ChicagoSportsBlogs : Non Compete

I started writing something about how the Sox suck tonight. It is late, and I am tired. As a result, my original effort stank more than Sandy Alomar's passed ball which cost us tonight's game. To be honest, the main reason I started writing tonight was to complain about how much Sportscenter sucks. I tuned in after watching John Kerry's speech to the Dems. I thought I switched to the wrong channel. I was confronted with a piece on how the music world is mixing with the sports world. This is not what I expect out of the sports CNN.

Wait, it gets better. Sportscenter, it seems, is doing a week long piece on how music and sport work together. As a result of this amalgamation of entertainment disciplines -- The Roots where performing. Live (taped). On Sportscenter. Not MTV, not MTV2. Sportscenter. ESPN's Sportscenter. This is just unacceptable. If I wanted crap entertainment with a sprinkling of sports I would watch Fox Sports Net.

A special on music and sports? This is a bit much. Has sport declined so much that we have to merge MTV into SC? Everywhere I go I run into MTV. Sportscenter was the last place I expected to see the merger of these two worlds. I get the fact how they are part of pop culture. I also get the fact that Shaq cut a record once, and that Master P wants to be a baller in real life, not just in his lyrics.

I just want to tune in, and see simple highlights, updates on sports news, and an occasional funny piece on how the Expos suck. Is that too much to ask for? Who gave the world's best sports job to a marketing idiot who thinks the way to solve his decreasing ratings problem is to study demographic charts. You know, the charts that tell him the 18-34 demographic is going the way of the dinosaur. So in an effort to get ratings up, lets hiphop-afy our sports network. Stuart Scott did enough with his stupid catch phrases. Did it ever occur to the folks at SC that the reason ratings are down is because not only do kids have way more to do -- but your news reporting STINKS. I hope you guys dont clusterfuck the NFL coverage.

Good Morning - and don't be alarmed. We are starting to cover the Blackhawks. It will probably amaze you that we even know what hockey is. Can you believe I used to go to about a dozen 'Hawks games a year? I can safely say it was due to the fact the Hawks were good enough to make the playoffs back then. It has been a few years since I have been to the UC for some ice rink fun. I can get into the typical reasons (the product sucks, its too expensive, they aren't fan friendly) but instead I will open up our Blackhawk category with news of a new contract for our goaltender.

A Blackhawk article wouldn't be complete without mentioning the unbelievable fact that I have seen maybe 4 home games on TV my entire life. I won't induldge in Wurtz bashing. I will leave you with that famous ranking of Worst Sports Franchise, ever.

I wanted to get something written earlier today to mark the start of Bears Training camp! That is right, kiddies! The Bears season is right around the corner. We can only hope that the new head coach, Lovie Smith, has better luck than that dry, toast like former head coach we had in Dick Jauron. The coverage of the Bears is going to start slowly until I get my football legs back. But I will be training along with the Bears up here in the Chi. I have some ideas in regard to adding some new functionality to the site to help us through the NFL season. More on this next time.

Before I leave you, I wanted to plant the idea of the Bears winning the division this year. We need to set our expectations really high. No excuses in this league. Many teams turn it around in two years. I think if our new coach can figure out a way to motivate these guys to perform at the level they can, we will make the playoffs.

Good luck to all the rookies and bottom feeders who are fighting for a roster spot this year!

Tonight's game is actually not over. While I attempt to scour the Internet for some photo editing software, I have been watching this horrible game between the Sox and the Twinkies. Let me elaborate on why this game sucks. The Sox are about to lose this game, and drop 2 1/2 games out of first place. The Twins come to Chicago needing only one more win to sweep us. Returning the favor I guess from an earlier 3 game set in the garbage bag. We can't keep doing this. We threw out our new “ace”, Freddy Garcia and watched him get taken apart by the Twins. The bottom line, the Twins are going to win this division unless we do something about it.

The bats have gone quiet on the South Side. To be honest, I think the bats go quiet any time we face good pitching. Shit, let's get real here Sox fans. The Twins play like they want it. Maybe I am being too rough on our guys, especially since they just hit two home runs in the bottom of the ninth to make the game 7-3.

Can they actually come back? Stay tuned...

[Update]

No. They can't come back. We try again this afternoon...

Good Morning to both my readers. Today I wanted to write something about the upcoming Olympics. It seems that the marathon route is finally finished. I don't know if you guys have noticed, but the Olympics take place this year, and they are in Greece. The birthplace of the Olympics. To be honest with you, I think the Outdoor Games have been getting better pub/coverage than the Olympics. The majority of the press coverage has been nothing but negative surrounding these Games. Greece is a mess, the country can't get its act together politically, it's too expensive, the people let the red tape get in the way of completion of a majority of the venues....blah,blah,blah.

I'm tired of all this crap coverage. I am also tired of the crap effort NBC has taken to cover the Olympics this year. What's wrong guys? Do you guys think you're fucked because the Greeks won't have your Starbucks built in time? I know, let's just complain that nothing is done, tanking any potential revenue we could have possibly made from advertising as a result. Talk about taking a dive. Sheesh, these guys are bone heads.

The Greeks didn't help, but lets get going on this. This is the Olympics. Do they mean less nowadays? Last I checked the world still wages wars. The Olympics are meant to bring a HALT to all the world's problems, even if it's just for 15 days. It is a gathering of humankind to adopt peace and join together in sport. Classically, in its purest form. This is most likely the problem -- it is no longer pure. The drug use amongst athletes, the security concerns over terrorism, the professional atheletes dominating competition instead of the young amateur, all are factors I believe have diminished the grandeur of the Olympic Games. Who wants to see LeBron win a gold medal? My guess is Nike.

So, I send this message out to my fellow Greeks: Teach the world what this is about. Remind the Marion Jones' of the world that the Olympics are to be treated with respect. Teach NBC and the Wall Street Journal that it doesn't matter if a few streets aren't completed, hotels are expensive, or there are some concession stands missing. Step up and show some pride in our Games, in our Country. Create an environment were we get to see the Olympics as they were meant to be seen -- perhaps with a little less of the polish TV coverage warrants, but with the great spirit this Olympiad needs. Clean up sport.

I know a lot of you are wondering where the hell Shaj316 is. The speculation around here is that he finally had it with the outsourcing of American jobs. The straw that broke the camel's back, or Shaj316's ability to sit in front of a computer for 10 minutes to blog, came in the form of outsourcing gone Hollywood. Is it me, or did they just outsource Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure to a Chinese guy and an Indian dude? Shocking. In all seriousness, the big man is obviously busy. It is summer in Chicago afterall. We do have a new park to play in. He could be out living that Playboy lifestyle of his. Well, whatever the case, it has got me thinking it might be time to go find some new writers to grow this thing we call a sports blog up and out.

I'm not taking applications yet, because obviously only three people are reading this. (I sent the link to the third person guys, so you've got company now) I might think about it as the Bulls and Hawks season starts. We'll see. Anyway, if it so happens that Shaj316 still uses an RSS reader, or is laying on a beach with his laptop, or has that new funky RSS reader the Yamo (link please, YAMO!) had on his iPod -- please come back.

And no, I'm not going to email him or call him. Letsee how long it takes for him to read this.

I love it when the Sox are on TV and there isn't anything remotely good enough to swap over to during the boring parts of the game. Heresy, you say?! Why would a die-hard fan ever switch away from the glorious game Hawk and DJ call? Well, for one -- there are only 500 die-hard Sox fans in this entire city. The rest of us are regular, average-joe fans who catch a game on TV while doing the dishes, or finishing the laundry. Don't agree with me? This is an easy enough theory to prove: When was the last time you actually pulled your fat arse off the couch and bought some tickets to visit The Cell? Which, by the way -- I drove by for the first time (stop gasping at me) last Friday. The changes to the ballpark are fantastic from the outside. It looks GREAT. I should have taken a picture with my phone and MoBlogged it.

Ok -- lets focus on last night's game. Mark Buehrle pitched a fantastic 2-hitter last night. It could have been a perfect game if it wasn't broken up by Vizquel in the 7th inning. He hit a soft single to center field, only to watch the guy batting after him hit into an inning-ending double play. The pressure wasn't really apparent to me in the 7th inning. This could have been because Buehrle made this look effortless. This was the kind of outing we needed from Mark. He is starting to turn it on, and I believe it's going to rub off on the rest of the team. The Sox are a game out of the wild-card, trailing Boston and Oakland. We also trail Minnesota who has been on a three game winning streak, by half a game. The truth of the matter is, unlike the Cubs, we need to win the division to get into the playoffs this year. The next series of games are all division foes. This is where we find out if Ozzie and Kenny have put together a team with the mental toughness to rush forward into the playoffs. I don't want October to come, only to realize how talented we are again -- but underachievers at our core. The time is now, and we can thank Buerhle for pitching a gem that gave notice to the Twins. We're coming for you Twinkies.

Well, at first I thought we were going to come back and win this game. Especially after Konerko hit a two run homer to pull us within one. But, Damaso Marte ran into a problem in the bottom of the 8th inning. He gives up two runs to seal the deal for Texas. It was a pretty good game. I must admit to having floated around during the boring parts. But my overall observations are as follows:

Ozzie could have brought in Mr. Zero to keep the Rangers from scoring in the bottom of the 8th. He has made this call before, most importantly against the Cubs. What I argue is that you are on the road, and while it might be nice to bring in the left arm -- bringing in your closer to give you a fighting chance to win the game in the top of the 9th might not have been a bad idea. I'm not second guessing here. Well, maybe just a tad. I just get frustrated watching Damaso act like Kyle Farnsworth...which leads me to Cubs news:

They blew it today against The Cards. They are 10 games out. Stick a fork in them. That's all I gotta say about that.

Let us turn back to the Sox for a minute: We need to get more out of Joe Crede. Sorry to ride him so much as of late, but its true. We need Joe to STEP IT UP. If we can get him up to .265 BA then we will stop with the dry spells. And while we are on the topic of dry spells....we lost Big Frank for 8 weeks, but Quick-Draw GM Kenny Williams brought back Carl Everett the other day. He is already paying off. He went ahead and hit a homer in yesterday's game. My final point, because I can tell its getting late, and I am rambling : Ben Davis. This guy SUCKS. I'm sorry, but he is hitting about 46 cents. We got a great pitcher in Freddy for him, but Alomar is getting old, and if we do start to make a true playoff push -- his knees aren't going to hold up. We need this Davis guy to step up as well...I wanted to get into a deeper analysis of Garland's 6 inning performance tonight, but like I said, I am rambling at this point. Maybe tomorrow....

Nothing new to report today. I am happy to take a day off. It's not like you come to this blog to read about great analysis or a stats breakdown anyway. I will say that this first half of the baseball season has rejuvinated my interest in the game. When I was a kid, my brother and I would go out of our way to watch a ball game. Several work stoppages and a White-Flag-Trade later, my interest cooled off. But things are different this year. It's probably because the media around here is really positive as of late. That, and the fact the Sox are 1/2 game in first place. It is tough not to be cynical, but I'm trying. The All-Star game was a bust last night. I seriously stopped paying attention after Clemens gave up the 6 runs in the first. Speaking of Clemens, is he or is he not the best ballplayer we have seen in our lifetime? (guys and gals aged 25-30). It's either him or Bonds. Lots of folks vote Bonds since he plays everyday. Alright, thats it for me. I gotta get back to work. Everyone in the Chi take a nice soak today and get ready for what could be a historic second half to the baseball season. Save your strength kiddies, you're going to need it.

It's the All-Star break. Time to relax and take a look back at how our two baseball teams have been doing. At least this was my initial intent for today's post. But I had to jump in on the recent
news that Da Coach is going to run for the U.S. Senate. Ditka is an "ultra-ultra-ultra conservative guy" -- his own words. I don't think he means he is going to run the football 25 times a game. I also don't think he is in his right mind. Come on, coach. I could handle your move to New Orleans. I could even handle your commentary on Bears pre-season games. But then you started with the selling. Casinos, garbage bags, and of course the "pipe" hardening pills. Sheesh, what a pitch man. I guess if you look at it, you are pretty much up to speed with the main topics running our political system. Fun wrapped in evil, hauling out loads of shit, and sex. And to think, the guy they ran out of the race had only 2 out of 3 covered. Tough crowd. Ok enough with the serious talk. Good luck to Da Coach. I hope they don't turn you into a joke.

I'll be getting back with a post on my first half summary for both the ChiSox and the Cubbies.
There are new trade rumors floating around that I'll cover as well as some comments on the AllStar game tonight. Oh, and a final congrats to Miguel Tejada for winning last night's Home Run Derby. It was a great show and he did a nice job entertaining the crowd in Houston. Strong Work Miguel.

Someone remind me how we solved our fifth starter situation after signing Freddy. Don't get me wrong, I am super happy he signed. Even though he didn't look too sharp two nights ago, and got a loss. Last night, Schoeneweis and Diaz our 4th and 5th starters depending on who you ask, pitched batting practice for the Angels. It was a 12-0 shelling. Not good. The White Sox are on a 5 game skid. The longest of this season. Ozzie says not to panic, but in true Chicago Fan stylie -- I'd like to point out a few things, and as a result, panic.

First, the Trib reported that Schoeneweis wasn't happy to hear he might return to middle relief duties. He wasn't quoted, but his response to this rumor was to say he would rather pitch elsewhere than go back to the bullpen. That's a great team attitude, Scott. Of course, this was all a misunderstanding and things were smoothed over. With tender elbow healed, Schoeneweis was given another chance to show his stuff last night. The Angels thank us for giving him the opportunity. Second, our bats have gone quiet. Frank is hurt (ankle), Mags is still out, and Uribe is in a horrible slump. Konerko just missed making the All-Star game, but between you and me we need him to step up and carry us offensively. I know we are only 2 ½ games out. But I look at a line up with a slumping Uribe, Thomas and Konerko not to mention our major problems at third base. Which leads me to my third point: Joe Crede needs to take a seat. I can’t quite figure out why this hasn’t happened yet. Maybe we don’t want to move Valentin to third, or Uribe. We need Mags back and I am confident that his agent has noticed this slump. Do you think that 8-million dollar a year contract is a stretch now? Kenny is most likely trying to find us some more offense before the trade deadline. May I suggest he find a third baseman, or in the least sign Mags and send the message to the team, once again, we are here to win this thing. NOW.

This article, written before the Euro Championship final in Portugal this past Sunday is another example of people underestimating the Greek National Team. Of course, they don't come out and say it. But, the fact that Portugal was beaten by Greece in the opening game of this tournament, is reason enough for most to hand the trophy to the Portugese. Well, I'd like to take this time to offer a tissue to the crying Portugese soccer team for losing the Euro Cup to the mighty Greeks on their own soil. Congrats to Greece for playing this tournament with grit, determiniation and skill no one thought you had.

Congrats to the Player of the Tourney: Theo Zagorakis.

And finally, go read the brief reports from world media outlets about the new Kings of Europe.