Black Hole of Sports

Unless you're a basketball fan, the Baltimore-Washington area has been tough going for area sports fans over the past five years. In football land, the Redskins still have an offensive name, a greedy and inept owner, and just got demolished yesterday. Up I-95, the Ravens offense just had their most productive week; they had a bye. On the college level, Maryland's injuries to its linemen indicate that its players may be taking health-maintenance advice from their coach. Navy just lost to a I-AA school (albeit one of the better I-AA football schools). Baseball is no prettier - the Nationals will get their new stadium next year but are still quite a way from contending. The AngelO's may be even farther away; I love the Oriole Bird, but a more appropriate (if not quite family-oriented) team mascot would be a guy in a business suit with his head planted permanently in his own ass. The only bright spots are in roundball, and that's due mainly to major and minor resurgences by the Hoyas and Terps, respectively, and the exploits of the oddest guy in the NBA, #0 for the Wizards (strange time when the Wizards are the area's best pro team, yes?). Oh yeah, I almost forgot D.C. United, but they've been pretty damn good for years and the vast majority of the sporting public hasn't noticed yet.

Contrast that with New England, where a new Evil Empire is rising. Epstein, Belichick, and Ainge are sending their well-compensated minions swarming into stadiums and arenas throughout the land, destroying, or planning to destroy (see: Celtics trades) everything in their path. Belichick even deployed his own personal Eye of Sauron in service of his dastardly plans, keeping an ever-watchful eye on enemy sidelines until the commissioner mercifully vanquished that threat. And then there are the fans - Red Sox caps are the new sporting gear du jour for fans in this area, replacing NYY caps: "So you're from Boston/New England?" "Nah, I grew up in Maryland, I couldn't even find Boston on a map! I just like the team". Fantastic! It's also difficult to account for all the local Pats fans that are now sporting their teams' gear, which had been mysteriously absent from public spaces for most of the 90's.

Candidate Picks Up a Crucial Endorsement

This must mean that Mike Huckabee is now practically a lock for the Republican nomination, right?

Things That May Only Interest Me

Forget some people's concern over a Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton White House; are all of these candidates related?

In India, match-making web sites are referred to as matrimonial sites.

Stephen Colbert did grow up in Charleston, SC (hence his run for president in that state only as a 'native son' candidate), but was born in Washington, D.C. Also, he's a huge Lord of the Rings fan, which might explain Viggo Mortensen mysteriously appearing on the Colbert Report recently to offer him a sword, a la Excalibur, as a sign that he should run for president.

Newsworthy?

Maybe I'm just being cynical, but does the WP front page "revelation", that Verizon turned over phone records without a court order, really matter much? The government is going to get this information one way or another, since not cooperating can tend to hurt the bottom line. Corporations will continue to roll over for the Feds, to protect themselves and their shareholders. How shocking!

October Sand

I spent last week on the beaches of the Outer Banks in NC, where the surfing conditions were unseasonably bad (no weather systems to stir things up) but the weather was awesome. My dad and I also tried out some beginner's hang gliding on Jockey's Ridge, which was interesting but also frustrating (it was really too windy for a beginner's lesson). And Marty is a dog who pretty much refuses to get into the water at all - she just laid on the beach for most of the week. I think she still had a good time though.

One piece of unsettling news - the Weeping Radish Brewery and Restaurant has moved from its sound-side location in Manteo to a mainland location along Route 158, in Jarvisburg. Dumb move - please explain the brilliant business plan that advocates relocating to an area the most people simply drive past? I wish them luck, if only because their beer is so tasty and the Eco Farm idea sounds interesting, but I just don't know whether I'll ever visit them at the new location.

Meanwhile, 200 Miles Overhead....

The ISS (International Space Station) may be visible tonight around 8. Wonder if we have a good shot at actually seeing it in the city, considering all the light pollution.

Half-Assed MLB Playoff Predictions

In 2007 I've seen less baseball than in any year since I started seriously following the sport (in high school), so take these "predicitons" as seriously as that warrants:

Indians v. NYY: I can't claim impartiality on this one, the Yanks remain public enemy #2 in my baseball universe (after Angelos). Cleveland in four.

Red Sox v. Angels: This one's a toss-up in my book. While I certainly have no love for the Sox either (public enemy #3, mainly due to their obnoxious fans at Camden Yards the past few years - hey we won one title in the last 80 years, we must be the greatest franchise ever!!!), I think they have the slight edge due to home field and pitching, but it would hardly be surprising to see the Angels advance. Sox in five.

Diamondbacks v. Cubs: Wow, could there be a trendier pick than the Cubs? Maybe I'm just being contrary, but they're still the Cubs, and even though they're clearly the better team on paper...Arizona in five.

Rockies v. Phillies: Two hottest teams, blah blah blah. Two killer offenses, but the Phils have better pitching (I think). Phillies in four.

ALCS: Cleveland over Red Sox. Don't ask me why, it's probably not the smartest pick. Too bad!

NLCS: Phillies over Arizona. Because Arizona's pitching isn't good enough to hold down that lineup.

WS: Indians over Phillies. Because Cleveland has two very good SP, and since there are seemingly four days between each World Series game, this allows them to go with a two-man rotation.