Paul Newman 1925-2008

One of the coolest dudes to ever walk the planet. A star of three of my favorite films of all time: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting and Slap Shot.

USA TODAY did a series of wonderful pieces on his passing.

Man, will you be missed. RIP

Geez Astros, get over it already

Apparently the Houston Astros are still complaining about having to play the Cubs at Miller Park after Hurricane Ike, blaming everybody but themselves for the two losses they suffered in Milwaukee.

Check out Thunder Matt's Saloon for a summary of what really took place.

Ten Commandments for dog owners

Dexter thought you might want to read this. Borrowed from Ed's blog.

1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be very painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want from me. Do not break my spirit with your temper, though I will always forgive you. Your patience and understanding will teach me more quickly those things you want me to learn.

3. Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for your kindness than mine. Don't be angry with me for long, and don't lock me up as punishment. After all, you have your job, your friends, your entertainment. I have only you.

4. Speak to me often. Even if I don't understand all your words, I understand your voice when it's speaking to me. Your voice is the sweetest sound I ever hear, as you must know by my enthusiastic excitement when your footsteps fall upon my waiting ear.

5. Please take me inside when it's cold and wet. I'm a domestic animal and no longer am accustomed to the bitter elements. I ask for little more than your gentle hands petting me.

6. Keep my bowl filled with clean water; I cannot tell you when I'm thirsty. Feed me good food so that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding, to be by your side, and stand ready, willing and able to share with you my life, for that is what I live for. However you treat me, I'll never forget it.

7. Don't hit me. Remember, I have teeth that could easily crush the bones in your hand, but I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I am not getting the right food, I've been out in the sun too long, or my heart is getting old and weak.

9. Take care of me when I get old. You will grow old, too.

10. When I am very old, when I no longer enjoy good health, please do not make heroic efforts to keep me going. I am not having fun. Just see to it that my trusting life is taken gently. And be with me on that difficult journey when it is time to say "goodbye". Never say, "I can't bear to watch." Everything is easier for me when you are there. I will leave this earth knowing with my last breath that my fate was always safest in your hands. Remember -- I love you.

-- Author Unknown

The Lou Piniella song

Check out this song written from Sweet Lou's days with the Seattle Mariners. I think it's high time it was rewritten with Cubs references.

This is some funny sh*t.

Piniella photo courtesy AP

Go Cubs Go!

More pictures of the Cubs' NL Central clincher can be found here, and a complete recap can be found at the Cubs' website here.

And just for good measure, here's the song of the year (Eddie Vedder's tribute can be found in a blog below).

With thanks and appreciation to Steve Goodman, who wrote the original Go Cubs Go!

Enjoy.

Photo courtesy AP

This picture is worth a thousand words ...

... Need I say more??

The magic number is 2 ...

After today's stirring, improbable 7-6, 12-inning victory over the Brewers, I thought it was appropriate to post this tribute to the Cubs from none other than Pearl Jam's own Eddie Vedder, who is a huge Cubs fan.

I heart Geovany Soto, soon to be the NL Rookie of the Year.

For my nephew Josh ...

... Who's not a big fan of clowns. So imagine if a zombie took a bite out of a clown ...

I told you so ...

... So Dan, the 24-year-old Catholic school teacher, becomes the first winner in Big Brother history to win with a unanimous vote (Memphis never stood a chance, especially after the Q&A session). And he deserved it.

The jury members finally got off their high horses and realized they were beaten by the best player in the game. It took a while, but good for them.

And hey, how about the greeting 75-year-old Jerry got when he showed up at the Jury House? They may have been in California, but it sure looked like they were in northern Canada. In the middle of a winter blizzard.

So another season of Big Brother is over. If The Amazing Race and Survivor weren't starting next week, I'm sure I'd be going into reality TV withdrawal.

While it's well known how much I'd love to be on TAR, BB would be my second choice. I love Survivor, and all the contestants on that show deserve a pat on the back. I just couldn't handle the bugs.

Or the lack of a fan. I'd never sleep.

Magic number is 4

The Cubs continue to roll while panic mode has settled in in Milwaukee.

The Cubs beat CC Sabathia and the Brewers 5-4 last night, dropping the magic number to clinch to 4 games, and moving the Cubs 9 games ahead of the Brewers in the NL Central.

The game was the first for new Brewers manager Dale Sveum, who replaced Ned Yost. Seriously, how worried must the Brewers be if they fire their manager when the team is leading the wild-card playoff race? And now they don't even lead the wild card. Better them than us, that's for sure.

Closer-turned-starter Ryan Dempster won his career-high 16th game, following up another masterpiece by Ted Lilly, who one-hit the Astros on Monday after Carlos Zambrano no-hit the Astros on Sunday. I heart me some Ted Lilly and Ryan Dempster.

The game ended with a nasty bender of a slider by closer Kerry Wood (photo courtesy AP) to strike out Prince Fielder, who had already homered twice in the game.

A sweep of the Brewers and the Cubs can start planning for the postseason. The sooner the better I say. But if not the Brewers, the Cubs should be able to clinch at home this weekend against the Cardinals.

That would be just as sweet.

Also, Ron Santo, Joe Torre and and Luis Tiant are among 10 players on the latest Hall of Fame ballot for Veterans Committee voters.

It's time to vote Santo, my all-time favorite Cub, into the Hall of Fame. It's ridiculous that he's not in already. His stats are much better and more deserving than about half the players already in the Hall. He also played with diabetes, which nobody knew at the time. And he has since paid the price, having lost both of his legs.

Vote him in guys, while he has a chance and the time to enjoy it. Check out this video below.

A magical season

Who would have thunk it?

A no-hitter from Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano, who hadn't pitched since Sept. 2 because of shoulder tendinitis. Against the red-hot Houston Astros, who are about to overtake the fading Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central and wild-card. At Milwaukee's Miller Park because the series was moved out of Houston because of Hurricane Ike.

Who would have thunk it?

Big Z was superb last night, allowing only a walk at a hit batter while striking out 10 in the Cubs' 5-0 victory. He was truly unhittable, throwing the first no-no by a Cub since Milt Pappas in 1972. The crowd, which was 99% Cubs fans (it is only a 90-mile drive from Chicago to Milwaukee), roared its approval on almost every pitch.

More importantly, it gave the Cubs a 7 1/2-game lead over the Brewers, who lost a doubleheader yesterday and were swept in four games at Philadelphia. The Cubs magic number to clinch either a playoff berth or the NL Central title is down to seven (any combination of seven Cubs victories or Brewers losses).

And as for the whining Astros, who complained about the series being moved to Milwaukee? Get over it. I'm sure other venues were scouted for this series, but I'm sure the dome over Miller Park had a lot to do with the series being moved where it was. I feel badly for the people of south Texas, but the Astros just need to shut up and play ball. They're getting paid millions to do what many of us can only dream about.

Onward and upward. This season is going places most of us never thought possible. Let's hope Ted Lilly can complete the "Wrigley North" sweep today.

Big Z no-hitter photo courtesy AP

Rumor central

Do you like rumors? Do you like baseball trade rumors? Then check out my widget on the right below the Cubs widget. The guy who runs this site has turned it into a full-time job. Lucky b*stard.

You can also check out the website here.

No lipstick on these pigs ...

My favorite college football team, the Arkansas Razorbacks (what did you think I was going to talk about?) is getting the weekend off because of Hurricane Ike, but it's just postponing the inevitable.

Arkansas was supposed to lose to Texas today. The game at Austin was moved to Sept. 27 because they didn't want anybody to get killed when Ike roared through. Very good move.

The Hogs are 2-0, but they had to pull both victories -- against Western Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe, no less -- out of their asses with late fourth-quarter comebacks.

Now I'm all for new coach Bobby Petrino (we're not going to get into his nasty exit from the NFL's Atlanta Falcons) and am willing to give him some time installing his program. But the schedule after Alabama next week and then Texas is a killer: Florida, at Auburn, at Kentucky, home against Ole Miss and former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt. Nutt did a fine job in Fayetteville, but it was time for a change. Should be an interesting homecoming.

Arkansas closes with its traditional day-after-Thanksgiving game against LSU.

Ideally, I think the best this team can do is 7-5 and a fringe bowl game; 9-3 could happen, 5-7 is more likely.

Boy would I love to be proved wrong.

I heart Nelson ...

I wish I could make the "HA HA!" sound just like Nelson Muntz of The Simpsons.

The only reason I'm posting this is because I was stumbling around and found this. Ed and Josh and I are always making the "HA HA!" noise. I chuckle and snort just about every time I hear it.

Here's a sample. It just never gets old ...

Dan and Memphis

So Big Brother is down to the final two, Dan and Memphis. Not that I told you so, but I told you so. Dan won the final Head of Household competition and voted out 75-year-old Jerry, who had quite the run.

I would vote Dan the winner because he's been playing the GAME since day 1. (Take note of my previous post.) But I think most of the jury will vote for Memphis because most of them aren't as bitter about Memphis as they are about Dan.

Memphis makes it to the final without ever winning HOH, while Dan won it three times. That would suck to make it that far with absolutely no news at all from home.

But hey, he could win $500,000. I'd take that any day.

The season finale is Tuesday, which would suck if Survivor and The Amazing Race weren't right around the corner.

Memphis photo courtesy CBS

Close, but I'll take it

So the Cubs are back on track after taking the final two games of the three-game series against the Cardinals, winning 4-3 Wednesday and 3-2 last night.

Rich Harden's return could not have come at a better time. CC Sabathia? Please. I'll take my man Rich Harden, who has pitched as well if not better than the Brewers rental who is going to skip town after the season anyway.

But could we not do it with so much drama? Kerry Wood had danced around danger in his past three or four appearances, but he came through again last night -- thanks to some bad baserunning by the Cardinals.

And kudos to Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome, who pretty much saved the game with two outstanding defensive plays in the eighth inning.

Now it's time to sit and wait. Hurricane Ike has its eye set on Houston, so the Cubs flew back to Chicago to wait out the storm. Eventually these games with the red-hot Astros will have to be played though. They've talked about alternate sights -- wouldn't it be great to fill up Nationals Park with 40,000 Cubs fans?

But the Astros say this series will be played in Houston. Smart for them -- if they play this series anyplace else, and Milwaukee, St. Louis and Atlanta have been mentioned, it won't matter that the Astros are the home team. Cubs fans will cheer them into submission.

In any case, the Cubs have a 5 1/2-game lead on the Brewers, who are desperately trying to hold on to at least the wild card. They need to start worrying about the Astros approaching in their rearview mirror.

Go Phillies.

Harden photo courtesy US Presswire

Should I be worried?

Maybe.

About what you ask? What else is there? The Chicago Cubs and whether or not they can hold on to win the National League Central or at least get the wild card.

They've lost eight of their last nine, including six in a row at one point. And all this after a seven-game winning streak. Thank God the equally inept Milwaukee Brewers have been losing, too, or the Cubs might be looking up at the Brew Crew instead of continuing to hold a 4 1/2-game lead.

I knew they'd have to have a bit of a funk at some point this season, but it's starting to get old now. On Sunday, the Cubs led Cincinnati 3-1 going into the bottom of the ninth. Closer Kerry Wood then proceeded to give up three runs and the Reds won 4-3. On Tuesday, the Cubs led the also inept St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 before Albert Fricking Pujols tied it with a three-run homer. Carlos Marmol then lost it in the ninth.

It's even starting to get to manager Lou Piniella a bit. Apparently, he blew his top a bit after last night's loss.

Maybe that's what they need. When Lou had his famous meltdown last year, the then-last place Cubs responded by making a run all the way to the playoffs.

Hopefully, Lou's latest outburst -- and the return to the mound of Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden, who were both out with tired arms -- will be just the tonic this team needs.

Seriously, I don't think I could take it if I had to endure another collapse. And I'm not going to get really worried until the lead is gone. The magic number to clinch is 14.

Oh. And beware the Houston Astros.

Click here for the latest Cubs news and what has turned out to be a calming voice of reason. And check out the new Cubs widget I've posted on the right side of this page.

Piniella meltdown photo from 2007 courtesy AP

The Amazing Race 13

Kind of like the kid in the Disney commercial: "I'm too excited to sleep."

That's how I feel about the season premiere of the 13th installment of The Amazing Race, set for Sept. 28.

To me, this is the best show on television. You get to see the raw emotions of people racing around the world trying to win $1 million. Ed and I entered four times, with no success. I also entered one time with my sister Cheryl, but again we were spurned. I would do just about anything to get on this show, so if you are reading/listening CBS, I'm your guy.

The cast looks like the usual assortment of crazies (you have to be a little crazy to do this show I think). But the couple that looks like it will provide the most entertainment are the 60-year-old hippies, Anita and Arthur.

I can't wait. For a preview of this season's contestants/cast, click here.

Anita and Arthur photo courtesy CBS

Big Brother 10

So we're down to the final three -- Dan, Memphis and Jerry. My pick to win since early on has been Dan, and I still think he'll walk away with the $500,000. But watch out for Memphis.

You have to give props to the old man, Jerry, though. He's survived a lot longer than anybody ever thought he would. Not bad for a 75-year-old man.

And now my bitch of the moment: Dan deserves to win. He's done everything you are supposed to do in this game, whether it be lying, cheating, stealing, being America's Player, etc. So for all the evicted house guests to moan and complain about friendships, trust and the like, I say "TOO FRICKING BAD!" It's a game people. It's kind of like Survivor: Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.

So, to all of you on the jury -- get over it. You live, you learn, you move on. Now's a good time to start.

Dan photo courtesy CBS

Sister Sue update

Well, my latest trip to Little Rock was a good one. Sue keeps plugging along, though she is a bit thinner and weaker than on my last trip. And she tends to doze off a lot, though her little cat naps don't last very long. If she could get 8 hours of straight sleep and put some weight on (hello, Ensure anybody?) I think she'd feel much stronger and not worry Sammy and the rest of the family so much.

My next trip is planned for Thanksgiving. I'll have to drive on that one I'm afraid. 17 hours straight through to Little Rock. Ugh. But it'll be well worth it...

Back to blogging ...

... I know it's been a while. Sorry about that. But there's just been too much going on ...

The youth of today ...

... Only in Arkansas ...