Hockey in July

I have never subscribed to the idea of "Christmas in July." What does that even mean? Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, but the holiday must only be celebrated in the winter season. Hockey is a different story.

Spending time at Wrigley Field yesterday made me realize that, as the Cubs' fans join in on a chorus of boos and hatred toward their team, the Chicago Blackhawks play a big role in the Friendly Confines. Defenseman Brian Campbell threw the first pitch and led the 7th inning stretch, there was a hockey puck contest on the scoreboard with "Here Come the Hawks" playing over the PA, and the team's "One-Goal" advertisement was on the scoreboard through an entire inning.

When president John McDonough left the Cubs to join the Blackhawks, you knew he was going to bring over some of that marketing expertise and help bring hockey back to the city. He did just that, and the players helped by making a deep run through the postseason.

I have never talked about hockey during the Chicago baseball season, and I am sure many others are the same way. Yet, now, fans including me are still into the hockey team. Other than Derrek Lee's three-run homer, the Wrigley crowd gave the biggest ovation during Campbell's on-field appearance and his "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" song (even though the singing was not very good).

This seems even more relevant now that the Blackhawks played a game at Wrigley Field earlier this season. Fans are waiting for hockey, with Marian Hossa coming from the Red Wings, Kris Versteeg and other young players re-signing, and some nice draft picks coming Chicago's way. Yes, there is also the Bears and QB Jay Cutler, but hockey season is still big for the city here in July as well.

That type of summer fever has not been seen in a long time, but it is now. The Chicago Cubs seem to be catching on.

The Carlos Boozer Rumors: Will The Bulls Bring Booze To The Party?

The Bulls need Booze. And fast.

The Chicago Bulls, Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz have apparently hit several snags in a trade that would send Carlos Boozer to the Bulls, Kirk Hinrich to the Trail Blazers and Tyrus Thomas to the Jazz.

Even though the deal seems to be dead for now, at one point, a deal seemed nearly certain. But in a situation which reeked of June's Amare Stoudemire-to-Golden State deal, it happened to be a lot of smoke without much fire.

There is no dispute that the Bulls need to make something happen, especially after a pair of lackluster draft choices and losing their leading scorer to the Detroit Pistons, their arch division rivals. And that "something" would be acquiring a big man, whether it be Carlos Boozer or Chris Bosh.

In his three years in Utah, Boozer has averaged 19.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game at a position Chicago has been desperately looking to fill since it inexplicably traded the ultimate 20-10 guy (Elton Brand) for an unproven, untested commodity (Tyson Chandler).

Adding a premier post presence such as Boozer or Bosh would be significant on so many levels, beyond being that guy the Bulls have searched high, low, far and wide for. It would ease the pressure on star point guard Derrick Rose, who is coming off a dazzling freshman campaign in which he earned Rookie of the Year honors and an eye-opening seven-game playoff series against the Boston Celtics, in which the Bulls dropped fell short in Game 7 in one of the most well-played playoff series in NBA history.

Rose averaged 19.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists in the series, and the Bulls need to capitalize on that kind of talent by adding building blocks around him. As of now, Chicago is banking on Luol Deng to return to his 2007 form in which he averaged 18.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 51.7 percent from the field. John Salmons is in the fold too, and will likely be starting alongside Rose in the backcourt. He averaged 18.3 points per game last season, but is not the explosive scorer Gordon was as a Bull, but he could counter that burden by being a better defensive presence as he stands 6-foot-7.

Personally, I would rather have Chris Bosh don the red, white and black of the Chicago Bulls. The three-time All-Star is younger, taller, less prone to injury and statistically better. But he might be harder to pry away from Toronto now that Hedo Turkoglu is on his way north of the border.

Opening tip is months away, and the summer of 2010 is even more off in the distance. The Bulls need to better themselves quickly, not only to secure better playoff positioning, but to also make itself look like a contender to make themselves look like one of basketball's premier landing spots as a free agent.

If not, the Bulls will be bouncing around mediocrity.

Moneyball Movie Gets The Green Light!

That shriek of joy you heard last night was my reaction to the news that the Moneyball Movie is back on. To quote White Sox announcer Hawk Harrelson, "Yessssssss! Hell yes!"

Long story short:

• Soderberg is out
• Pitt is still in
• So is Sony
  
• and Aaron Sorkin (of The West Wing and Sports Night fame) is re-writing the rest of the script

If you haven't gotten a chance to read the original script, you are doing yourself a disservice. Never has a movie script aroused me in a way that made me question whether or not I could carry on an honest-to-God relationship with a woman not hiding behind a computer screen. Because, according to Joe Morgan, evil computers run everything nowadays. Baseball. Dating. The free world. All of it.

OK, no more jokes. Moneyball is in for the win.

Now that's what I call a very happy motherf*cking Friday!

Moneyball Back On, Without Soderberg [Cinema Blend via @MoneyballMovie]

TBDS Day At The Park Take II: Saturday Friday In The Park

The proudest moment of my life. You know, other than that one time I kissed that pretty girl. Or that time I got hired by an actual newspaper.

Ladies and gentlemen, weeeeeeee're baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.

The last time TBDS members had a day at the park, we had a memorable day in which we uncovered this shirt and were subsequently picked up by numerous actual news sites such as NBC Chicago and The Huffington Post, not to mention the ultimate tip of the cap of being DUAN'd on Deadspin.

So, what do we do as a follow up. Who knows? But here are some predictions:

1. SalukiOrphan incites an altercation with Milton Bradley. Hilarity ensues.
2. Jeff finds his fandom ... in the rival Cardinals after Albert Pujols hits a home run and celebrates by giving our NBA expert a special handshake.
3. Luis gets drunk, fires off a slew of offensive tweets directed at Cardinal Nation following text messages of unrequited love to pretty girls.

Oh, you were looking for something out of the ordinary. My bad.

As an aside, it's good to be back home in Chicago. I miss this place sometimes. The food. The atmosphere. The gas prices at $3.25 per gallon at the Shell on Irving Park & Pulaski. OK, so I don't miss that part, but if you know me then you will get the gist of what I'm saying.

We'll have some sort of recap, I'm sure.

TBDS Late Night: Gentlemen, Start Your Lawn Mowers!

And while you're at it, trim the bushes!

Announcement: TBDS Late Night will now be a full-time fixture on this blog Monday through Friday and select weekends. That lengthy intro will no longer apply. Which means more room for items like the following.

Expect Wrigley Field's playing surface to be in pristine condition this weekend as two of the National League Central's best landscapers converge on Wrigley Field this weekend.

And here's hoping the Chicago Cubs got that whole losing thing out of their system because they enter a big four game series against arch-rival (pun intended?) St. Louis Cardinals, who happen to be in first place in the NL Central. After a weekend of smacking around their neighbors from the north (Milwaukee for those of you who are geographically challenged) three out of four games, the Cubs offense was grounded in its two losses against the Atlanta Braves.

And that's with savior Aramis Ramirez back in the fold. Yesterday, I suggested a whole slew of changes. But since we all know Creighton people can't read, this blog probably went heard upon deaf ears. Or in the case of this site, blind eyes.

So that brings me to this. Rich Harden, it's time for you to get your shit together. Now.

There isn't a better time to revert to the pitcher that made you the must-have pitcher after CC Sabathia went to Milwaukee from Cleveland and proceded to drop the periods in his name en route to leading the Brewers to the NL's Wild Card berth.

Last season, Harden posted a 5-1 record with a 1.77 earned run average in 12 starts. His WHIP was 0.972 as he whiffed 89 batters while walking only 30 in 71 innings. My how things have changed in 2009.

Harden is 5-5 with a 5.35 ERA, which is at its highest point in his seven-year career. He has struck out 77 batters in 69 innings, which isn't bad. But his WHIP (1.493), hits-per-nine innings (9.3) and homers-per-nine innings (2.0) are up while his strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.41-to-1) is down.

Dick Hardon could get back in my good graces with a quality start Friday as three members of Team TBDS will be in attendance. Including the Cardinal-loving SalukiOrphan.

Quality Linkage:

• Proof that Cubdom is, in fact, Cubdumb. [Hire Jim Essian]
• An interview with that cute blonde chick who sits with Colin Cowherd. [Awful Announcing]
• Baseball wives and road beef. Didn't Steve McNair teach you good folks anything? [Deadspin] Oh, and the new commenting system is up. Have fun with that.
  
• Where's the outrage that the little guys succumbed to the BCS bullies? [Denver Post]
• Bartolo Colon has apparently been found, proving once again it's hard to lose someone who weighs a metric ton and still finds a way to fit into baseball pants. [Chicago Tribune]
  

TBDS Late Night: Where Inspiration From Facebook Happens

A long time ago in a blogosphere far, far away, this blogging outfit presented a feature called TBDS Late Night which reported on late-breaking news and provided games to watch for and links to read at your own peril. Once in a while, yours truly will revive that segment when necessary. This is one of those times.

Looks like yours truly is bringing back TBDS Late Night as a full-time segment. Maybe, but it's just how my current schedule and news has playded out. But enough of the chit-chat. Let's cut to the gravy.

For the longest time I have compared being a Chicago Cubs fan to being in a real bad relationship, if only because of my past transgressions.

Furthermore, the Cubs have proven to be nothing more than a tease. Take the last three division winners. They all had charming personalities and did some things that brought a smile to your face. But in the end, they left you truly unsatisfied and wanting more as they didn't go all the way. And after taking three-of-four from second-place Milwaukee, they dropped two-of-three to Atlanta. And no, Glavine and Smoltz were not the winning pitchers of record for the Braves in either of those occasions.

So after another disappointing loss, I decided to leave a few suggestions for the Cubs on a friends Facebook page with a promise of more to come. And guess what, I don't break promises.

Here are five things Jim Hendry needs to do.

1. Fire Lou Piniella, let Alan Trammel run the team. Sorry Lou, you're press conferences were entertaining and your hat-tossing, dirt-kicking antics will go down in the history books, but you've got to go. Piniella has clearly lost his team. I'm not just talking about players going nutso on Gatorade coolers or umpires, I'm talking about mentally.

This team has made base-running blunders look like they're the in-thing. Mental errors like throwing to the wrong base, forgetting how many outs there are, missing signs have been an all-too-common occurrence this season. All that points to the man in charge.

If the Cubs were oh-so-willing to fire Gerald Perry (hint, the whack bats aren't all his fault), they should be equally firing the manager who helped get them there in the first place.

As for Tram, read below.

2. Read the Moneyball script and tell Alan Trammel that if he doesn't follow the Billy Beane edict of OBP guys up front, he'll end up like Art Howe. Anyone know where Art Howe is? I didn't think so. And with the way the Cubs are built, the Moneyball-esque charade might actually work with this team. And a hat tip to Steven Jung who said: "If a team with a 140 million dollar payroll has to go with a Moneyball strategy, then 3 words. WE ARE FUCKED."

I couldn't have said it any better myself, but there is a baseball team in Bosotn that has applied the Moneyball concept to a high-payroll situation. And all the Red Sox have to show for it is two World Series titles and a lead in the AL East.

As for Trammel's past managerial experience, I dare you to find 81 wins out of this team. Or this team. Or this team. Research before you blame everything on the manager, OK? Thank you.

The Cubs line-up should be constructed as so: (against righties) Fukudome CF Bradley RF Lee 1B Ramirez 3B Soto C Soriano LF Theriot SS Fontenot 2B ... (against lefties) Johnson CF Bradley RF Lee 1B Ramirez 3B Fox LF Soto C Soriano 2B Theriot SS.

No one's running on this team and station-to-station is going to have to work until Soriano and Theriot learn how to put one foot in front of the other and swiping bags like Robin Hood.

3. Sign Pedro Martinez. Ryan Dempster is out 4-to-6 weeks, and I'll lean more to the six-week mark beause Demp will probably stub his toe on the washer or dryer as he's doing his laundry. Martinez would be the security blanket for when Rich Harden gets injured and/or Randy Wells comes back to earth. And since the Cubs aren't getting Roy Halladay or Jake Peavy, signing Pedro to an incentive-laden deal for the rest of the year is the most cost-efficient move for the Cubs.

Martinez owns a career record of 91-55 with a 3.06 ERA and 1.091 WHIP in the second half, and if that isn't attractive to you, then you, my friend, are baseball retarded.

4. Trade For Matt Holliday. I don't care if you have to go to Oakland, go through the black hole of Raider Nation, handcuff yourself to Billy Beane and trade anyone in the minor league system not named Josh Vitters to get Holliday, get it done. Then sign him to a long-term deal and place him in the outfield for the next five years.

5. Resign. Bye, Jim. Thanks for your time. Ted Lilly will probably go down as your best free-agency signing ever. And that Rich Harden deal was pretty sweet, too. But you have yet to conquer the buy-low, sell-high concept.

To be honest, you were at your best when Lou Piniella was helping you do your winter shopping. Oh, you say Piniella is unemployed? Forget what I said about banishing him, just send him upstairs and get him a nice suit to wear.

Quality Linkage:

• If rappers were NBA players. [The Big Lead]
• Steve McNair tells his side of the story in a live-stream from hell. [Deadspin]
• Cheerleaders and car washes make me wish I went to school at FIU. That and being able to pick up girls by saying "There are worse guys than me on the campus, like Isiah Thomas." [SportsByBrooks]
• KSK continues to humor me as a Pats fan and Titans fan converse. Kind of. [Kissing Suzy Kolber]

Reasons No. 1039431 and 1039432 to NOT idolize athletes

Like Charles Barkley said, "I'm not a role model."

Sad part is, most athletes are role models if they like it or not. It crosses all ages and races, too. No matter what they do, athletes will always be role models for better or worse.

We've heard it thousands of times, don't idolize athletes or celebrities. They don't make good role models. Sure, there are some good guys, there always are. But for every Jim Thome there's a Michael Vick or a O.J. Simpson.

And we're assuming Thome is as good-hearted as he appears to be.

And look, I'm not saying Steve McNair is on the same level as a some of those other scumbags. He didn't kill anyone as far as we know and he sounds like a man who was very interested in giving back to the community.

But the praise should stop there.

He's not a good guy because he cheated on his wife and in turn cheated his kids out of being a good father.

I'm tired of all this warrior talk on the football field and how I should think about that if I were to mourn him. That means nothing. He was just an athlete and a great one.

Thats it.

He was a coward off the field because he got into a relationship with a 20-year-old girl and didn't get a divorce, instead dragging this on in secret until his shocking death.

Take Michael Jordan as an example. Now I'll never look at him as the God-like figure I used to when I was growing up. The gambling problems and his divorce tainted that image for me. He settled a lawsuit with some other woman he was seeing while he was still married to his wife and so on.

The point is, Jordan is human just like McNair is but it doesn't mean they are excused from the rules of society just because they are athletes.

We read everyday about athletes cheating on their wives while on the road. It always made me sick to think about it.

People make mistakes, I get that. Perhaps McNair shouldn't be defined by his final one but it sure seems like he will.

So until I hear otherwise I'll tip my cap to the Thome's and Kurt Warner's of the world even if I'm not their biggest fans as players.

At least they did it the right way.

I hope.

Photo Credit: News of the World

Ryan Dempster's Misfortune Is Hilarious

(Image Credit: The Trib)

From a franchise that has seen pitchers injured by hot tubs, right fielders hit the DL because of a sneeze and other countless acts that invoke the phrase "That's So Cub" ... Ryan Dempster's fall and subsequent toe injury represents another ho-hum day at the ballpark.

And talk about product placement, State Farm was actually there. (Shout out to my agent David Hickey on Belmont Ave.)

So, Roy Halladay, Jake Peavy or Pedro Martinez is coming to save this ballclub, right? Nope. Try Kevin Hart. And no, not the comedian. Though it would be fitting for a class clown like Dempster.

If asked to, Roy Halladay would pitch in Egypt but...

Approval or not Roy Halladay, one of the game's best pitchers, is not leaving Toronto for Chicago.

That goes for both Chicago teams.

No. 1 - The Cubs do not have the prospects the Blue Jays want so count them out right there.

No. 2 - The Chicago White Sox claim to not have payroll flexibility anymore but the real reason is that Gordon Beckham will not be part of any trade for anyone. The third baseman has breathed new life into a team coasting toward a 70-win season and turned them into a contender. Beckham is the clear and present future of this team and Josh Fields is not. Would Halladay make the White Sox into a World Series contender? Yes. They are contenders only if Beckham stays on this team though.

It's not like he's an over-hyped prospect raking in the minors, he's already getting the job done here.

Would I mortgage anyone else on the farm along with pitchers Aaron Poreda and Clayton Richard? Absolutely.

I've never been a firm believer in Richard. He seems like a poor man's Kip Wells. A soft-tosser that's expendable. Poreda could be a stud one day because he's a hard throwing lefty. But can he be Halladay good? I don't know and I'd be willing to take that risk. Throw in another prospect or two and I'd still make the deal.

That being said I thought the White Sox trade for setup man Tony Pena was shocking. First, I'd place bullpen issues at the bottom of my concerns list. Second, they sold low on Brandon Allen, a first baseman who I assumed would be part of some bigger trade.

Pena has struggled at times this year with an ERA swelling over 4.00 but seems like an ideal candidate to replace Octavio Dotel next year if pitching coach Don Cooper can get him figured out.

Hopefully, there are more trades in the works because I still feel like this team is a starting pitcher (righty) away from being a serious contender.

Why, Yes. We Do Have Another TBDS Birthday: A Very Merry Birthday List II

Sometime this winter, Jeff and I will go to Las Vegas to celebrate his birthday. Until then, I need a birthday gift (or five) to hold him over.

One week after yours truly celebrated his "Michael Jordan Birthday," NBA scribe Jeff celebrates his 21st birthday. While the No. 23 holds great significance in Chicago sports, as it was worn by greats such as Jordan, Cubs Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg and Bears receiver/return specialist Devin Hester, the No. 21 has a whole different connotation.

For me, 21 signifies great Cubs such as Sammy Sosa, the not-so-grand Jason Marquis and the mercurial Milton Bradley.

Oh, and there was this Roberto Clemente guy who used to wear No. 21 for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Apparently he was pretty good.

For Jeff, it signifies one more thing: All drinks on him this weekend as TBDS returns Friday to Wrigley Field as the Cubs and Cardinals square off in baseball's best rivalry. Weather permitting, of course.

But this is less about this weekend and more about what I would get Jeff for his birthday, because anyone who would banish Kevin Gregg and Phil Rogers on a remote island as a gift for someone who turns one year older, deserves something special.

1. Baseball Fandom. I want Jeff to find happiness in a baseball team that will not let him down. There is so much garbage surrounding America's Game, whether it involves players unable to count to three or how many steroid needles they took in the butt, it must be hard for the man I know as Jeffe Del Mundo to find a team. And by the looks of it, the only team without any links to steroids no longer exists.

So here's my pitch, let's bring together all the non-steroid greats and put 'em on a baseball team to play at Rent One Park in Marion, Ill. And because a lot of the steroid busts happen to link young, Latino ball players, I present to you the lilly-white baseball team.

The Fightin' Hansbroughs?

The line-up, a whole bunch of guys you can root for. 1B Justin Morneau, Twins 2B Chase Utley 3B David Wright, Mets SS Ryan Theriot, Cubs LF Ryan Braun, Brewers CF Josh Hamilton, Rangers RF Jason Bay, Twins. SP Roy Halladay, Blue Jays RP Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox

2. A Transformation Chamber. Last I checked, yours truly cannot turn back the hands of time. If I could, I would reverse course on the stupidity of the Milwaukee Bucks' offseason. Richard Jefferson to the Spurs for nothing, Charlie V to the Pistons as a free agent would have never happened. Brandon Jennings' disses on Ricky Rubio and being the first man to ever call Scott Skiles a n**** would not be reversed, if only for entertainment's sake.

But what does exist, somewhere in a Chicagoland basement, is Steve Urkel's transformation chamber. And since the Bucks seem hell bent on making Jeff watch the NBA Lottery show for the next 10 years, I have the perfect use for it.

Dan Gadzuric steps in as a bust, steps out as a 20-10 guy down low. Luke Ridnour steps in as a whatever-he-is and steps out as the league leader in assists, steals and successful no-look passes. Joe Alexander steps in as a disappointing rookie nicknamed after a disappointing movie, steps out as the white LeBron James.

And suddenly, we have a contender on our hands!

3. A Job At The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Graduation looms in Jeff's near future and he will go through a phase yours truly just recently went through. I call it the "Ohmygodidon'tknowwhati'mgoingtodowithmylife" phase. It's as normal as that thing on you know who's lip. Anyway, the MJS has a pretty good baseball guy in Tom Hardicourt but their basketball beat is disappointing to say the least.

And if there's anyone that can do the job it's Jeff. And he already has the experience of covering the NBA under his belt. The Journal-Sentinel shouldn't give Jeff a chance, they should just give him the f****** job!

4. A Trip To Las Vegas. Oh wait, that's already in the works. Damn I'm good!

5. Send In The Clones! Call me narcissitic, but Jeff needs another sports writer for a relatively young and inexperienced DE sports desk and there are only a few people that could fit that description to a tee. One of them happens to be me, who is now inelligble because I exhausted my four five years of eligibility at SIU. That is why I must be cloned to continue a glorious sports desk tradition.

But why stop there? Let's clone Brian Feldt and Sean McGahan. Heck, let's even clone Jeff so we can send the clone into the EIC's office. Thus a sports desk of clones that would make the staff at the Chicago Tribune worry about their job future.

And they would be led by a great mentor, great friend and even better person: the real Jeff Engelhardt.

Happy Birthday, pal.