I'm officialy ready for the disapointment of football

Simply put, the Reds are done again before the All-Star break.

I will not watch anymore, I will not watch anymore. . . .

Brennaman vs. Cubs

According to Hal McCoy Marty Brennaman the voice of the Cincinnati Reds will have added security tonight in Chicago and throughout the week. This comes as a result of the fallout from Cubs fans in regards to Brennaman's comments calling Cubs fans "the most obnoxious in all of baseball" after they threw a dozen baseballs on the field following an Adam Dunn home run April 17.

(Hal also scooped ESPN by about 10 minutes on the Cubs trade; they acquired Rich Harden from A's)

This comes in a long line of conflict between Cubs fans and the outspoken-long-time broadcaster. According this site some 'people' took it upon themselves to edit Brennaman's Wikipedia page adding a fake death that took place on this date, the opening game of the Reds series against the Cubs.

Lifting my opinion from this matter, the fact that there has to be more security for Brennaman shows a lack of confidence in the actions of Cubs fans. I would have to say that their fans tend to be more raucous and outspoken. I don't specifically see this reflect in loyalty as I consider fans from baseball cities like St. Louis and New York to be much more loyal and knowledgeable in terms of baseball and have had a much better history of winning.

This should make for an interesting series to say the least.

All Star Snubs

I know, i know more baseball news but it has to be said.

The MLB All Star game went to a fan voting process a few years ago to give YOU and I more say in the process. In that time the All-Star balloting has become a popularity contest with the largest markets putting their players on the teams, while leaving out the best players at certain key positions.

This year brought the idiocy and hypocrisy to the forefront. NY, Chicago and Boston teams fill up the lineups yet only the Cubs are in first place. And while the Cubs are in first place their fans decided to vote for two of their outfielders that: A. are blatantly not the best at their positions in terms of hitting and B. not good defensively. Teamed with Ryan "I don't know what position I'm playing" Braun in LF, this should make for a 3 stooges episode reincarnation of an National League outfield.

And while we're on the topic of the CUBS it is interesting how the bias stretched to perhaps the most important position in baseball, seeing that Geovanny Soto will start over Atlanta's Brian McCann, the best catcher in the NL, and heads and shoulders better defensively than Soto. Amazing.

And in light of another blown save by Kerry Wood, what does Clint Hurdle do? He invites Wood to the All-Star game, and why not all his buddies are their including Aramis Ramirez, another knuckle-headed defensive baseball player who in his time would struggle to get weak grounders to first with a fish net and rocket launcher.

But again the Cubs sit in a large market, are in first place (for the time being), are shown on ESPN every week when the BoSox aren't on, and have A LOT of knuckle-headed fans pulling for them; ones that dismiss 100 years of history to act like buffoons at on the road any ballpark they see fit whenever their beloved-overpriced-early-season-wonder-of-a-team rolls in, only to have their brains beat out most of the time. (i.e. 20-26 on the road)

I will not rant about the American league because I don't care if they win. But for the most part they got at least their OF right. And they have better players to choose from and they actually have most of them starting at their respective positions.

NL lineup for 2008 All-Star Game

C	Geovany Soto, CHC
1B	Lance Berkman, HOU	S/L
2B	Chase Utley, PHI	L/R
SS	Hanley Ramirez, FLA	R/R
3B	Chipper Jones, ATL	S/R
OF	Ryan Braun, MIL	R/R
OF	Kosuke Fukudome, CHC	L/R
OF	Alfonso Soriano, CHC	R/R

My Lineup would be:

C	Brian McCann, ATL	S/R
1B	Lance Berkman, HOU	S/L
2B	Chase Utley, PHI	L/R
SS	Hanley Ramirez, FLA	R/R
3B	Chipper Jones, ATL	S/R
OF	Ryan Braun, MIL	R/R
OF	Ryan Ludwick, St.L	L/R
OF	Matt Holiday, COL.	R/R

The subs are a joke as well but I don't even want to get into it because I'm fed up with it. All Star voting should not be in the hands of the fans.

And before you say it, I am not mad that only one Red made it to the All-Star team, I could care less. However Brandon Phillips is much better than at least 5 of the 2b's who received more votes in the NL, including Mark DeRosa. You've got to be kidding me.

Wish Wash

Yesterday was interesting in that I did almost NOTHING!

Awaking at 8:30 a.m. is not a big thing anywhere but here. I live in a basement if you didn't know and so the amount of light that trickles through the crevices they call windows resembles the amount that creeps into Mammoth cave.

I stumbled to The Star Press at about 9 a.m. without caffeine running through my veins leading to a disillusionment with the world rivaled by only these people.

I plopped at my desk and planned to stay for only three hours. I received an email back from my advisor in London, Dr. Popovich who at this moment is still cleaning out the remains of 30+ years of teaching at Ball State. It was a kind email telling me that he misses London everyday and that it is something WE can only understand fully.

"It is a special time, but probably a time that can only be experienced in a certain way. We certainly are richer for that special time. Just don't let yourself forget to go back."

He also urged me to read an English paper online everyday, as he reads the Daily Telegraph. Talking to him also reminded me of our 'Happy Hour' we used to have at the local Prince Alfred pub, when he would buy nachos for all of us. They were good nachos.

Doing research for stories I ran upon an Iraqi doctor that goes to Ball State and created a prize-winning documentary on the Iraq war and the state of hospitals.

I discovered while drinking the coffee out of a styrofoam cup that it causes cancer just like everything else. At the rate things are causing cancer these days, I figure we'll all be dying of cancer in about 20 years. So much for you heart disease, I'm eating all the cholesterol I want.

I also began looking for a job on journalismjobs.com, and stumbled upon a job of interest in Georgetown, KY.

SPORTS

Here is an interesting column that I heard Paul Daughtery talking about. Had no idea about Bernie Carbo.

And here is an interesting article about Pete Rose and A-Rod and their interestingly close relationship.

The Reds were off yesterday and therefore the pains of losing two out of three to the BoSOX rings in the ears of Reds fans as much as, well maybe not as loud as the Homers that Homer gave up in only 2 1/3 innings in his most recent start.

It's beginning to make me wonder if the scouts got him wrong like Brandon Claussen, Ryan Wagner, Brandon Larsen, like well the list can go on forever for the Reds.

I don't think that the debate over the fifth starter position should be getting the talk that it is in Cincinnati as THAT spot in the rotation is not supposed to be as strong and therefore in my opinion send Homer down, and just let Fogg or Belisle pitch in the fifth spot.

There are worse things the Reds are having to deal with right now is what i'm saying.

Reds, Reds and Paul Harvey

Jay Bruce is finally here. Check this out, its my other blog, on the Cincinnati Enquirer site.

Also, WLW dropped Paul Harvey according to this.

Oh and the trip to Georgia was great, above is a picture of me at Turner Field. Fun Fun.

Spring Training

Here are a few video's giving somewhat of an update on spring training.

Dusty Baker on the state of the Reds, so far.

Ken Griffey on his spring, so far.

And, this other guy people are excited about, for some reason or another.

From my seat, I am happy with the spring so far, and you should be too. That is unless you aren't a Reds fan, because I see bigger things for this team this year. You can't deny the young talent that is emerging.

More to come. . .