9/24/2004 08:40:00 AM by Rob

The Sloth's Quick Hits

A few short, random thoughts to get us started on another Big Cubs Weekend

- For those of you who have commented to "correct" me on my "Standings that Matter":
I am perfectly capable of going out to Yahoo! Sports and reading their Wild Card Standings...in fact, since THEY have it, why would I post it.

My point is that we are not competing against the Giants at this point. The Dodgers are a fucking train wreck, and they will end up finishing second or third in their division. I firmly believe that our two main competitors at this point are the AssTrolls and Dodgers. I get ten days for my point to become valid.

- According to complex mathematical calculations, the Cubs Magic Number is 8.

- Am I expected to say something profound about Greg Maddux that hasn't already been said? Ahh, geez. Well, you can have Clemens and the Unit, Maddux is the best pure pitcher I have ever seen, including Seaver, Jenkins, Sutton and Perry. Most of those guys had superior stuff - triple digit fastballs, nasty sliders, ungodly breaking stuff, sticky spit. All Maddux ever had was a plan to throw the right pitch at the right time.

The "15 wins 17 years in a row" is right up there with "most hits in the 90's" in the Hall of Concocted Milestones. But what else in life is this dependable? Your car? Nah. Your job? Hardly. Your wife? Unfortunately in my case, not often. Your dog? Not for 17 years...

- I know enough about Judaism to know that Passover and Yom Kippur are the highest observances in their year. Then again, Easter is the highest holiday in the Christian calendar. Christian ballplayers routinely do not take Easter off, but Easter is more of a celebration day. It is true that American business is geared around taking Christmas off, but football, basketball, and hockey players are routinely scheduled to play on Christmas. The Bulls in their hey-day were frequently asked to play on the NBC Xmas showcase game, and they did their share of griping about it.

It is the money that has ruined everything. It SHOULD not be our place to comment on whether Shawn Green's convictions should override the welfare of his employer. I don't think it is a 'day off' or 'equality' thing with him. He must really feel the need to atone. But for the money he is being paid, it seems to give people like me the right to suggest that he should atone on his own time. $11 million dollars IS a lot of money. Maybe the best way for him to atone is to actually earn his keep.

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