A Very Merry Birthday List

For Luis C. Medina's birthday, I would like to send Phil Rogers and Kevin Gregg to this small island-nation ... permanently

Here at TBDS, I am the NBA guy. Normally I would write something exciting about the free agency period going on, like how there is going to be a UConn reunion in Motown in a matter of hours

But today is even more important than the beginning of NBA free agency. It is the birthday of the founder of The Big Dead Sidebar and sports blogger extraordinaire (and by that I mean the best sports blogger I have ever read), Luis C. Medina. 

So since it is his birthday, I would like to take this time to compile a list of birthday wishes I would have made reality had I been given the chance. 

1. Bryant the Bull: When Kobe says "You might as well buy a Bulls jersey," referencing his desire to play in the Windy City, than it should be a no-brainer to do everything possible to make a move for the best player in the NBA. Unfortunately, it was a brainer for Chicago's front office. They couldn't part ways with Luol Deng and bit the bullet for it. 

Had I been general manager, Mr. Medina would be one happy basketball fan right now. I would have traded Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and Tyrus Thomas with a future pick for No. 24. Bryant would have come to the Bulls where he could play alongside Derrick Rose and create chaos in the East. But instead Deng is always hurt, Gordon is leaving for nothing in return and Thomas is still searching for consistency. The end result ... Rose is forced to carry a team and Luis is a sad birthday boy. 

2. Peavy rocks the Cubbie blue: Unlike the NBA, there is no salary cap in the MLB. Why the Cubs did not push harder to get the Cy Young winner in their rotation is beyond me. Now the Cubs are 36-38 and it's no longer early in the season. Luis is frustrated and it's all cause Chicago just couldn't part ways with Carlos Marmol or top-prospects or anyone else the Padres were interested in. I would have sent Marmol or Lilly or almost whoever the Padres wanted to get Peavy. But instead, Luis is shocked to see his favorite-to-win-the-division Cubbies in fourth place and under .500.  

3. Can we flip-flop: If missing out on Peavy wasn't bad enough, the Cubs virtually traded beloved Mark DeRosa for unbeloved Aaron Miles. If I had the power to give one single gift to Mr. Medina, it would be to make a trade right now sending Miles back home to St. Louis for DeRosa. I know it wouldn't vastly improve the club, but at least it would give Cubs fans a reason to smile and something to cheer about. There is something about DeRosa that just makes a baseball fan feel good inside. 

4. See you later: I would like to buy two tickets to Vanuatu (it's a small island-nation in the south Pacific). And I didn't buy them for Luis to take a vacation either. The tickets would be for my greatest gift of all. I would round up Phil Rogers and Kevin Gregg and send them on their merry way. With Phil Rogers gone, Luis could take his rightful place at the Chicago Tribune and with Kevin Gregg gone ... well that just makes everyone a little more sane. 

5. Make it rain: I am currently trying to track down Pacman Jones so he can make it rain on Hollywood. Someone needs to put up the money to make "Moneyball" a reality. I for one am not that excited for the movie, but it seems important to Luis and the only way I could see the movie being even better is to see Adam "Pacman" Jones name appear as the producer for the movie during the opening credits. 

6. The Bears get a QB: What's that? You say the Bears signed Jay Cutler? You mean the Pro Bowl quarterback right? Hmm .... Well then that wish has become a reality! It looks like while the other five failed to happen, this is true! With Matt Forte, a new defensive coordinator and a healthy offensive line ... well ...

It looks like you might have a happy birthday after all (though you will have to wait until September).

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