to fork over a licensing fee for the honor and privilege of wearing a Cubs Jersey!

Major League Baseball is throwing its weight around, having sent letters to suppliers of little league baseball organizations stating that without the organization or the supplier paying a licensing fee to MLB, they could no longer sell and wear uniforms emblazoned with the official team names, logos, etc. Last I checked, little league baseball was about the kids, save for the groups of unruly parents who think they’re kids are the next Alex Rodriguez. With that being said, Little League Baseball is non-profit. I can remember playing little league baseball and having to sell fund raising candy just so the league could afford to purchase the uniforms. Who knows how much the licensing fee costs, it’s really besides the point. Tens of thousands of kids play little league baseball, most with the dream of someday making it to the big leagues, and also for most, the dream never comes true. For those few years in our innocent youths, little Johnny could say he once wore the same uniform the big guys wear. That moment in the sun won’t come for little Johnny anymore, unless we dish out gobs of money to the MLB machine that can’t even decide if we need instant replay to help umpires or if we just need to make sure they aren’t blind as a bat.

I will always love the game of baseball and I will always be the biggest of Cubs fans, but its stupidity like this that makes me sad for what MLB has become. Now, I’m not so narrow minded as to not realize that like anything else, baseball is a business, but is letting little Johnny run the bases, stand in centerfield or sit on the bench wearing Cubbie Blue and a big read ‘C’ on his jersey and cap really going to destroy Bud Selig’s bottom line?

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• MLB Naming Rights: Bullying the Kids
• Major League Baseball goes after Dougie, Charlie

The reactions of a few drunken boobs is a valid reason to root against a team?

“Far and away the most obnoxious fans in baseball in this league.” - Marty Brennaman

Let me think a moment. Yep, I’m sure I’ve been called much worse. Besides, its about time we come out on top for something in baseball.

But, this coming from a man who played a big hand in nearly inducing a riot from Reds fans, 20 years ago. Following manager Pete Rose being ejected from a game in 1988 for shoving umpire Dave Pallone, a Brennaman tirade towards Pallone only helped to incite the crowd as they began pelting him with objects including radios and cigarette lighters. The barrage of debris forced Pallone to leave the field and let the other three umpires officiate the remainder of the game without him. A feat so damning on Brennaman and partner, Joe Nuxhall that NL President, Bart Giamatti requested a talk with both announcers over their role in the craziness that unfolded that night.

“This is the kind of thing quite honestly, right now, that makes you want to see this Chicago Cubs team lose.” - Marty Brennaman

For someone so apt to making stupid remarks, you should stick to calling balls and strikes and leave the finger pointing and backhanded remarks of an entire fan base to yourself.

All of that being said, I don’t want it to seem like I am trying to defend the most likely inebriated individuals in the stands, but lets be serious for a moment, I’ve seen worse displays of dissatisfaction from fans. If this is the worst you witness from announcing a game at Wrigley Field or anywhere else, consider yourself lucky. Just because you are a pompous, self-righteous idiot, who just so happens to have a soapbox to stand on, doesn’t give you the right to chastise Cubs fans, or any others for that matter. And, I don’t give a damn if you did try to backtrack the following day on Chicago sports radio. Its too late. If for no other reason than your track history, you lose all rights to criticize the fans or to retract the comments you so easily spewed the night before.

Related Articles:

• Reds’ Broadcasters Apologize (New York Times: May 4, 1988)
• Piniella defends Wrigley Field faithful (MLB.com)

So, a 21st Century spin on the classic 1980s “Knight Rider” TV show is about to air. Right out of my youth, the Knight 2000 was the invincible black Pontiac Firebird Trans Am and KITT the intelligent super computer brain snapping one-liners at the “The Hoff” and saving his butt every episode. Back to the present, we have a rebirth of sorts … except the Knight 3000 and KITT have been bastardized into a 2008 Ford Mustang!

If you ask me, this was a completely wasted opportunity by GM, here they are making the car show rounds introducing and showing off the soon to be released Chevy Camaro. Which, when both were in production at the same time, the Firebird and Camaro were cousins, off the same platform. That being said, why the hell couldn’t the Knight 3000 be a 2009 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am? Other than the fact that GM/Pontiac have shot down there being any new Firebirds rolling off the lines anytime soon … it would’ve been perfect! The car show could have shown off the Camaro and Firebird side-by-side, people would have been all over it, and then the Knight Rider movie could have given it an even bigger boost. Beyond all that and the real reason for this rant … KITT is NOT a freakin Mustang! Are you kidding me!?!? KITT will always be Trans Am, and I don’t give a good god damn what anybody says. This has nothing to do with not liking the Mustang, I love the car, the newest generation does a great job of bringing back alot of the classic Mustang styling. About the only thing going for the new TV movie, is Val Kilmer will be playing the voice of KITT. While he’s not William Daniels (Original KITT voice) he’s definitely a good choice.

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• Check Out the New Knight Rider Car!
• Knight Rider storms back, new K.I.T.T. showcased

It just came across the news that MLB starting pitcher, Johan Santana, whose trade from the Minnesota Twins to the New York Mets was contingent on a renegotiation of his current contract just signed a brand new 7 year - $150 million contract. A contract which surpasses the contract Barry Zito signed (7 Years - $126 million) with the San Francisco Giants, last year, by a measly $24 million. Beyond the outrageous dollar amount as a whole. The breakdown per season comes to roughly $21,428,571 per season.

The numbers below or calculated based solely on last seasons statistics.

• 3345 pitches thrown = $6,406.15 per pitch thrown
• 33 starts - $649,350.64 per start
• 219 innings pitched = $97,847.36 per inning pitched

Before it gets brought up … I know 2007 wasn’t his best season as he has won 2 Cy Young awards previously (2004 & 2006) Regardless, at $21+ million per season, tacking on a few more to the stats wouldn’t skew the numbers too far from what is shown above.

Let us also not forget that if Johan Santana goes into spring training and his arm falls off after 4 pitches, he still gets $150 million dollars, as MLB contracts are guaranteed money.

Saturday evening, I had to replace my wireless network card in my desktop computer. I got home and did the smart thing by checking the D-Link website for Windows Vista drivers, then downloaded them from my laptop onto my portable hard drive and then brought them over to the desktop. I proceed to install the network card and get online … for about three seconds before Vista locked up completely. I reboot and back into windows, and it stalls out again. I’m well on my way to pitching the card out the window and calling it a night, but I checked some forums and some other places and found that this seems to be a common occurrence for this D-Link wireless card. After trying a few different things I ran across and it still not working, I just gave up.

Then, I notice the 24 hour tech support phone number and decided I might as well give it a shot. After waiting on hold for 15 minutes at 1:00am, I finally reach Mammed Udi only for him to ultimately tell me after only two fairly stupid questions … “OK Sir, you can return that card to the place you bought it from” What! You waste my time at every turn with this POS and now all you can tell me is to return the damn thing? Come On! I pretty much came to that conclusion about 45 minutes prior. Here I am, thinking tech support would have an actual solution for their own damn product.

So, in closing … thanks to LinkSys for making a wireless network card and downloadable vista drivers which actually work and screw D-Link and their Tech Support for wasting my time.