Cheech Tremendous

I'd probably flip Soriano and Lee in that lineup since Lee has a higher OBP and Soriano is the better slugger, but otherwise it looks good. On Fukudome and hitting major league pitching, I agree that we haven't seen him hit yet, but the only skill that will translate well is his strike zone recognition. I can't really foresee any scenario where those walks don't translate and that will keep the Obp up, unless of course he flat out can't hit anything. It's the power that I don't see making the trip from Japan.

Czech showing the fire and the passion.

The thing about alcoholics is that they like to lie.

Your going to put the pitcher directly behind your best on-base guy? That'll lead to a lot of runs.

I love the irony of this statement.

Buster Olney reporting that the A's are asking the Mets for Gomez, Heilman and Mulvey in exchange for Joe Blanton. That seems awfully steep to me, but we know that Minaya is desperate to add a starter. Wnder if they'll do it?

Dontrelle Willis signed a three year, $29 million extension with the Detroit Tigers. I guess that's about the going rate for a #3 or #4 starter, but I would have wanted to see him pitch in the AL for a year before locking him up long term. The front office and scouts must believe that last year was an anomaly and he can regain the form he had a couple of years ago.

Remember in 2004 when there was a small controversy surrounding the World Series ball that was taken by Doug Mientkiewicz? Well, we won't have to worry about that happenign to the 2007 ball. Why you ask? Well, Jonathon Papelbon's dog ate it. Look, I love Paps and all he has done for the team, but he personifies country idiot, doesn't he?

I was referring mostly to the medium itself, and the problems you describe with Time seem to be a microcosm of the effects plaguing the entire industry. There are certain publications that have used the changes to their advantage by branching out into more long-form pieces that don't find their way to the short attention span readers of the internet. But any magazine directly focused on traditional news, sports or entertainment seem to be fighting a losing battle.

Hasn't the dissemination of knowledge through the internet mostly destroyed the magazine as a viable medium anyways? Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone are two that have basically faded from culturally significant to niche market in recent years, complete with substandard reporting and photography.

I don't exactly have my ear to the ground in all matters Falcons, but the general perception has been that Deangelo Hall wasn't the nicest guy to be around this year, starting with the meltdown earlier this season that directly lead to his team losing a game. Whether or not he's the problem with team's attitude problems (and he may not be), he's perceived to be the problem by the media and fans and any rebuilding effort might have difficulty gaining credibility with the poster child for the disastrous season is retained. Same issue with White and Crumpler. They may not be bad dudes at heart, but they are signifant links to the old Vick squad and prominent members of the embarrassing effort they've put into the 2007 season. It's not like they are so close to competing that they need to hold these talents. I say rip the whole thing down and start over. There's an entire aura of failure and dirtiness clouding that franchise right now. They need a fresh start. But that's for the new man to decide, whoever that may be.

^Makes me imagine Kamala, in full ring gear, sitting at his laptop pondering the world of TSM

No, it's called using contraception and not being an idiot. I started having sex at 16 and ten years later I've never gotten anyone pregnant or contracted an STD. I don't think that's good fortune. It's called understanding consequences before I stick my dick somewhere.

It's not just the size and athleticism of today's players, it's the entire style of the game. You can't really compare numbers from that era to today. It's like looking at the Dead Ball era in baseball compared to the Steroids era. Things just don't look right.

Larry Brown comes to mind. Pat Riley has had a few nice moves over the years. Bill Belichick, Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino have all tried their hand as well. I guess Parcells is still the master though.

Surely a momentous days that sent everyone running to TSM.

I can't believe Leena hasn't been banned yet. Mods being nice for Christmas, or no one cares anymore?

Someone better keep all blunt objects away from Arthur Blank over the holiday season.

Mark Madden's not hard to find. He hosts an ESPN Radio show out of Pittsburgh and until recently was a regular columnist for the Post-Gazette (is now with the Beaver County Times). I'm not sure he'd be that interested in leaving a good gig to return to wrestling, but I guess if the money is right.

^Is very perceptive

^Doesn't care for former wrestling fans checking in to the WWE folder to make Benoit and steroid jokes

We know Deangelo Hall is a goner, and I wouldn't get too settled if I were Roddy White. Problem is, all the cancerous parts that he needs to jettison are the team's best players. I have faith that he can put a decent defense together, but it might be tricky to find a permanent fixture at QB and rebuild the offense in a non-Vick way.

Word on the street is Bill Parcells will be named the new Vice President of Football Operations for the Atlanta Falcons. That's certainly not a job I'd want to take if I were him. That team needs to be torn down and rebuilt completely and I'm not exactly sure he's the right man for the job.

Eh, she's black. Miracle she made it that long really.

What's with all these rinky-dink ballparks they are building nowadays? The Marlins, A's and Rays all have stadium plans that will have max capacity in the low to mid 30s. Just because they get away with a tiny park in Boston doesn't mean the rest of the league should try it.