Bruiser Chong

Cubs tie it in the 8th, then load the bases with no outs and don't score. It never fails. I fully expect another one-run loss.

The Brewers looked SCARED in that last inning.

Rod Allen is going to be more intolerable than usual if Verlander does this thing.

Maybe he was just thinking of the unborn child and making sure the girl replenished the much-needed carbohydrates and electrolytes lost from the body through sweat and exertion from banging.

Yeah, let's call Les Walrond up.

Dempster's such a bag of shit when it isn't a save situation in the ninth. This was one that you feel would've really lifted the team up all things considered, but winds up being another loss that exposes their weakness: an inability to capitalize on scoring chance with any regularity. And that one-run game record is embarrassing.

I'm sure he's glad he agreed to wear a mic now, eh? Let the whole world know what an idiot you are. I wonder if he's ever seen Lilly pitch? He misses like that regularly.

I never really bought into the ump's having it out for the Cubs, but anyone who says that first inning wasn't biased against the Cubs is crazy. I still can't believe Lilly was tossed for that after missing badly with the first two pitches, but Renteria getting away with throwing up a forearm on a slide topped it.

And then Renteria with the dirty slide and nothing happens.

Ted Lilly gets tossed in the first inning for hitting Renteria. What a crock of shit. This is all because Tim Hudson nailed Soriano to start the game yesterday. Unreal.

I'd imagine it would be frustrating to have your favorite team play in a division where you see Andruw Jones in center over a dozen times a year. The old Jason Marquis is back, by the way. Only two earned runs today, but he gave up six and didn't make it out of the second. And the runs were unearned because of an error he made to start the second. I didn't expect him to pitch like he did in the first month of the season, but he's reverted back to the kind of pitcher who makes you uncomfortable even when he's making outs.

Soriano with three homers in his first three at-bats. Surely the Braves have someone other than Lance Cormier to start games. When you walk the Cubs six times in less than four innings, you probably shouldn't be pitching in the majors.

I've got almost nothing right now. The Legends Show never did work for me; I'd just get an unavailable notice every time I tried it in the days leading up to its removal. I'm checking out the PTW right now. The matches are typically awful, but Heenan and Monsoon keep me entertained. The Muraco/Paffo match is a perfect example of why they were so great together. A bland match that I didn't skip because their dialogue back and forth was so entertaining. Gorilla can barely hold back the laughter as Heenan boasts about a real estate investment the bulk of the match.

Embarrassing. This is why I don't buy into the playoff experience non-sense. We do that and I'm thinking Detroit's never seen a playoff game, let alone won one. Sheed's act is stale when he isn't doing anything on the floor to cancel it out. The Cavs really didn't need to ridiculous foul calls in their favor; Detroit shit the bed just fine on their own. Looks like I'm behind the Spurs for the first time in my life. Like with the Heat last year, I absolutely refuse to back a team the NBA is so desperate to win it all because of one player.

I said the same yesterday. On paper, this team shouldn't even compare to last year's debacle. I wasn't one of the people who thought that the Cubs were going to become a 100 or even 90-win team because they dumped a boatload of cash on overvalued pieces. But I certainly didn't expect them to be playing like this. With four months to go and being in one of the worst divisions of recent vintage, there's always a chance they can turn things around and squeak by. But this team is underachieving even by the modest standards some had for them. The scary thing is that for the first time since the Cubs were expected to win, they don't have any excuses. Injuries were always the reason they weren't winning if you asked certain people. Wood and Prior are hurt as usual, but this team wasn't constructed in a way that counted on them at all, so they can't be pointed at as reasons for the Cubs' failures. Their problems run a lot deeper than two pitchers who haven't been healthy in years and a lot of those problems can be pinned on their GM. We've got too many outfielders, a second baseman who is really a glorified platoon player being shoved into an everyday role, a bullpen that doesn't strike batters out, and a ridiculously expensive leadoff man who isn't hitting homers or stealing bases. Let's not even touch upon the atrocious hitting with RISP. Hendry's really backed the team into a corner by locking up some of these guys to contracts that no one's going to want. I think they'll get better, but he's compromised their long-term success for their immediate success.

I'm probably more informed about this situation than most, so trust me, to hell with her. IIRC, she's MY age. It won't last. I know it's weird as hell. I'd feel the same way if the ex I'd had my most serious relationship with got married, I'd be upset, even if I'm more or less over her. But trust me, at her age and considering the guy she wound up with (I saw his MySpace) it won't last. Don't put the pussy up on that pedestal.

Lou said the fight spilled over into the clubhouse and that Barrett's lip was cut pretty good as a result. Excellent. I've been as big a defender of Zambrano as there's been, but it's tough to stand by him in this case. He's been pitching like crap all year, is obviously hurt, but because it's a contract year, he's insisting he's okay. I understand that he's emotional, but when you bloody up a teammate over an error, especially when you've been throwing BP the entire game, it's time to grow up. At this point, it seems stupid to re-sign Zambrano to the kind of deal he's expected to get. He may go flourish elsewhere, but at this point, he's not showing any signs of maturing and it's possible the Cubs have gotten many of his best years. I wouldn't mind seeing them let Zambrano walk, except them being the Cubs, they'd probably put their new-found wealth towards bringing in someone like Tori Hunter. I wouldn't be surprised to see Zambrano dealt, even though he's value has sure taken a hit in the first two months of the season. Cubs sure have a knack for doing that with players. Lou concluded the press conference with something along the lines of, "I only have so many players that I can play, you know? And it's about time some of them started playing like major leaguers. Or, get somebody else in here who can catch a damn ball or run the bases properly. All right? That's all I can say."

Carlos Zambrano is clearly pitching hurt. He hasn't looked like himself all season. Even in his stronger outings, he hasn't looked too sharp. I think today's the worst I've seen him look all season, as he issued in the neighborhood of a dozen hits, couple of walks, and NO strikeouts. And in a sign that I think the Cubs have already hit a lower low than last season, Michael Barrett and Zambrano exchange blows after a 5th inning that saw Barrett toss up another error which led to another run. The two were arguing in the dugout and only came to blows when Barrett rightfully pointed up at the scoreboard. The papers in Chicago should be fun to read tomorrow.

Exactly. To reduce fat in one area, you need to reduce it all around. Whatever your trouble spots may be are usually going to be the last place the fat disappears from.

Diet, diet, diet. If your diet sucks, forget about having a nice-looking six-pack. You can do all of the ab exercises in the world and it won't matter if what you're eating is crap. Case in point: I spun my wheels for a year and a half working out and seeing minimal results because I wasn't eating right. There's also a misconception about needing to eat less and more infrequently when trying to lose weight. You should be eating six small meals a day to keep your metabolism going. Long breaks in between eating is going to wreck havoc on your metabolism, so the idea that if you only eat a couple times a day, so it doesn't matter what you eat, is rubbish. With that said, if you're trying to cut, it's all about that protein. Protein is the cornerstone for building muscle and since it keeps you feeling full, you won't find yourself having cravings. The aforementioned Abs Diet is something to look into. I'm only roughly familiar with it, but it's successful because it doesn't come at you like a diet. It's more of a lifestyle change. Most diets fail because people eat like birds for a while, drop some weight, plateu and then have no other option other than to cut an already low calorie count. If you take away anything from the program, it should be the 12 power foods. Incorporate as many of these into your daily diet and you'll see results. Like I said, I spun my wheels by not only eating crap, but not eating enough of the right foods. I've been eating clean for the last three weeks and the changes have been quick and borderline amazing. Yet, I feel I've never eaten so much in my life. I struggle most days to even hit my maintence level for calories. Anyway, the 12 power foods: - Almonds (and other nuts) - Beans (and other legumes) - Spinach (and other greens) - Dairy - Instant Oatmeal - Eggs - Turkey (and other lean meats) - Peanut Butter - Olive Oil - Whole Grains - Extra Whey Protein - Raspberries (and other berries) If you haven't already, fall in love with the chicken. With marinades, there's really no end to the flavor combinations you can create with the boring skinless chicken breast. Lose the powerbar, too. Just a lot of uncessary sugar. And if you change only one thing, make it breakfast. You're killing yourself by not eating breakfast. The longest you probably go without food is while you sleep, so why on earth would you not eating something after waking up? You need something to get your metabolism fueled and the longer you wait, the slower it's going to be. Try to eat within an hour of waking up. If what you posted is what you're eating daily, you need to overhaul. One, you aren't eating the right stuff and two, you're probably eating dangerously under what you need to be taking in calorie-wise. Your workout routine is pretty terrible, too. Doing cardio for that long is only detrimental to muscle-gains. If you're looking to become more toned, do HIIT (high intensity interval training). Something like jogging for a minute, followed by 30 seconds of running as fast as you can until you hit the 10 or 15 minute mark, for example. If you don't like running, get a jump rope and follow a similar tempo pattern. You'll be amazed how much more you get out of short, but intense cardio sessions. Crunches don't hit all of the muscles needed to grab a six-pack, either. Personally, I'd look for a full-body routine that will incorporate your core. I know you're just looking for the six-pack, but since you can't spot-reduce fat, a full-body routine coupled with better eating habits and HIIT is easily your best bet for shedding fat and building muscle.

Correct. Then you get MLK in 2 weeks adding to the other awkward holiday. I'm a white college student/mechanic in 2007 who grew up in a white affluent suburb. Why do I get this day off? If it makes you feel any better, schools are open here on MLK Day.

Rough. It's probably going to be a year I look back on down the road and realize it was perhaps a necessary kick in the pants to change things. My longest romantic relationship came to a fuzzy end at the outset of summer, something I still let get to me here and there. I totaled my car and subsequently, had to take on higher insurance rates and car payments (my previous car had been paid for). One of my best friends just let us know he's going into the Air Force, which obviously puts a strain on the friendship. Most importantly, my mom had a brain aneurysm in October, which forced me to grow up overnight in many respects and left me living alone for the first time in my life. It's still tough to deal with at times, but things are coming together nicely and perspective is needed. Much as I loved her, my ex and I weren't really compatible and staying together just delayed the inevitable. I liked my car, but was considering getting a new one, anyway. And living on my own as something I had planned to do within the next year, anyway. It's happening earlier and under different circumstances, but it's still a change that will be for the best. 2006 wasn't good by any means, but it made me realize my priorities sucked and that you're not doing something right if you aren't continuing to grow as an individual.

Really?!!? I think the Dodgers' could be really good. Schmidt, Lowe, Penny and Wolf. Or 3 of the 4 could get injured. Who knows?! Everyone fawns over the Tigers and Marlins but I always feel like it's a crapshoot with young pitchers like Verlander and Johnson. There's a long list of guys who started out great and were never that good again. Yeah, you've got Carlos Zambrano (a true ace), followed by Rich Hill, Mark Prior, Wade Miller and Ted Lilly. If one or two of those guys fall through, you've got a group of Jason Marquis, Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall and Angel Guzman. You can't count on all of them, but you figure with strength in numbers, some of them are going to come up big. While you can't really count on many of those guys because of injuries or inexperience, I guess I can give props to Jim Hendry for at least possibly having too many starters over relying on Wood and Prior to be healthy. I think their pen could be a real asset. The backend was one of their few strengths last year and Guzman looked solid in middle relief last year. IF Carlos Marmol ever finds the plate, he'll be pretty amazing. But yeah, you'd imagine the team will be able to have a decent rotation with some combination of those nine.

How much of LaRussa's bullpen micromanagement was to cause for the decline in innings? He did manage to make 30+ starts every year. Suppan's value is that he is durable and consistent. He's posted an ERA better than average every year except one since 1999, which is a very good track record. He won't dominate, but he'll prevent the Brewers from falling back on options such as Geremi Gonzalez and Jorge de la Rosa. I don't have any figures, but just by watching enough Cards games, Tony didn't kick it into micromanage mode until the starter was long gone most times. Agreed Suppan is going to be add some stability, but it'll be interesting to see how the change in defensive quality affects his numbers. Remember, Suppan isn't a big strikeout pitcher and the Brewers' defense is embarrassing at times.