Sports

Are you ready for some football?!

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So it has come to this . . .

baseballsToday marks the All-Star break in the Major League Baseball season, and somehow all the teams I have an interest in following — the 2013 World Champion Boston Red Sox, my hometown Minnesota Twins, the long-suffering “lovable losers” Chicago Cubs, and the Arizona Diamondbacks — are in last place in their divisions.

A statistician geek like Nate Silver might be able to calculate the odds that all four of these teams would be in last place at the break, but I am satisfied to know it has to be astronomical.

I still watch the games because I love the game, but my interest and enthusiasm for this season long ago waned. Maybe the playoffs and World Series will revive it.

I tried getting into soccer, excuuuse me — fútbol — watching some of the World Cup games. I’m sorry, but the announcers get excited when someone does not score,  and they try to convince me that a game that ends in a scoreless tie after 90 minutes of regulation, something called “extra time” for stoppage of play subjectively decided by referees and two overtimes, and the winner is then decided by a shootout of penalty kicks is a “classic” for the ages that will be talked about for years. Dudes, that’s just three hours of my life being bored to tears I wish I could get back.

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Talking Baseball: Wrigley Field 100th anniversary

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Those lovable losers, the Chicago Cubs, are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the friendly confines of Wrigley Field today. Wrigley Field is one of only two “cathedrals of baseball” still remaining, the other being Fenway Park in Boston.

The Chicago White Stockings officially became the Chicago Cubs in 1907. They played in three consecutive World Series, losing to their South-side rivals the Chicago White Sox in 1906, but winning two consecutive titles as the Cubs by beating the Detroit Tigers in 1907 and 1908.

The Cubs have not won a World Series title since — and never at their Wrigley Field home — the longest drought of any major North American professional sports team. The Cubs played in but lost seven World Series between their title in 1908 and their last World Series appearance in 1945.

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The Chicago Tribune, once an owner of the Cubs, reports today, Bears and Cubs alike celebrate Wrigley’s 100th birthday:

Cubs and Bears legends were greeted like royalty Wednesday as the Cubs celebrated the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field.

Perhaps the loudest cheers were reserved for former Bears linebacker Dick Butkus and running back Gale Sayers, the first athletes to be introduced during pre-game ceremonies.

Former Cubs players on hand included former Cubs Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins, Glen Beckert,  Gary “Sarge” Matthews, Milt Pappas, Andre Dawson, Lee Smith and Ryan Dempster. Two of Ron Santo’s grandchildren represented the Santo family.

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Opening Day: For Love of the Game

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baseballsWhat a weird way to start the Major League Baseball Season. The Los Angeles Dodgers already have a 2-1 record with a pair of wins over the Arizona Diamondbacks — in Australia — and a loss on Sunday night against the Padres.

Today, however, is the “official” Opening Day of the baseball season. Here is the opening day schedule of games, already under way. Major League Baseball Schedule.

There is going to be a number of changes to the game this year, some of which I oppose — in particular, the home plate collision rule. Seriously? As an old catcher who gave as good as he got at home plate, I have to say this is part of the game! Don’t mess with the fundamentals of baseball. Pete Rose, I know you’re with me on this one!

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AZ House approves taxpayer bailout for City of Glendale (and possible slush fund for the 2016 RNC Convention)

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The Sierra Vista Herald has been perplexed by House Majority Leader David Gowan (R-Sierra Vista) being the sponsor of a bill to use taxpayer dollars to bailout the spendthrift City of Glendale for hosting Super Bowl XLIX on February 1, 2015.

In January the Herald outlined the bill, Our View: Making noise at the Capitol:

House Majority Leader David Gowan proposed a bill to help communities pay for costs incurred when hosting large national events. The case at hand is the 2015 Super Bowl which will be held in Glendale.

Gowan’s bill would set aside up to $4 million to help that city next year pay for additional security and public works costs that come with playing host to the largest spectacle in sports. The money could also be tapped for other events — the Republican National Convention, the college basketball Final Four — to help cities defray additional costs.

Gowan’s argument is that the sheer size of the event benefits the entire state, generating additional tourism revenue and sales taxes, somewhat offsetting some of the added cost incurred by the individual city.

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