Stronger

As most of my readers know, in 7 days I will be running in the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. I'm running as a member of the Children's Memorial Marathon Team to raise funds for Children's Memorial Hospital.

If you'd like, you can sponsor me here.

For your enjoyment, here is a video of one of my current favorite running songs.

Stronger

NL Central Champs

Thank you Cubs for being resilient to the end, testing my patience, and proving me wrong.

Truly a team effort. Everyone from the kids (Theriot, Fontenot, Marmol, Soto) to the veterans (Lee, Ramirez, Zambrano) to the new guys (Soriano, DeRosa, Lilly, Marquis) to the (not so) old favorites like K. Wood to our fearless leader, Lou Piniella, had their moments, and I'll use this weekend to recall some of those and get ready for the postseason.

I need to remind myself that it is an 162 game season, but hopefully you can forgive my momentary lapses in faith.

Enjoy the moment. You deserve it.

NL Central Champs

Dear Cubs

Ok, so yesterday didn't work out for you.

The lone bright spot was Kerry Wood, who did a fantastic job! Thank you, Kerry. I'm so proud of how hard you worked to make it back and contribute. Your performance yesterday was unbelievable. You kept us in the game in a very difficult situation.

As for the rest of you, remember that today you are playing the Reds, who no longer have Dunn, Griffey, or Freel. Let's put the house of horrors in Florida behind us and get the division clinched. You should also send a big thank you to the Padres who kept your lead at a much more comfortable 2 games.

Love,

st3veh

Dear Cubs

Thank You San Diego

Apparently, no one wants to win the Central.

Thank you, San Diego.

And, can I just say it really pains me that the Mets have blown their lead in the East, and could miss the playoffs entirely?

Thank You San Diego

Liveblogging the ninth

The sequel.

It worked last time.

And it really needs to work today.

I was feeling better until Dempster gave up a run in the eighth.

D. Lee first. We need a baserunner. 1-0. 2-0. A walk would be nice. 2-1. 2-2. Gotta get the first batter on. The outfielder turns the wrong way and still makes the catch. Not a good sign.

Aramis bounces out on the first pitch. Nice patience there, A-Ram.

DeRosa flies out to right on the first pitch.

Great job guys. Swept by the f-ing Marlins.

What else to say?

Shall I go back to my post from earlier in the year?

I think so.

I was starting to feel bad about that earlier post.

Not anymore.

Liveblogging the ninth

Behind The Music

The story of "Go Cubs Go"

Twenty-three years ago, a dying Cub fan wrote and recorded an anthem to North Side optimism called "Go Cubs Go."

The song became a local sports standard, but it's enjoying a big revival this season as part of a new tradition after home victories.

[...]

Fabian said his first plan was to ask Cub fan Jimmy Buffett to change the words of his hit "Margaritaville" for a song called "Wrigleyville."

But Fabian said this idea wasted away when he heard program host Roy Leonard interviewing Steve Goodman one morning in February 1984.

He realized that not only did Goodman have better hometown-fan cred than Buffett (who grew up in the Deep South), but also that commissioning Goodman to write the theme would be "a fun, good-natured tweak" at the excessively earnest Dallas Green.

Goodman had the musical bona fides. He'd been recording, writing and touring on the folk circuit for more than a dozen years, and was best known to casual music fans as the composer of "The City of New Orleans" ("Good mornin', America, how are ya?"), a Top 20 hit for Arlo Guthrie in 1972. (Music video link)

Fabian didn't have to ask twice. A week later, Goodman, for whom experimental leukemia treatments had failed, was back at the station, guitar in hand. The sunny, bouncy, infectious "Go Cubs Go" "flat out blew us away," Fabian said.

"For all its exuberance, the song was merely the alter ego of `Dying Cub Fan,'" wrote Clay Eals in "Facing the Music" ($29.95, ECW Press), a Goodman biography published earlier this year. "In its fatalism (`Dying Cub Fan') was as devoted and affectionate as `Go Cubs Go' was in its blind faith."

Team and station executives loved it and so did the fans, particularly when the 1984 team began more often than not making good on the song's promise that "the Cubs are gonna win today."

WGN released a charity single that sold 74,000 copies, more than any other album or song Goodman ever recorded, Eals (left) said in an interview this week. "But as the team and his song were going uphill, Steve was going downhill. It became a race to the end of the season."

Goodman lost that race.

He died on Sept. 20, 1984, four days before the Cubs clinched the National League East Division title with a victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The only consolation was that death spared him the agony of watching the Cubs blow a two-game lead in the league championship series.

[...]

Meanwhile, one Cub fan who is particularly savoring the "Go Cubs Go" renaissance is Minnette Goodman, the singer's mother.

At her home in the city she watches on TV at the end of games as the players dance joyously on the field where her son's ashes were scattered many years ago.

"It blows my mind," she said. "The Cubs win a game, and I get to hear my kid sing again. It's rewarding and comforting at the same time."

Behind The Music

Dear Cubs

Can we please win today?

Thanks.

Love,

st3veh

Dear Cubs

Weekend Thank You's

Cub Alfonso Soriano, for 2 hrs on Saturday.

Cub Sam Fuld, for running into the wall to make a spectacular catch and then throwing to first for a double play. The "Sam-my, Sam-my" chant is back at Wrigley.

Brewer Rickie Weeks, for booting a double play ground ball on Saturday.

Brave Mark Texeira, for the game winning hit.

The entire Braves team for taking 3 out of 4 against the Brewers and helping to reduce the Cubs magic number to 4.

I'm not talking about the Bears, except to say that I'm so glad I went to bed early instead of watching the game, and after all, it's still baseball season.

Weekend Thank You's

Lou, It's What You Do To Me

Go Cubs!

Lou, It's What You Do To Me

Republicans

Attention Democrats! Here are a few things to remember about Republicans:

Moderate Republicans don't exist.

They will screw you over every time. Right, Sen. Webb?

They care more about protecting the President than protecting the troops.

They are generally full of shit.

Republicans

Some Thank Yous

Thank you, Ted Lilly! How many times has he come through after tough losses this season?

Ted Lilly, pitching on short rest for the first time this season, did not get a decision. He gave up two solo homers over seven innings, and set a career high in single-season innings pitched. The left-hander has totaled 200 innings this year, topping his previous high of 197 1/3 set in 2004 with Toronto.

This was Lilly's 20th quality start of the season, and he's the first Cubs lefty to reach that number since Jamie Moyer did so in 1988. Lilly struck out eight, including pinch-hitter Alex Gonzalez to end the seventh and strand runners at first and third. The lefty now has 168 Ks, matching his career best, which also was set in 2004.

Thank you, Alfonso!

"If ever there was a must game for us this year, truthfully this was it," manager Lou Piniella said.

And Soriano provided the boost.

Brandon Phillips hit a sharp single to left field that Soriano fielded, and his throw cut down the speedy Norris Hopper at the plate to preserve a 2-2 tie. It wasn't close.

It was the 16th assist of the season for Soriano, a former second baseman.

"He hit it very hard and I took it on once bounce and made a good throw," Soriano said. "That's what I have to do. I know the runner on second runs very good."

Soriano's throw with a three-quarter motion is deceptive and arrives quickly.

"I'm happy that they run on me," he said.

Last, but not least, thank you Hunter Pence.

Some Thank Yous

Loooooouuuuuuuu

Gotta love Lou.
He holds players accountable.

While Piniella is impulsive about personnel decisions, some principles remain constant. He's tough on catchers and can't stand pitchers who nibble. He can live with errors, 0-fers and gopher balls, but the offending player better give his all and be accountable. Excuse makers and players who hide in the trainer's room after games quickly exhaust their credibility with Piniella.

He lets the kids play.

In contrast to predecessor Dusty Baker, who had a well-deserved reputation as a veteran's guy, Piniella enjoys playing kids because of the energy they bring to the clubhouse and the field. The only catch: They better not be scared or fundamentally unsound.
Three young Cubs -- pitchers Rich Hill and Carlos Marmol and shortstop Ryan Theriot -- are now indispensable pieces for Piniella, and rookie catcher Geovany Soto has hit well enough lately to start taking at-bats from veteran Jason Kendall.

Loooooouuuuuuuu

Liveblogging the ninth

My first experiment in liveblogging.

Top of ninth. It's not looking good.
Brewers have already won.
Cubs down 6-4. 3 outs left.
Say goodbye to being all alone in first, and forget that magic number talk.
Great. Will Ohman is pitching.
I'm not staying up to comment.
Wait. He got somebody out.
So maybe I'll stay up.
That's because it's not the 3rd out in the inning. Just wait.
Another out.
Look out Adam Dunn is up. Home run or strikeout?
Strikeout.
Nice job Will. I take back all the bad stuff I've been saying about you.

Bottom of ninth. Rally cap time. Miracle comeback anyone?
David Weathers pitching. We need baserunners people.

Theriot up. 1-0. 2-0. 2-1. 3-1. Please walk him. Please walk him. 3-2. Foul. Ball 4. Good way to start the ninth.
D-Lee up. Come on D. Base hit to right. Runners at first and second nobody out.
A-Ram up. No double play. No double play. Foul ball. 0-1. What the hell did you just swing at? Ball 1? 0-2. Whew. Looked like strike 3 to me. 1-2. In the gap! All the way to the wall! Theriot and D-Lee score. Tie ball game. Triple for A-Ram. Clutch.
D. Ward up. Intentional walk. Runners at first and third.
DeRo up. Talk about clutch. 4 for 4 tonight. Make that 5 for 5.
Cubs win! Cubs win! Cubs win!
They're going crazy!!!

OK, so the liveblogging worked. I'll do this again tomorrow night.
Cubs maintain 1 game lead.

Go Cubs Go!
Hey Chicago, what do you say?
The Cubs are gonna win today!

Liveblogging the ninth

Thank You Ryan Dempster

You have redeemed yourself.

Now please quit giving me cardiac arrest.

And, thank you very much Alfonso for making it possible for Dempster to redeem himself.

Thank You Ryan Dempster

Why Wal-Mart Sucks And You Shouldn't Shop There

Headline: Wal-Mart breaks the law, gets punished, wins anyway

Via Christopher Hayes

Why Wal-Mart Sucks And You Shouldn't Shop There

End The War

Sorry Katie.

People hate this war.

Someone tell the d.c. establishment that it's immoral to continue supporting this war just because you can't admit that the dirty f-ing hippies were right.

The country has figured it out.

George Will has.

A Republican in Congress has.

(Attention, Melissa Bean! That means you can support an end to this war, too!)

That is all.

End The War

The Thanks I Get

Apparently we can't win in Houston.

We can't get clutch 2 out hits.

Theriot gets robbed by Carlos Lee. Carlos Lee? Baseball Tonight Web gem? Seriously?

(You know it's not your night/year? when Carlos Lee robs you.)

Our closer has now blown 2 saves in the past week. Great timing.

That's the thanks I get for loving you.

At least I won't have to watch tomorrow night.

I'll be watching these guys.

The Thanks I Get

Hall of Fame Wankers

The very serious St. McCain and his pal Lieberman.

Meanwhile, Joe Lieberman and John McCain continue setting new records for wank. Check them out in the Wall Street Journal saying "The president had the courage to change course on Iraq. Does Congress?" It's an interesting definition a "changing course": If I'm in a car at 85 miles per hour on an iced over road and angrily insisting to my terrified passengers that "no, i won't slow down, I'm the $@&$% decider," McCain and Lieberman would not define changing course as pulling off onto the shoulder till the de-icer comes, but instead speeding up to 110 mph.

How many more people must die for their vanity?

Hall of Fame Wankers

I am trying to break your heart

Again.

I love that the Cubs fall out of first place in the worst division in baseball on the day before the $3750 bill is due for playoff tickets.

Looks more like a deposit on next year's season tickets than a payment for actual playoff tickets to me.

And, actually I'd rather have one of these or these instead of giving the Cubs organization some money to earn interest on in the offseason.

Playoff teams do not lose series to the last place team in the middle of September.

Damn Cubs. Score some runs.

I am trying to break your heart

Maybe The Sun Will Shine Today

Thankfully, for the Cubs, it did.

It sure beats I am trying to break your heart, which was Thursday's theme.

Maybe The Sun Will Shine Today

Conservative Idiot of the Day

David Brooks

Yes, David, secular liberals = radical islamists. Running out of material?

Tee-f-ing-hee. Go Cheney yourself, Davey. You're so f-ing serious that you've been f-ing wrong about everything. And the dirty f-ing hippies have been right. Just drives you crazy, doesn't it? Stay serious while our soldiers keep dying for the vanity of President Bush and the oh-so-serious media establishment.

How's that for a childish rant?

Conservative Idiot of the Day