Great.  I accidentally hit the "New Post" button.
My bad, Callie... every FOUR years.

So, folks (like the two of you still here after four long years who are not SpamBots),
my niece cousin um, grand... friend Callie has a lovely blog called Have Raygun, Will Travel,
so I hereby shamelessly plug for her new blog.  Check it out - she writes very nicely!

(Yes, "Four long years" is actually a tip of the hat to Yardbirds, Five Long Years which might
get a discussion going regarding shouting the blues, amongst other things.)

Goodnight everybody... to infinity (and beyond)!

Reminder

Well, not exactly a reminder, but a policy that I have been enforcing, but never got around to announcing.  I am not allowing comments signed "Anonymous" on this site.  Virtually all anonymous comments have merely been spam anyway, so no big loss there.  Anyway, if you have something to say, say it.  Say it, and be responsible for your comments.  Seriously, there are much more effective ways to get yer message out than spamming.  Really!

Peace, Man

My son, Derek, has been accepted into the Peace Corps! :-) He has his degree in English, and will be tutoring students in English class..... in Jamaica!! He reports next summer, on a 27-month tour.

Here's a special mention to two of my friends who have an interest in the matter:

Thank you, Therese, for being supportive of the idea.

Thank you, Nikki, for indirectly coming up with the idea [you mentioned Job Corps with reference to Kevin, and that got me to thinking about Peace Corps, and mentioned it to Derek], and for being supportive of Drek when he was here.

Gee, I might even have to go visit young Master Derek down in Jamaica!

Carlos Zambrano and Pinstripes

One news outlet in Milwaukee is heralding Zack Greinke to the Brewers as I write this [Sunday morning, 5:30 AM]. Aside from Wikipedia, I don't see any other references to this, but it could be true.

The thing is, as it always is, about risk mitigation and at what cost. Talking about the Yankees starting rotation, there certainly is significant risk as it is currently constructed:

1. What if CC Sabathia begins to show the effects of all the hard usage he has endured?
2. What if Phil Hughes has a significant setback [like Cole Hamels did in 2009]?
3. What if Andy Pettitte retires?
4. If Andy returns, what if he has more arm issues like last year?
5. What if AJ Burnett has another disastrous year like last year?
6. What if we have to use Sergio Mitre in the rotation?
7. What if Ivan Nova is not able to get batters out the third time through the lineup?

Now, if all of the above happens, the Yanks are not going anywhere in October. Then again, some of the above will occur. How to mitigate it?

Any solution which presents itself at present has risk attached. Greinke [assuming the deal with Milwaukee does not go through] would cost a lot in terms of prospects. Some say his issues would prevent him from having success in the Big Apple. Some say he would thrive in pinstripes. Thing is, not one knows for certain. Lack of certainty = risk, and we're talking risk mitigation vs. cost. I say the cost that KC would demand would be too great for the risk that the Yankees would assume.

Cue up the usual suspects: Mark Buerhle, Wandy Rodriguez, Carl Pavano, Gil Meche, Jarrod Washburn.... Why not Carlos Zambrano over with the Cubs? Zambrano can still pitch, if the tail end of last season is any guide. Risk? Sure - he's a hothead and might go completely nuts in the hot spotlight of New York. Plus, he still has a pretty hefty price tag [of course, this hefty price tag is exactly why the Cubs want to see him gone]. Might be able to pry him loose from Chicago for low to mid-level prospects [appropriate, given the high figure of his contract]. Here's why I think this will happen:

1. The Yankees do need another arm to eat up innings.
2. The Cubs are ready to move on without Zambrano, and would be glad to shed his contract.
3. Larry Rothschild, Zambrano's old pitching coach from Chicago, is now the pitching coach for the Yankees.
4. Yankee skipper Joe Girardi was Zambrano's catcher on the Cubs in 2001 and 2002.
5. The cost to obtain Zambrano will not be prohibitive in terms of prospects.

In a nutshell, it makes too much sense not to happen.

So

So, you think you have troubles?

Here's what has happened to me over the past two months:

The IRS hit me up for another 7.5 grand.

My truck broke down and cost me another two grand.

My girlfriend left me, went to Morocco, converted to Islam, and married some guy.

The Gators have lost three in a row.

The Yanks crashed out of the playoffs.

Celtic lost to Rangers.

Like Miss Scarlett said: "Tomorrow is Another Day".

G8rs

Go Gators!

Gators and fans, take heart! This is a learning experience. Don't have a sense of entitlement - leave that for Ohio State sucks.... Everything good and worth having must be earned. Due are paid in sweat and tears, and sometimes, in blood. Take heart! Our guys are enrolled in the school of hard knocks, and right now, the tuition is due. Just wait until graduation... ;-)

Now, the issue of John Brantley and Trey Burton.....

Are they:

[1] Chris Leak and Tim Tebow?

or

[2] Terry Dean and Danny Wuerffel?

Go Gators!

BLT

No, I'm not talking Marine Corps here [Battalion Landing Team] - I am talking the Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich!

White bread [I'm using the Merita Italian variant] with regular Iceberg Lettuce, Slicing red tomatoes [Beefsteaks are best], and Kroger Generic/Value Bacon.

Mayonnaise, the real stuff [I cannot stand Miracle Whip :-( ]

Good stuff!

Three of 'em.

1st one, an interesting twist - add Wasabi Mayo [not too much - it can be overpowering!]

Tangy!

C the Z

October 6th....

Ne'er DID celebrate it properly.

10/6, not 6/10 :-)

Happy Birthday, Crombie -

you zombie, you!

Cents, not Sense

I earned one cent from this blog today.

$1.41 overall [Not Orval].

I'm not Rich, either.

EPL

Nope, not talking English Premier League [although I probably should be]....

Eat, Pray, Love - thank you for sparing me.

Love always,

the English Patient.

;-)