A couple of master debaters

I only watched parts of the debate last night. I'm sorry but nothing that was said was going to change my decision anyway and the Cubs were in Milwaukee (priorities, right?)

McCain definitely was more prepared than most people expected, but then again, shouldn't he be? I mean he's been a politician for a long time. This is riding a bike stuff for him. This whole "suspend my campaign" stuff is either a genius move to make it look like he's unstable and then so when he does well, it's like "WOW he's prepared and ready to run the country", or he's got a bunch of absolute psychos running his campaign.

Obama stayed on message and didn't screw up. Is this sad to say? I mean, one only makes that comment (and the press sure did last night afterwards) when the candidate is supposedly so far ahead that only a blunder of all blunders can derail it. But is he really that far ahead?

One thing I liked, although because it came from NBC I'm going to stay skeptical, is the "Truth Squad" or whatever the hell they called it. Supposed fact checkers who called out things that were incorrectly stated or accused during the debate. Anyone whose ever watched PTI (Pardon the Interruption) sees the producer correct what Wilbon and Kornheiser pontificated during the show about sports. So basically NBC has a bunch of interns pounding on Google to check stuff. This is fine other than some of the huge blunders recently by some of those same interns who pick up bogus Internet rumors and shoot them through to the talking heads. (Palin's hubby has a bastard child, etc..)

News isn't news anymore, they just report what's on the Internet in the attempt to "break" a story. The news world has gotten lazy and instead of actually doing their jobs, they've hired Gen Y who just surfs all day and gets their "news" that way.

In summary, no one won or lost last night. Boring. I think the long format actually plays to Obama's long-windiness, so once we get to the rapid-fire format, it'll be interesting to see how he does versus McCain who has learned that it's all about a sound byte and taking quick shots that ultimately can't be responded to because the mod wants to move on. Personally I think that if Obama doesn't whip McCain's ass in the majority of these debates, he's going to be in trouble. If the man who is known for talking and being affable can't take down the career politician, it will be used against him as it already is. In fact, the McCain campaign was so on it's game last night that they took Obama's comment that "John is Right" and instantly spun a web-0-mercial with that sound clip and the words "Barack Obama's answers from the debate".

Oh, the mud is only starting............it's gonna get very ugly over the next 39 days!!

The Amazin' Mutz/Shite Sox

Can I just say how deliriously tickled I am at the continued Mets collapse? Okay, I just did. Neener neener neener!

Equally as impressive is the Shite Sox current fall. Its looking like they will have to go to Detroit to probably tie it up on Monday, unless the Twins can start winning and a potential one-game playoff with the Twinkies is looming.

Watching the Sox fans is actually amusing since they now know a little bit of what it's like to be a Cubs fan. Your team always just playing with your emotions, leading a division for 147 days, only to be literally gut-wrenching your way through the last week of the season. Admittedly this isn't similar to a LOT of Cubs seasons (most of them we were done by May) but there have been more of these over the last 20 years, than the blow-out ones.

Enjoy oh faithful South Siders, these are the times that test your true faith in the club.

New Stadiums

Although I didn't actually watch the ESPNgasm that was the last home game at Yankees Stadium last night, I've now heard about enough soundclips and replays on sports-radio to make me puke.

Let's be honest here, if they truly wanted to HONOR the old stadiums before they blew them up, they'd figure a way of renovating them and modernizing them instead of building new ones in the parking lots. This whole phenominon is just driven by money and the corporate big wigs. New stadiums mean higher prices, more luxury boxes and more corporate sponsorships. Joe Six-Pack can't even afford season tickets anymore so who REALLY are we building new stadiums for....and don't get me started on PSL's.

However, I reserve this statement (don't blow them up) only for the truly amazing, historic stadiums. I really didn't give a crap when they blew up Veteran's in Philly or County Stadium in Milwaukee. They really were pieces of crap built at the end of the 70's/early 80's that just were to fill the immediate need. (I heard the Spectrum is coming down in Philly this year too...thank god, that sh*thole!)

I've been to Notre Dame and they amazingly have done this (those of you who know me know how hard it is for me to say ANYTHING nice about ND) several times over the years as have they up north of the Cheddar Curtain at Lambeau Field (ditto on the nice part). I know that this is usually reserved for locations where there's not enough room to build new but frankly I see the writing on the wall already for Wrigley Field.

I just don't know what they are going to do someday there. There's no "parking lot" to build a new one and they sure as hell aren't going to move out of the neighborhood given all of the economy that surrounds it. So they are going to have to find a way to build up/within/around the existing structure. I know that we all get nice and cozy at 41,897 for a game, but the demand is so high that any new owner is going to need to think this through.

It's why I desperately hope Mark Cuban ends up being the owner. He gets tradition, he gets honoring the past. I would feel very safe with him as an owner and owner of the stadium property.

My friend Paul shot me this link which is some piss-poor attempt at naming the "most important" sports venues. What I take issue with is NOT that Yankee Stadium is number one, (which I did at first), it's exactly for what the writer cites in his "first person" account that someone can order a hotdog and a Budweiser and not get looked at funny. Yeah, those days are now GONE Yankee fans....and by the way, can you change out that wonder bread you call a bun on the hotdogs and get real buns?

I won't rant about the list as frankly lists are ways for reporters to fake that they've been working for a few weeks on some "big" article, but how can you respect someone who writes in #1, bashing "'retro' ballparks that seat 38,000 yuppies" who then makes #2 The Ballpark at Camden Yards which is a retro ballpark seating less than 38,000 yuppies right now since they are in the tanker? PS: He also used stock images without checking because if he did, he'd have at least picked a picture with INDY CARS in it for the IMS (#7) versus NASCRAP cars!!!

So goodbye House that Ruth built and goodbye to Joe Six-Pack from the Bronx and thank you TAXPAYERS of New York who won't get a fair chance at an affordable ticket. (and goodbye to all the Giants and Jets and Mets fans who are all going to suffer this issue as well.)

A Whole Lotta Rosie

I couldn't be more excited. No, this isn't another post about the Cubs (did I mention they've won the NL Central again?), but it's a post about one of the hardest rockin' bands come from down under (no NOT Men At Work Be Good Johnny), but AC/DC.

September 11th, they announced their first North American tour in over 7 years, but didn't release the schedule until about a week ago. Chicago is the 2nd stop on the US leg of the tour (10 days after the release of the new album Black Ice) and as I had promised myself when I missed them back in '01, I was going come hells bells or highwater and no matter the cost.

I quickly joined the AC/DC fanclub (so I could snag some pre-sale special section tix) for $40 (bah) and yesterday, at 10:00am CDT, I got my aisle tickets just to stage left about 5 rows up from the floor.

I may be 42, but on October 30th, 2008, I return to the sweet tender age of 16 and get ready to rock hard. The debate between now and then are do I bring ear plugs like the old fart I am (and protect my hearing so that on my child's first Halloween, I can hear him) or do I just gut it out and let Angus be my lord and savior?

Here's the thing I truly DO love about the boys. Rolling Stones come through and it's $300 a ticket (no matter where you sit), Eagles, $250-300, U2, $150, AC/DC.....$89.50. Still not affordable given that we used to pay like $35 for good seats for these kinds of shows, but at least they keep their highest ticket price in the 2-digit zone!!!

My only complaint is that it's at the Allstate Metal Tinbox where sound goes to die for any good concert. Shitty parking, shitty acoustics but it's not like I have enough scratch to offer them somewhere else to play. They could have easily filled the United Center or, even at that time of year, Toyota Park or whatever they're calling the place in Tinley Park these days.

All of this, although something that pisses me off, will never take away from 2 hours of ear-splitting hard core screeching rock and f'in roll. I really just can't wait for this. I'm sure I'll give a full review when I get home that night. Stay tuned...