HOORAY!

Try as he might to blow it, even Cliff Politte couldn't quite stop this one. While I'm excitied the Sox won the AL Central, at this point, I don't have a lot of hope for the playoffs. Regardless of who they meet, I still think, unless they step up their game, they're looking at 3 and out. It does appear that Everett is emerging from his slump. The rest of this team needs to get hitting.

Onto Cleveland for three meaningless games. Here's hoping we see a lot of Timo and Brian Anderson and El Duque, cause come next week, I don't wanna see 'em at all!

Good News

yes yes come to me...

Sophia Bush is single once again!!!

And the Sox won! And the Tribe and the Red Sox lost!

Magic number is now 2. The Sox have a 3-game lead with 4 to go. And the daylight special, Freddy Garcia, is on the mound tomorrow afternoon.

For once, the Sox looked good. Rowand and Everett both hit well. sPod had maybe his best game of the year. And Contreras was unhittable. If this is the start of a hot streak, the timing is perfect.

Losing Ugly

Sox Update: By now you don't need me to recap the horrors on the baseball field graced by the Sox the past two days. Instead of gaining a crucial 1 and 1/2 games on the Tribe, the Sox continue to cling to a 2-game lead in the AL Central. Over the past two weeks, the Sox have blown 4 games in a huge way. With a little more effort, the Sox should be 5 games up with 5 to go, thus division winners. The ones that got away:
-- Sept 14 at KC. the Sox leading by 2 runs going into the bottom of the 9th, and wind up losing 10-9 to the worst team in baseball.
--Sept 19th. Leading 5-4 in the 8th, the bullpen collaspes in front of a full house on the southside, and the Sox lose to the Tribe 7-5. Cleveland gains a full game in the standings.
--Monday night's 4-3 debacle, when the Sox again had multiple chances to win it. Instead, Politte gives up a homer in the bottom of the 9th to rookie, Curtis Granderson. Huh?
--tonight's 3-2 loss to the Tigers, in which th Sox left 12 men on base.

For the past 2 months, this is not a team playing like they deserve to go to the post season. They should be worrying about tee times.

Good news bad news - the Sox are without one of their hottest hitters - Joe Crede - gone for a few days, while attending to the birth of his first child.

Two nice ones

nice ones

Sox Update: these past two wins were nice ones... today's even more so, since the Indians lost to KC (a ball lost in the sun by Grady Sizemore). The Sox are still far from out of the woods, they could still choke and lose the division, but it appears the Wild card is all but assured.

Not much else going on on the Southside these days. I tunred down sex with the MILF last night in favor of sleep - 3rd time in the past month. Having 2 jobs will do that to ya. I'm starting to think something is wrong with me. Despite those missed opportunities, we're still having great sex more often than ever.

I'm still plowing thru the Studs Lonigan Trilogy. I've all but forgotten about ol Mr. Sandburg... I've got to finish these up and get to my autumn reading list....

No beer count. I've been average about 1 drink every other day. I start working out again tomorrow. Not like I need to, I just bought a pair of new jeans - waist size 29...

FINALLY

Sox Update: You can't stop Contreras. He's just been unreal since the break. What a surprise.

A few random observations:
--I hear a lot of people disparage Joe Crede's hitting. I've always thought it unfair, but especially so since he came off the DL and made some adjustments. He's a player.
--Juan Uribe is a great shortstop. In the past few games, he's made some impossible plays.

NOt much else goin on on the southside... this blog is winding down...

Got what they deserve

Bases loaded, one out, bottom of the 9th in a tied game... and they can't close the deal?

After last night's debacle, the Sox don't deserve to go to the playoffs.

not much else to say

World Series game 7

The Sox need to play tonight's game like its game 7 of the World Series.

If Garland gets in trouble early, I want to see Contreras or McCarthy.. I want Rowand to go 4 for 4 with a homer and 5 RBIs. I want sPod to steal 2 bases.

Don't goof this one. Its fuckin showtime.

One Step

I know I should feel happy about the Sox dramatic win last night, but I just don't. Like monday's game, which they lost, tuesday's game was one that was ugly. This team has yet to show that once they get to the playoffs, its gonna be anything but 3 and out. On the positive side, Crede and Uribe are both playing their best ball of the year.

Full Moon Fever Part 2

I feel so cheap!!

It must be the full moon. I have no other explaination for MILFs behavior over the past few days. After our amazing session on thursday, she actually was teasing me and horny all day on friday. Stunningly, I feel asleep while waiting for her to finish her shower, and could not be awakened, even for the promise of satisfying sex. Saturday, after I got back from the wedding around midnight, she was in bed, partially asleep in her yoga clothes, trying to stay awake for my return. After talking of talking about our day, she was wide awake. I peeled off her skin tight pants, pulled her thong aside and entered her from behind. Over the course of the next 2 hours, we proceeded to have loud, wet, sweaty, whiplash-style sex, breaking only for ice cold water. Definately our best session in a long long time. At one point, she took total control - climbing on top of me and just gyrating away. I just sat there and did nothing while she totally got herself off. I felt so cheap - like I was totally being used, and I loved it. It must be hormones, but she's on the prowl again tonight.

Sox Update: a win is a win is a win. At this point, it doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to be there. this entire 3-game series in Minnesota reminds me very much of the 3-game series in NY back in August. The Sox took 2 of 3 scoring very few runs. Jenks looks unhittable.

Make or break series as the Tribe comes to the Southside for 3 sold out games beginning tomorrow. Obviously, this is THE MOST IMPORTANT SERIES OF THE SEASON. Potential scenarios to think about:

1)If the Sox win all 3 games, they are 6.5 games up, magic number at 5, and virtually assured of the AL Central crown.
2) Sox win 2 of 3, 4.5 games up, magic number at 7, and the agony continues for another week.
3) Sox win 1 fo 3, 2.5 games up, magic number at 9, and dark cloud on the horizon.
4) Sox lose all 3 games, cutting the lead to 1/2 game and assure themselves of the biggest collaspe in baseball history.

Chill the Old Style, and say some prayers.

I watched the first half of the impressive Bears win today over Detroit. Maybe Orton is the guy. He sure looks like a young Steve Young...

OU lost to #4 Virgina Tech 45-0. So not only am I out $10 (they didn't cover the 33.5 point spread), but they also failed to beat the over (48). When it comes to betting sports for money, don't ever listen to me - I am terrible at making such predictions. Of course, when I make a prediction, and don't bet, I'm a winner more times than not. I don't fuckin get it...

Tavern Review: Bar Louie (South Loop)

Bar Louie - South Loop

Located in the old Dearborn Street train station, Bar Louie is one of just a handful of bars in the South Loop. The BL chain also has popular locations in the Randolph area, as well as Wrigleyville, Lincoln Park and Naperville. The South Loop location, however, attracts a different, more sparse crowd.

Its the kind of joint where you'll see dirty softball players on a post game binge, or a well dressed couple dining pre- (or post-) theater. The beer prices seemed a bit high to me, but the food is pretty cheap, the portions huge, and the quality top notch. The crowd varies. It ain't no pick up place, that's for damn sure.

The waitress are friendly and the TVs always tuned to the usual sporting action. The lighting is dim, so its a good place for a date, but not a great joint for a shot and beer.

Good

mmm

That's a good start...

The MILF has been extremely affectionate lately. We've been having more and better sex often. Last night was our finest session since late last year. We engaged in some forepaly - long intense deep kissing on the couch like a couple of school kids. After removing her jeans and her little blue thong, we got down to business. No lube necessary. She kept her polo shit on until we switched positions and she climbed on top. She peeled off her shirt and grinded away for a while. Back on her back, we fuckied long and hard, and I did my best to hold off. But the pleasure became more than I could bear, and I shot my white hot love all over her tight midriff.

Full moon tonight, so maybe some more?

Sox Update: Hopefully this is the beginning of a long winning streak. It wasn't pretty, but I'll take a win anyway, especially over Minnesota. Garland and Jenks pitched extremely well. Crede looks like he's finally coming around. But what the fuck was Marte doing out there? I thought this guy had gone the way of the dodo bird.

The Tribe squeak by KC 3-1, so the lead remains unchanged at 4 and 1/2 games.

No TV for the morning game tomorrow. El Grande Douchebag tries to.. oh forget it.

A fellow work drone is heading to Vegas for the weekend. I had him put $10 on Ohio U. The spread is Virgina Tech by 33 and 1/2, but I don't think they'll cover. Probably a better bet is the over/under, which is 48. Take the over.

No update tomorrow - I have a wedding in the Loop. Should be tons of hot young drunk girls...

Not much else to say

Just another day

The Sox are in a rain delay in KC. Sadly, Cleveland has beaten Oakland today. I think that, come monday, the Sox need to have at least a 7.5 game lead on the Tribe to feel any comfort at all. Right now, the Sox are staring down the biggest collaspe in history. And the schedule is set for it as well. It favors the Indians. After the current series, take a look at this:

Indians:
vs KC (7 games)
vs Tampa (3)
vs the White Sox (6)

Sox:
vs Minnesota (7)
vs Cleveland (6)
vs Detroit (4)

And even if the Sox hold up, unless something changes fast, its 3 and out and onto football season. I hope Ozzie enjoyed his day off in Miami, and thought long and hard about what the fuck he gonna do to get this team playing like the buzzsaw they were back during the first 3 months of the season.

Other Sox notes: Marte has apparently lost his fucking mind. He showed up late on sunday and then missed the flight to KC (or something to that effect). Whatever. He's made his final pitch in a Sox uni.

The hype machine has named Mike North as a potential color man to replace John Rooney when the Sox move the WSCR next year, and Ed Farmer takes over the play-by-play. It won't happen, and here's why. First, North would have to travel with the team, and therefore spend a lot of time away from his 'ham and eggs' morning show. He won't do 'double duty' on the road - it would be a logistical nightmare. If he got the gig and had to give up the morning show, its likely a violation of his multi-million dollar contract. So, his contract would have to be majorly restructured. If he did take the gig, and skipped mornings while on the road, WSCR's rating would take a huge, irreversable hit. Losing a few points in the all-important morning drive slot would cost millions in ad revenue. Second, North is simply not qualified. He's a great radio personality, but he doesn't have enough X's and O's baseball acumen. Third, he's not up to the challenge - the travel grind, and the players he's critical of, would chew him up and spit him out. Plus, putting him in the booth with a strong personality like Farmer is a recipe for disaster. Though to his credit, he'd be better than Don Pall.

Speaking of football, I see the Bears and Redskins played an unintentional "Turn Back The Clock" game on sunday - an unsurprising Washington win, 9-7. Not only did they wear leather helmets, they must have also played with an old school, pre-Rockne era round ball.

Meanwhile, Dion Byrum was named the #2 college performer of the week by CNN/SI. OU plays at #3 Virgina Tech on saturday. If the Hokies are looking past the Bobcats towards Georgia Tech, OU just might - just might - lose by less than the spread (currently a whopping 34.5). No respect, I tell ya.

Check out this cool site of short films that got a nod in monday's Wall Street Journal:
http://www.atomfilms.com/af/home/

Watch "Consent" all the way to the end. Great stuff. Fucking lawyers ruin everything.

If you're a dirty old man, here is the greatest website of all time.
http://www.zerogravityclub.com/

Click on "Clubbers" in the Photos area. They didn't build em like that when I was 18.

A preview of things to come... Ohio U's Dion Byrum runs an interception in for a TD versus Northwestern on Sept 3 at Ryan Field. Byrum would score 2 such TDs less than a week later in a dramatic OT victory over Pitt.

Photo by EasyW.

3 and out

the waning days of summer

I've spent the last few days out of town. Sunday was a perfect beach day. And last night I made passionate euro-love to a beauitiful woman. Yep, it was one good day.

Sox Update: Do I have to? I've been optimistic enough over the past 6 weeks that I've refrained from speculating that when the Sox get to the playoffs, it would be "3 and out". I didn't believe it. After this weekend sweep at the hands of the LA Angels, it appears they might not even get there. While the Sox are on a 4-game skid, the Indians continue to win, and have cut the Sox lead in the AL Central to just 5 and 1/2 games. The only thinkg I can see stopping this historical collaspe, is that the Sox start off the week against KC, and the Tribe takes on Oakland. Go A's. But even that might not be enough to save the Sox, limping home to what appears to be "3 and out."

O-H-I-O

AP/Michael King

Ohio 16
Pitt 10

I was only 10 when I witnessed the greatest sporting event ever - the US ice hockey victory over the Soviets at the Lake Placid Olympic Games in 1980. I watched it taped delayed on TV. I don't remember if I cried. But on friday night, I was curled up in a fetal position and blubbering like a baby when Dion Byrum ran back an interception 85 yards, just seconds into OT, and my fellow Bobcats stormed the field at Peden Stadium, dissolving into a sea of green. I cried not because of me, or some dumb game, but I cried for my dead mom (an OU alum for the 1950s), for all my classmates and friends who died prematurely in car accidents or from some rare cancer, and for all of us who now realize that our little secret school in the hills has changed forever. This is a big deal. It was likely the greatest victory in Ohio University football history, and opens a new chapter - no longer are the football games an opening (and closing) act for a marching band concert. I understand its a little early to make my reservations for the Fiesta Bowl, but OU has gone from the worst Division 1A football program to a legimate threat. How big of a deal is this? In 150 years of football, OU has made just two bowl appearances, and lost both. The last one being a 49-42 loss to Richmond (yes,the Richmond Spiders!!!) in the 1968 Tangerine Bowl. And just 2 winning seasons in the past 23 years. So raise a toast to the victors, and stand up and cheer, because happy days lie ahead.

Easy

easy

Sox Update: The Sox have begun hitting again, and predictabily, taken the first 2 games of the KC series. Konerko has 4 homers in the past 4 games, and Uribe is back in his groove. I've also been continously impressed by the play of Pablo Ozuna (as I have been since spring training). As much as I hate to say it, if Crede goes down, Ozuna can fill his shoes. The power lost in the playoffs, however, could prove fatal.

Speaking of the playoffs, there's been a lot of discussion regarding the Sox pitching rotation in the post-season. At this point, most voices I've heard seem to agree that it makes great sense to go with a 4-man rotation. With the way Contreras is pitching, that means El Duque is out. However, what about McCarthy? He's been on fire. Do you choose him over Contreras? Garcia? I dunno... Tough decisions coming for Ozzie. And unless the outcome is a World Series championship, they are decisions that will always be second guessed by the pundits and Joe Sixpacks, from now til the end.

I'm taking a break from my high school locker room style boasting about sex. While I haven't been getting much lately, I've even less of a desire to crow about it. I must be showing my age - for the past few weeks, I've been thinking more about quality than quanitity.

5 the hard way

wander sometimes

As you may have surmised from my lack of communications lately, my heart is just no longer into this circle jerk of a blog. I'm committed to provide some sort of updates until the end of the season, but real life has been both too much fun and kicking my ass lately. All or nothing extremes, all the time.

My free time has been occupied with the whole situation down in New Orleans. Odd for me, I'm not much of news/hype junkie. But rapid urban deterioation piques my interest. I volunteered to the part of my family that does non-religious mission work in Mississippi, but the town they work in is in the north, so no extra help needed. They did ask that I might eveuentally need to get them guitars. Go figure. Who am I, Clapton?

Sox Update: The Sox have now won five in a row, including a 4-games sweep over the hapless Detroit Tigers. I've watched most of these games and here arew some observations:
Thursday: back to their old ways - a 12-3 win/ AJ was 3 for 3 with a homer. Dye also homered. Uribe was 3 for 4. For once, Contreras gets the win he deserves- 7 IP, 3 Er, 5 K.
Friday: a 9-1 win included honers by Evertt, Harris and Uribe. Garcia goes 7, striking out 7, giving up just one ER.
Saturday: Iguchi is back in the line up and goes 3 for 4. Rowand homers and drive sin 3. DYe also homers, Buehrle goes 7, striking out 8 and giving up just one ER.
Sunday: A classic duel as Garland outpitchces Bonderman, and the Sox go on to win 2-0. Konerko homers. Ozuna made a sick, un-Godly play to end the 4th. Since spring, he's my favorite Sox player- and a guy that deserves to play every day!!!
Monday: McCarthy shows some stuff, as he downs Schilling and the defending World Champion Red Sox 5-3 in the conroversial make-up game. McCarthy goes 7, gioves up no runs and strikes out 7. He get sthe win and is now 2-1. Konerko and Uribe homer.

I spent saturday on the metal bleachers under the sun at Ryan Field, watching the Cats that are Wild defeat the Cats that are Bob, 38-14. The Solich Era begins much like how the Knorr Era ended. New coach, same result. And the immediate schedule gets no easier for OU - Pitt next week, albeit at home, then back on the road to face Virgina Tech. Late season match-ups against MAC powerhouses Bowling Green, Toledo and Miami. Welcome to Athens, Mr. Solich!

Busy Saturday night, so I didn't get to watch the US men's soccer victory over Mexico. Thrilling, or so I read. So now the US offically qualifies for Germany 2006. Woo-hoo!

Baseball phrase of the day: balloon flier n./arch. high fly ball.

Today's music selection: Stan Getz is all around me these days. Why why why why why????

I'm now about halfway thru The Young Manhood of Studs Lonigan, which means I'm halfway thru the larger trilogy. I have to finish this up, my autumn reading list awaits.

I did dive into some Carl Sandberg last week. Good Morning, America is his largest collection of short form poetry - more than 100 pages. And it opens with an epic. Ugh!

Beer count - 2 on saturday. Old Style. Yeech. Sunday I have some tests at the hospital in the morning, a BBQ in the afternoon, so it could get ugly. And it did - 5 (though all of it Becks and Goose Island!!!) Monday - 3 beers (Old Style again), 3 glasses of wine (some 2-buck Chuck. Ugh). Oops...

Tavern review; Cal's

Eat, drink and get the fuck out

The Happiest Place on Earth. That's the joke around the water cooler at least. I can't pinpoint exactly why I love it - maybe its the Special Export sign out front. Whatever it is, Cal's Tavern, at 400 S Wells (SW corner of Wells and Van Buren) is a south Loop survivor - dozens of these types of joints used to pepper the area. In the 21st century, Cal's is one of those rare joints where bike messengers sit elbow-to-elbow with day traders, homeless alkies, international travelers, and folks of all sorts, sharing $2 cans of Schlitz, PBR and Old Style.

I think Cal's may have recently changed ownership, and abandon their motto of "Eat, drink and get the fuck out", but it still applies. They serve no food, though there is sandwich joint next door that occassional shoves some food thru a hole in the wall. Impossibly small, Cal's now hosts bands (mostly hardcore punk), and boast that they have "400 square feet of rock". The place is so small, bands play ON THE BAR. Another recent improvement is the addition of some plastic resin chairs and tables, so you can enjoy your stink, er, I mean drink, al fesco. There is a liquor store attaches that caters mainly to the alkie crowd - selling pints of all the hard stuff, a wide selection of "bum" wines like MD 20/20 and Wild Irish, as well as single cans of beer. I recently picked up a super sized can of Labatt's for the train at the bargin basement price of $2.

Cal's hours appear to be limited. I've walked by many evenings at 8 pm and the joint is closed. But its got to be the best place in the Loop for those that are serious about a liquid lunch.