WORLD SERIES

vs.

The FALL CLASSIC should be a lot of fun to watch this year. No Manny, no Green Monsta, and no Red Sox. That alone should be enough to make this a great World Series. But come on. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Oh, excuse me, they changed their name to the 'Rays' this year. Talk about an up and coming team!! Everyone is so enthralled at the story of them rising from the worst team in baseball to the best that they look over the fact that this organization has waited patiently (losing seasons each year of existence) for their prospects to develop and boy is it paying off. They are young, fast, and are going to be around in the winning column for a long time. Which, in my opinion will be good for the game. Watching the Rays play makes me hope that the Cubs are taking notes. (It's funny how the Rays used to be coached by Lou Piniella and now that he's not there they are in the World Series, hmm?) But, who would've thought at the beginning of the year that the Rays and Phillies would be representing the American League and the National League in the World Series. Not me.

This World Series is going to feature: speed, homeruns, great defense, pitching, quality old school managers, cat walks and the ground rules at Tropicana Field, and of course, the Phillie Phanatic! What more could you ask for. Gear up and get ready because it's going to be fun. At least hopefully not a sweep!

There's only one OCTOBER!

Championship Series

Even though the Cubs didn't show up for the playoffs and subsequently were knocked out 4 days into it, the MLB Postseason plays on and it is still exciting. Aside from March Madness, this is my favorite time of year. I love watching MLB playoffs on TV (except I am growing less and less fond of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, but that's neither here nor there). I love watching games when the temperature is in the 50's or below (which won't happen in Tampa or LA). I love watching high drama with growing suspense pitch after pitch. Even though I am growing tired of seeing the Red Sox win year after year, there is just something about seeing baseball in October played at Fenway. What an atomosphere! We'll see how the atmosphere at the Trop (Tropicana Field) will compare... Too bad that there will be no atmosphere at Wrigley, dang it!

Regardless of my non affiliation with either team left in the playoffs, I will watch as much baseball as I can. Rachel said it herself that the only time she likes watching sports on TV is when it's the World Series. Yes!

So, here's to the NLCS and the ALCS! Here's to the Dodgers, Phillies, Red Sox, and Rays! And here's to a championship series that is filled with excitement, drama, and hopefully, game 7's!

There's only ONE OCTOBER!

Parallel Parking

For those of you who may not know, parking in the city can be a major pain. After spending 3 years at Moody Bible Institute, located in downtown Chicago, I became accustomed to parallel parking because I wasn't going to fork over the money to pay for a space in the MBI parking lot, thus I chose to find my luck on the street. More often than not, it worked. I say all of this to say that my years in college are where I learned how to parallel park (my hometown of Davis, IL with a population of 700, didn't require that driving skill). I have been very fortunate that the only 2 cars that I have owned are small, compact cars. My first car being a 1991 Hyundai Excel and my current car being a 2001 Ford Focus zx3. With the size of those cars, I am very confident that I can fit in most places on the street. So, let me finally get to the point of this pointless entry.

Last night Rachel and I were coming home from small group and there wasn't too many open spaces on our street. If I haven't mentioned before, the street we live on is a one way with houses on one side so there is parking on both sides and it is never difficult to find a space. In fact, there usually are spots right in front of our place. But last night there just wasn't any open spots except for one that Rachel thought was for sure too tight a squeeze. I was going to bypass any idea of finding a spot in front of our house until she mentioned that there would be no way that I could fit there. The challenge was put forth! She wasn't even challenging my parallel parking abilities but I just had to prove her wrong. And boy did I ever do just that. Not only was the spot extremely small and it had to be a perfect parallel parking job for my car to fit but the car that I squeezed between was the new Cadillac of our landlord and the mini-van of our neighbor who is incidently, our block captain. Risky business, but I am a pretty darn good parallel parker. My wife said it herself.

Now, because I wrote this silly entry, you can expect that I will write an entry of some forthcoming parallel parking disaster that I will experience. That is, if you believe in that stuff.

Not invited to the Party

About a half hour ago I just finished listening to the Cubs fall flat on their face in LA. I don't have cable so I wasn't able to watch the game on TBS so I listened to it on the Dodgers radio network online. Rachel and I were out for the night and we didn't get home until the 8th inning. I tuned in for the last three outs of the Cubs season and it couldn't have been more discouraging. Theriot strikes out, Fukudome grounds out, and Soriano strikes out to end a dissappointing postseason and any type of false hope that the Cubs could actually come back in this series.

As the Dodgers stormed the pitchers mound as a team and were celebrating, Vin Skully, the voice of the Dodgers, illustrated the timely scene for a Cubs fan listening on the radio. His call went as such: "the Dodgers are storming the mound, jumping up, hugging, and celebrating their victory! The Cubs are slowly clearing their dugout and Aramis Ramirez and Derek Lee are sitting on the bench looking out at the celebration with a dazed expression on their face. They look as though they are kids who have not been allowed into the candy store, like kids who weren't invited to the party..." Boy oh boy did this ever capture exactly what I pictured the Cubs to look like after such a horrible showing in the playoffs. Nice work Vin, you painted a beautiful picture.

What a discouraging let down NL Central Champs.

I guess the great thing about sports is that there is always a next year. Or in the Cubs case, there is always a next century!

There's Only One OCTOBER!

Opening Day begins today. Playoff baseball that is, and there is nothing like it!! Six long, grueling months of baseball finally finds its way to the post-season. For starters, I am extremely excited about these playoffs. Not only are there great stories and history entering the playoffs i.e. Tampa Bay Rays, the Brew Crew, and the 100 year drought of the Cubbies, but there are some potentially great match-ups as the playoffs move along.
Here's to the post-season!


MLB PLAYOFFS 2008

ALDS

Boston Red Sox vs. LA Angels
Red Sox win series 3-1

Chicago White Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Rays win series 3-1


NLDS

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Phillies win series 3-1

LA Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs
Dodgers win series 3-0 WAY TO GO CUBS!


Predictions:

Are you kidding me? I'm a Cubs fan. There is no way that I'm going to make a prediction on their outcome. They already have too many curses to overcome. They don't need one from me.

Let me just say that I am ready to buckle up and enjoy the incredible ride that is...
the MLB Playoffs!