Cool Cubs posters

Nuveen has done a great job of capturing the essence of being a Cubs fan. The outdoor ads are appearing only inside Wrigley Field, at least for now. See a bunch more here.

A double whammy

Well, my work softball team did not make the playoffs/tournament, the first time in about 10 years that I'll be sitting home instead of playing at Cabin John in the middle of July.

Oh well, it was a good run. We won back-to-back titles, and three of the last five. Despite two convincing victories in our season finales -- 16-0 over Discovery Channel and 14-9 over AOL -- we lost out on a tiebreaker to Team Video, which beat us on opening day. And a 7-7 finish is much nicer than 5-9 or 6-8. We'll be back for another run next year, in what could be my softball swan song. We'll see.

Check out the Media League website here.

And another OUCH. The White Sux beat the Cubs again yesterday 6-5, and will now pull their own brooms in hopes of sweeping. Tonight's game is on ESPN, which is shocking. Hard to believe they're passing up the Yankees-Mets. Uggh.

At least if the Cubs lose again, they'll still be in first place in the NL Central as they head for San Francisco and then St. Louis. Big stretch of games coming up before the All-Star break.

Gotta keep the momentum going ...

Ouch

Thought this was appropriate.

Painful, but funny ...

Have those brooms at the ready

So it's weekend No. 2 of the Cubs-White Sux series, this time on the South Side. Hopefully, the results will be much the same as last week, when the Cubs pretty much put the Sux in their place with a three-game sweep at Wrigley.

The Cubs are coming off their first series loss at home since early May as the Baltimore Orioles took 2-of-3 from the boys in blue. That's OK. The Cubs still have the best record in baseball. And I still have a fondness in my heart for the Orioles. When I first moved to the D.C. area they were the only team to cheer for. And Camden Yards is probably the second-nicest baseball park I've ever been too, behind Wrigley Field of course.

But when the Nationals moved from Montreal to here, I quickly became a favorite. And trust me, it ain't all for the brand of baseball they've been playing. But it's closer than driving to Baltimore, and more National League teams come in, which means I know I'll get to see the Cubs at least once a year. And Nationals Park is pretty sweet, too.

So, onward and upward. Let's put socks in the mouths of Ozzie Guillen, Kenny Williams and Hawk Harrelson. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys (please note the sacrasm)...

Is it my birthday?

Already? I had no idea.

Like my dad used to say, it's just another day, except people sometimes like to give you cards and presents. Kind of like Christmas.

How old you ask? I'm 48, which is a milestone in my family, seeing as how mom didn't make it past 47. The old 5-0 is right around the corner. Ed better have a big party planned for that one I tell ya.

He's already on me about his 40th, which is next year. Now THAT should be interesting. Says he wants to go back to Disney World. I've only been once, and that was when Ed took me to Epcot Center about 10 years ago.

I've got a year. I guess I should start talking to his parents ...

Zombies have nutritional needs too ...

... Though I never want to find out in person ...

The frustration mounts ...

My work softball team is driving me nuts. We're the two-time defending champions of the MMSL, but you'd never know it by the way we've played lately.

We are 5-7, with a week to go in the regular season, and believe it or not we still have a shot at the playoffs/tournament. If we can sweep past Discovery Channel and AOL this weekend, and get some help, we could conceivably sneak in.

We lost twice this past Saturday. The first game was the most maddening. We trailed WTTG most of the game, but scored four in the fifth inning to take a 7-6 lead. Going into the bottom of the final inning, we still led 7-6, but Channel 5 had loaded the bases with one out. But we got exactlly what we wanted -- a grounder to short, the force at second and the out at first -- NO, WAIT! SHE DIDN'T JUST DROP THE BALL! PICK IT UP! THE WINNING RUN IS ABOUT TO SCORE!

And it did. Just like that, from instant victory to instant defeat. I can't recall a more frustrating loss. And I knew we'd drop the second game to WRC. The carryover from the first game was just too much to overcome and we lost 8-3. I can't remember the last time we got swept either. Very tough weekend.

Oh well. We have to sweep this weekend. Even if we don't get in the tournament, we can at least go out with a .500 record. As the two-time defending champs, we have to at least do that.

That's me at left ...

Sister Sue update

Not much to report really, which is why I haven't posted about her lately. No news is good news.

She seems to be doing really well. Plugging right along. She still needs to gain some weight, but if she keeps eating steak and baked potato like she did the other night, the pounds will definitely start piling on. ...

If giraffes lived in the USA ...

I found this at www.nextnature.net.

So true. Funny, but true. ...

What, me worry?

I should have known.

Despite three disheartening losses to the Tampa Bay Rays last week -- becoming the last team in the majors to lose three games in a row -- the Cubs came home and took care of business, just like I thought they would.

I was a bit worried, granted, but after throttling the White Sux 4-3, 11-7 and 7-1, we all know who the real baseball team is in Chicago (though I may be singing another tune after the Cubs visit Comiskey (I refuse to call it U.S. Cellular Field) Park next weekend. But for now, Ozzie Guillen and his boys can walk back to the South Side with their tails tucked between their legs.

Aramis Ramirez was a monster, winning the first game with two homers, including a walk-off shot in the ninth, hitting a three-run homer in the Cubs' 9-run fourth inning in Game 2 (my boy Jim Edmonds hit two HRs in that inning), and then hitting another solo shot to back Ryan Dempster last night.

Dempster has won nine in a row at Wrigley -- hard to believe he's the ace now with Carlos Zambrano on the DL. But he's worked his butt off and it's paid big dividends. Overall, the Cubs have won 14 consecutive games at Wrigley, which hasn't happened in more than 70 years. And the Cubs still have the best record in baseball.

Remember all this Cubs fans. This is a special season. One that comes along about every 100 years.

Also, keep up to date on all the Cubs news with the widget at right.

Ramirez/Cubs photo courtesy AP

Chinks in the armor?

Well, the Cubs continue to lead the NL Central by 3 1/2 games, but they've lost two in a row to the Rays. And last night, pitcher Carlos Zambrano left the game with "shoulder discomfort." He's supposed to have an MRI exam today. That would be a huge loss if he's out for an extended period.

Jim Edmonds also came up lame with a sore foot, which some are attributing to the artificial turf in Tampa. He's hitting around .300 since joining the Cubs, so losing him, too, would be a blow.

But I have a feeling GM Jim Hendry won't stand pat for long. There are rumors of a possible trade for the Indians' C.C. Sabathia or even bringing the Padres' Greg Maddux back to town.

We've waited too long Mr. Hendry. The time is ripe to make a move or two -- now.

Zambrano photo courtesy AP

Now THAT'S a hot dog

Rolling, rolling, rolling ...

... Rawhide! Sorry. Had a Blues Brothers moment there.

But you get the picture. My Cubs continue to play very good baseball, taking two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend. Now it's a trip to Tampa to take on the upstart Rays. It'll be manager Lou Piniella's first trip back to Tropicana Field since he managed the team from 2003-2005. I'm sure he's getting a kick out of seeing his former team playing so well, knowing that a lot of the guys currently on the field for the Rays he helped bring along.

But I'll also bet he's loving Chicago right about now, too. The Cubs are 20 games above .500, with a 3 1/2-game lead on the St. Louis Cardinals, who continue to hang close despite losing Albert Pujols, Adam Wainright and Yadier Molina to injuries in the past couple of weeks. The Cubs lost Alfonso Soriano to a broken hand, so the injury bug seems to be biting both teams fairly.

This weekend the White Sux come to Wrigley for the first of two crosstown series. Both teams are in first place, so it should be a battle royale.

May the best team (the Cubs of course) win.

Those poor, poor Yankees

So now Hank Steinbrenner -- George's son -- is blaming the National League's lack of a designated hitter for pitcher Chien-Ming Wang hurting his foot while running the bases Sunday in Houston.

"The National League needs to join the 21st century," Steinbrenner said. "I've got my pitchers running the bases, and one of them gets hurt. That was a rule from the 1800s."

Actually it was 1973 Hank, and I don't think that just because you are ranting and raving the National League is going to suddenly change their rules.

No offense intended to Wang, but maybe if he learned how to run the bases he wouldn't have gotten hurt. The NL seems to have gotten along just fine with their pitchers hitting and running over the past 35 years.

Maybe if you had given the $200 million you are spending on your team this year to the right players you'd be in first place, not languishing behind the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox.

Grow up Hank (seriously, have you ever seen such a dour man?). And take a lesson from daddy. He was much better at hawking his team than you'll ever be.

The Washington Nationals

Ed and I really aren't very happy with this so-called Major League Baseball team. They just completed a horrible 1-6 homestand and seem to have lost their will. They were swept four games by the San Francisco Giants for gosh sakes.

Friday night, we went to Nationals Park to see what we thought was going to be a major league game against the Giants. It was anything but. The Nats had no spark, no energy, and by the bottom of the third inning the Giants already led 8-0. It was at that point that we started getting a little pissed off.

Manager Manny Acta sent pitcher Tim Redding up to pinch-hit for starting pitcher Jason Bergmann, thereby raising the white flag, and it was only the third inning. They had already conceded the game. We left in the fifth inning, along with about half the stadium. Think of the revenue that was lost, and could be lost if this kind of performance continues.

I wrote an email to the Nationals voicing my displeasure, but I'm sure it will fall on deaf ears. I told them that if this is what we can expect, then maybe we won't be renewing our season ticket package next year. We spend good money to go out and have what we hope will be a good time, despite the $7.50 beer, $8 hamburgers and $6 hot dogs -- and now the $4 per gallon gas to get there. I think we just like the atmosphere.

But I can spend a whole lot less money and enjoy the atmosphere at home if this is what we have to look forward too. It'll be interesting to see if I get a response from the Nationals. I'll post if I do ...

Summer movies

Ed and I used to go to the movies all the time, but lately not so much. But we're going to change that.

So far the only two movies I've seen this summer are Ironman and Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Both were excellent, with lots of action, explosions and humor. Robert Downey Jr. is perfect as Ironman, and Harrison Ford doesn't miss a beat as Indiana Jones, despite the fact it's been about 20 years since he donned the famous hat.

But two movies will be out soon that I'm really looking forward too:
*Wanted, starring Angelina Jolie as an assassin (picture Mr. & Mrs. Smith, only without Brad Pitt).
*And of course Batman: The Dark Knight, starring the late Heath Ledger as The Joker.

In the fall comes the next James Bond movie, Quantam of Solace. Since Sean Connery, has there really ever been a better Bond than Daniel Craig?

I also saw a preview the other day for a Brad Pitt movie that comes out this fall. Burn After Reading also stars George Clooney, John Malkovich and Frances McDormand, and is directed by the Coen Brothers. It looks fricking hilarious. Check out the red-band trailer below (that just means it's a little naughty), from iTunes.

More fun with Christopher Walken

For kids and adults alike! Just click on the face, print it out, have a pair of scissors handy and you too can believe you are Christopher Walken!

We need more cowbell!!

Cubs continue to roll

After last night's 3-1 victory against the Dodgers, my Cubs head home for a quick three-game series against the Braves starting tomorrow.

Sunday's win gave the Cubs their first winning road trip of the season at 4-3, leaving them only two games under .500 on the road. But it's at home where the Cubs are eating up the rest of the National League, going 26-8. The old adage says that as long as you take care of business on the road and play at least .500 ball on the road, you should be a big winner. The Cubs are currently proving that.

Now if they can just keep Carlos Zambrano's emotions in check (check my Cubs widget at right).

The Braves are awful on the road (7-21), and won't be helped by the fact that Larry Jones, aka Chipper, who is currently hitting about .420, will miss one or two games and maybe the whole series with a tear in his quad. No tears will be shed here believe me.

One thing I haven't mentioned is the signing of Jim Edmonds, long a hated member of the St. Louis Cardinals. Seeing him in Cubbie blue was a little jarring at first, but I think it's one of the best moves of the summer. Along with Reed Johnson, Edmonds gives the Cubs a little bit of attitude, something they've lacked in past seasons.

I heart Edmonds and Johnson. And "I'll play anywhere" Mark DeRosa, who had three hits, including a homer, and two RBI last night against the Dodgers.

Keep those wins coming guys.

A great picture site ...

... As you can see I do like to stumble quite a bit.

Came across this photo (and the one of the sting rays below) at what I think might be the best picture site I've ever seen. It's called Pixdaus, God Gave Us Pics! Check it out here.

The entire "Simpsons" cast ...

I was stumbling today and came upon what I believe to be the entire cast of the Fox TV show The Simpsons.

What a great show. Funny as anything that's ever been on TV. And can you believe a short created for The Tracey Ullman Show was just renewed for a 20th season? That ties it with Gunsmoke as the longest-running entertainment series in primetime history.

Cowabunga dudes.

No, she's not spoiled at all ...

... With Dexter looking on from afar, Ed got this picture of a "lounging" Bailey before he went to work today.

What a baby.

Ed's been very excited the past few days ...

... First there was the hatching of the robin eggs in our back yard. Mama robin has been protecting the flock with vigor -- Ed says she gave him the "eye" when he took this picture a couple of days ago.

Now we just have to make sure the dogs stay away from the nest when it's time for them to learn how to fly. A few years ago, Bailey caught a chick as it fell from a nest. As you could imagine, not a good outcome.

The other thing that has Ed all in a dither is the opening of the giant grocery store Wegman's, which happened yesterday in Woodbridge. It was almost like the Disney commercial, where the little boy tells his parents the night before they go to Disney World "I'm too excited to sleep."

Anyway, we went, we saw, we conquered. A family outing as it were. And it's a good thing we went fairly early. Even though parking was a zoo when we got there, it was nothing like it was when we left, after church let out.

Josh described the whole thing as "Kroger on crack."

What an apt description.

I'm at a loss ...

Well my work softball team in the Metropolitan Media Softball League is driving me nuts. We had a great first game yesterday, an 18-1 victory against post.com, then had one bad inning in a 7-5 loss to the Gazette. A couple of errors, a couple of walks and some timely hitting in the sixth inning plated five runs, proving to be the difference.

I really thought we had turned the corner by our performance in the first game and the way we started the second game. But, here we are 4-4, about halfway through the season. It also didn't help that it was about 98 degrees in the Washington, D.C. area yesterday.

We'll have to suck it up and try again next week. Onward and upward.

My other team, NITRO, isn't playing today, and has decided not to try and qualify for the NAGAAA softball World Series. A bit of discontent has reared its ugly head, I think, and the econony has reared its ugly head. Gas is too expensive airfare too high for people these days. Add the fact that you have to take a week off, and you'll end up spending more than $2,000.

Ah, but it is in Seattle. Oh well. Ed and I will definitely visit there again.

How 'bout them Rays?

This is one of the coolest photos I've ever seen, a school of sting rays migrating near Key West.

Wow...

Sign of the times ...

Ain't it the truth? Thank God we like beer ...

Magic number?

Yes, believe it or not, after the Cubs beat the Padres 9-6 last night for their ninth consecutive win, the "magic number" reared its ugly head on ESPN. I think it might be the earliest I've ever heard that phrase in my life.

I also think they might be getting ahead of themselves -- just a bit -- even though the Cubs do have the best record in baseball.

Oh, for those who were wondering, the "magic number" to clinch a playoff berth is 101.

The latest addition to the Munz family

Here they are, daddy Chris and sons Jack and newborn Sawyer ...

Go Cubs Go! 2008 edition

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

Enjoy.

Maybe the Apocalypse is near ...

OK, so when I first heard Clay Aiken -- or as Kathy Griffin likes to call him, "Gaykin" -- was going to be a dad, I was more than a little bit shocked. But then I calmed down when I heard he had artificially inseminated his 50-year-old "best" friend and record producer Jaymes Foster.

I don't know. Something just doesn't seem right about him being a daddy, but to each his own I guess. It just seems to be one of the strangest celebrity births in a while, if not ever. Reports say Aiken impregnated Jaymes via the turkey baster method -- ewwwww! -- and she will have a little American Idolette running around by August.

Apparently it's a boy. Go figure.

Yikes!

Seriously, should senior citizens be fencing? With walkers???

At least the Cubs haven't let me down ...

... I can't say the same about my work softball team.

I really thought we had a pretty good chance for a three-peat in the Media League, but I'm beginning to have my doubts.

We are 3-3 after our third consecutive split. We could easily be 5-1 or even 6-0, but sporadic hitting and terrible defense have cost us several games.

Oh well. The Cubs won again yesterday, beating the Rockies 5-4, and have now won six consecutive games. The Cubs also own the best record in baseball. In an ironic twist, the last time the Cubs entered June 1 with the best record in baseball was 1908 -- the last year the Cubs won a World Series.

Hmmm. Destiny awaits. I think.

And the Cubs? Another victory today against the Colorado Rockies. That's seven in a row, with a trip to the West Coast up next. Bring it on ...