Random Notes

Some random thoughts:

1. Freddie is in machine-pitch baseball this year (the "Orange Crush" is his team name) and unlike last year, I am not helping to coach. With the travel I have had and the baby, I deceided against it.

Well, I can't do it. I can't sit idly by while the coach dones't realize what he isn't teaching.

Case in point. The five practices that I have been to consist of:
- infield practice - having players field and throw to first
- taking some people into the outfield to catch
- and taking turns batting against the machine.

All good activities! But no pracitce of game situations. So what happens? First game on Saturday, the first batter for the other team hits a ball into the outfield.

Our players kind of stood there. The closest outfielder went out to get the ball ---- and then held it. No one covered second. Our coach was yelling at the players.
Uh - hello? You never practiced this! What do you really expect???

(And then he had the gall to "coach" one of ourplayers who was playing SS- man on 1st, 1 out; ground ball right to him. He correctly ran over and touched second for the out. The coach says - "hey! Next time, touch the bag and then throw to 1st!" . Wow. Don't worry about walking before we can run - let's teach them the 6-3 double play!)

2. Let's go Cavs! Let's go Cavs!

2a. Let's go Hawks? Let's go Hawks!

( I can dream, can't I?)

3. The Tribe - ugh. Where is the offense? The pitching - if you think the Sabathia and Lee switched bodies - has not been bad. All our bats are in a slump. The Minnesota series was terrible. And then we can't score runs off of Wang (understandable) and Mussina (huh?).

That said, if we can get out of April only 3 back - I'll take it. It's like hitting a ball in the water and escaping with a bogey.

4. I had a post all set in my mind where I would compare something to Lance Armstrong - and not in a good way. I do not consider Lance Armstrong a good role model. Strong people do not acquire fame, then divorce his wife and leave his kids for the celebrity life and start dating Sheryl Crow. So I call BS on all this Livestrong crap.

But then I forgot what the original subject was. Oh well, carry on. (And this is not a rip on divorce - I know I'm treading on very thin ice here, because there is at least one reader who is divorced. Of course divorce is acceptable and shoudl be enocuraged in some cases...... but the specifics of the Armstrong situation just does not sit well with me.)

5. I'm NOT feeling good about the GOP's chances in November. McCain may win - because of the Clinton-Obama drama - but downballot? They will get smoked! They are almost losing congressional races in the deep south! That's scary.

My lines right now:

Democratic nominee:

Obama -130
Clinton +115
Gore +800

Head-to-head:

Obama -110
McCain -110

Clinton 100
McCain -115

House over/under:
Net D pickup over 25.5 -110
Net D pickup under 25.5 -110

Senate over/under
Net D pickup over 4.5 -110
Net D pickup under 4.5 -110

6. It's not often - ok, never - that I post an article from a Democrat that I agree with.

Well, there's a first time for everything.

I didn't vote for you, Sen. Brown, in 2006, but that may change in 2012....