The Daily Dose: September 2009 Archives

No wonder why Tiger Woods was grinding to win that FedEx Cup on Sunday at East Lake - the $10 million payday made him the first billionaire athlete on the face of earth.

What then, do you do to commemorate such an achievement.

It's pretty damn cool if you ask me, and with over a billion earned, you have to figure he could throw the rager of all ragers in Florida.

But I wouldn't do that - after all - aside from good friend Michael Jordan (who's made about $800 million) no sports buddy can even fathom that "B" number...

So do you call up Warren Buffet or Bill Gates and see what's poppin' Saturday night?

I wouldn't.

I'd throw Kanye, Paul McCartney, Aerosmith and Outkast on a plane with Scott Storch with a 747 full of speakers, Hennessey and white russians, unfreeze Ted Williams' head and Walt Disney, get Tupac out of Cuba, head to the Bahamas and have a party that lasted for three weeks while learning how to hit curveballs on the beach and map out the animated version of my life's story with the bangin'-est soundtrack ever recorded.

sweeeeet..

is now forming for the IHSA.

The organization is already posting its outlook and there are some interesting developments.

There are more Chicago public teams eligible for the IHSA playoffs this year, which is pushing teams around a little bit. But, as it stands, the Beacon News coverage area teams are in their usual spots. Right now 8 of the area's 15 schools are in the top 32 in their respective classes.

Class 8A - Waubonsie Valley

Class 7A - Geneva
* Wheaton Warrenville South, St. Rita and Lincoln-Way East are in this class..

Class 6A - Marmion Academy, Oswego
* Providence, Lemont and Morgan Park are in this class...

Class 5A - Kaneland
* Sacred-Heart Griffin, Joliet Catholic and St. Francis are in this class...

Class 3A - Aurora Christian, Plano

Class 1A - Mooseheart

Will all of these teams continue on and make the playoffs?

ok. You all know how much I love The Fire and The Passion...

it's what makes Chicago sports great but honestly, it's what makes Chicago sports fans laughable.

I'm listening to my favorite afternoon sports talk radio show and - even after a Bears win - fans are calling in saying they don't like Lovie Love To Love Ya because he doesn't have enough "fire" on the sidelines.

That was the only reason one caller gave for not liking him.

Then another guy says that Ozzie Guillen came from the "Mike Ditka school" and that if Mike Singletary was coaching the Bears during their Super Bowl loss a few years ago, they would've come out of halftime with their pants on fire (or around their ankles) and beat the Colts.

According to this guy, Aurora's Michael Bowden has been impressive enough to warrant consideration for a spot in the Red Sox's post season bullpen.

Now that would be something - and quite an accomplishment for the 23-year-old righty.

Already a true professional, Bowden has taken Boston's treatment of him (one day call ups, bullpen requirements) like a champ and has shrugged off every mention of his name in every trade rumor from Johan Santana to Roy Halladay.

Bowden's future isn't in the 'pen - that's for sure - but what this might do is either cement his spot on the Red Sox for 2010 or guarantee that he's moved for whatever big name arm or bat Theo Epstein craves in the offseason.

His time is definitely now - and he's ready to pitch in a big league rotation on a full time basis in 2010. This experience will only help.

That's the only way to possibly describe what is happening today with Cubs fans.

Are people really celebrating the 25th anniversary of a division championship?

Are you kidding me?

This is so Cubs, and so Cubs-fannish.

So, so lame. People ride the '85 Bears for sucking around every year that ends in a "5" or "0" and celebrating some kind of anniversary, but at least those guys won, you know, the whole thing.

Celebrating a division title. Wow.

In honor of this trivial accomplishment and asinine celebration - I'm going to commemorate the 25th anniversary of earning three stars on a watercolor painting I slopped together as a 3-year-old at Sand Box.
I think the streaks of blue and yellow kind of ran together, but you know, I tried real hard and received some kind of acknowledgement.

Sure, the easy joke is 'well, the Cubs haven't won a World Series in over 100 years, so they have to celebrate somthing' - No - they don't.
It's a division title.
Teams win them every year.
Heck, the Cubs had won two in a row heading into this outhouse of a season.

So what - we get to see Cesar Izturis re-enact his little yankee-doodle-dany on Aramis Ramirez in 2032 in homage to the 2007 Central Division champs? Please.
This is just lame Cubs fans.
Lame.

yes, this is good enough for a double Dose. This is from Saturday's White Sox game against Kansas City.
One word: Hysterical
So much so that Hawk Harrelson was rendered a giggling school boy for nearly an inning.

then, to add insult to injury,...the HD Shot of the Game (and a 2-for-1)...yyesss Stone Pony!!

look closely...

as if being upset wasn't bad enough...

well - you're not...
and Delonte West is.

Delonte West, a guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, was driving a three-wheeled motorcycle north on Interstate 95 near Route 214 in the Largo area when he cut off a Prince George's County police officer, authorities said. The officer pulled him over, and West told the officer that he was carrying a handgun in his waistband.

That prompted the officer to call for backup, and investigators found that West was actually carrying three guns: a Beretta 9mm in his waistband, a Ruger .357 strapped to his leg and a shotgun in a guitar case slung over his back.

Now, the real question here is - who would win in a gun fight?
West.....
Or...

Or this guy...

Or this guy...

But perhaps West's card gets pulled because he was riding a tricycle...

You could say the Dose has been slacking....but then I'd have to come after you...

See, the White Sox and that putrid Sunday night Bears game was an OverDose, knocked me unconscious for days and I'm just coming to now...

Why?
Aaron Freakin' Rowand.

That's right. The Fire and The Passion made some list for "scrappy players" but let's be honest - there's no way he's No. 7 scrappiest (of course, a Yankee is #3 and a Red Sawk is #1) - Rowand's FIre alone makes him scrappier than Scrappy Doo and then you toss in his Passion? Wow. We're beyond scrappy now. We're beyond even Grindy.

...we can add a new term to mentally weak Chicago athletes who take a massive dump following the rejection of a long term, multi-million dollar contract - "He got Deng-ed" or "He Luol-ed himself" after Bull Luol Deng fell off the planet once he rejected the Bulls' initial contract offer.

The current Chicago athlete who's Deng-ed himself : Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin. A 2008 All-Star and MVP candidate, Quentin turned down a long term deal from the Sox in the offseason to preserve his arbitration years.
He has responded by hitting .230 (to date) and has been largely ineffective all year long...

Of course, Deng got his money anyway and still sucks, so maybe The Carlos Quentin has something to look forward to after all....

.... Have to give a shout to the USGA and Beverly Country Club, as the U.S. Senior Amateur concluded there Thursday afternoon when 66-year-old Vinnie Giles won the tournament. It's unfortunate that I couldn't get out there to support the event - it's not often that national championships come to the Chicago area - but I'm glad some of us were able to.

... And finally, be sure to follow me on Twitter @SportsBeacon or @beaconfbscores for all your prep football needs. I'll be at Aurora Christian vs Wheaton Academy tonight in Aurora. Good times!

even though people really love sammiches...

the surprise of the night, for me at least, was Plano lining up in the shotgun on several occasions. QB Johnny Mendez isn't the tallest passer around, but starting him deep lets him take advantage of an accurate arm.

On the TD pass to Ryan Lee, it was perfectly defended by the Indians - underneath and over the top. Mendez had to make an even more perfect throw to squeeze it in there, and he did. Lee did his part too looking the ball in - it barely passed over the hands of the underneath defender and he was hit by the Indians player behind him.

Plano is a gritty team, and I don't think they're going to dominate heavily most of the time - but Mendez's ability to drop back and throw when needed will really open things up.

And - watch out for sophomore running back Joseph Jones - he's going to be the next monster back down there...

and people love lists....

Sports Illustrated/GOLF Magazine just put out its top 100 golf course list, which is something I don't quite get. I know they kind of have to do it (just as Golf Digest does) but no one really cares and it doesn't really matter.

Why? Because you can't actually play most of these courses.

For example, the top rated Illinois course is Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton.
It's very private.
Very.

So, who gives a crap?

Why should I (or anyone) believe these raters? I've at least seen the place and walked the course (during the Walker Cup) but that's not the same as playing it. And I know I'm in rarified air even having seen it.

Same goes for the other Illinois courses on the list - Medinah Country Club's No. 3 Course, Shoreacres, Olympia Fields' North Course and Butler National.

Only Cog Hill's famed Dubsdread course (No. 4) is open to public play.

(In fairness - Golf Diget's top 100 included a bunch of private courses as well - Chicago GC, Medinah No. 3, Olympia Fields North, Canyata GC, Butler National, Rich Harvest Farms & Shoreacres)

This from Doug C - too bad this about as good as AJ and his White Sox 'mates have been this year...

And this from Eagles QB Mike Vick - hey kids, don't be a follower - be a leader. Which is supposed to be some kind of positive message about avoiding peer pressure, but the thing is, good 'ol Mike WAS THE LEADER of a violent dog fighting/killing ring...

oh yeah, and that little thing surrounding our beloved foo-ball....apparently the 1994 baseball strike and its long lasting effects are being ignored by the powers that be in the commish's office and the NFLPA. Here's hoping they figure it out before we get to that point...

I've never understood why media-types (radio, print, etc) put their fantasy drafts out there (mock or otherwise) but some people always seem somewhat interested...so here you go.
I'm in a 12-team, non-keeper league. As the defending champ (that's right - you're not surprised) I picked last in a snake draft.

this is my starting lineup for Week 1
QB - Donovan McNabb
RB - Steve Slaton
WR - Marques Colston
WR/TE - DeSean Jackson
WR/RB - Chris Johnson
WR/RB - Braylon Edwards
K - Ryan Lindell
Def - New England

Bench
Derrick Ward
Donald Brown
Glen Coffee
Lawrence Maroney
Ahmad Bradshaw

Now, I'll be the first to say that 1 to 2 of these bench guys won't be with me very long...Maroney was my last pick and frankly, he might not last til the weekend. You'll notice I don't have a backup QB. - I decided to wait that out until McNabb's bye week (4) to pick one up...I may move sooner on that, but that was my draft plan after landing a decent QB.

I have a ton of running backs, and you'll notice my bench is full of No. 2's. This has proven to be a sound strategy for me in the past - RBs get hurt often, and if I'm lucky enough to have Johnson & Slaton healthy all year, these guys turn into great trade bait down the line.

In today's Beacon News, we take a look at how exciting this year's Kaneland Knights football team is, mainly because of the growth of junior QB Joe Camiliere.

But Kaneland fans should really be excited for another reason - the 2010 conference realignment that has the Knights moving into a conference with DeKalb, Dixon, Geneseo,
LaSalle-Peru, Morris, Ottawa, Rochelle, Sterling, Streator, Sycamore and
Yorkville.

From Batavia coach Mike Gaspari...
"The other thing that will benefit (Camiliere) next year as a senior is Kaneland moving into the new league they're going to be in.

There is not as much passing that goes on in that league, from what I've seen, so they might have a little bit more trouble dealing with what Kaneland does. Sometimes if you don't do those things yourselves, it becomes more difficult to defend."

Then the veteran coach added this caveat:
"It depends on the core of kids coming back. I know he has some senior receivers this year they're going to have to replace the following year when he's a senior. It's all about that cycle on the high school level and trying to piece in those ties that are missing from the graduation from the previous year."

I like Kenny Williams, both professionally and as a fan.
He's done a great job in his tenure as GM.

But one lesson I hope, I hope, he has learned this time is to find a 5th starter. For the second time in five years, Kenny went into a season with nothing solid at the back end.

In 2004, the Sox finished 83-79 but trotted out Felix Diaz (8 starts), Jason Grilli (8 starts), Danny Wright (4 starts), Arnie Munoz (1 start), Jon Rauch (4 starts) and Josh Stewart (2 starts).
In those 27 starts, the Sox went 11-16.
They finished 9 games behind the Twins.

I know, I know - even if the record was reversed, the Sox don't win the division. But that would put the Sox within striking distance of the Twinkies and who can say what would have happened had the Sox not fallen so far behind due to those horrific starts?

Which brings me to this year.

In a case of a lesson NOT learned from 2004, Kenny chose to go into the season with a Jose Contreras-Bartolo Colon combination at the back of the rotation.
Before being dealt away, Contreras was around long enough to go 5-13 and lead the American Leauge in losses.
Before remaining fat and useless, Colon was around long enough to go 3-6.

But that's not the worst part.

In their 33 combined starts, the Sox went 10-23.

Wow.

It kind of makes you long for Jason Grilli doesn't it?

"Daunte Culpepper needed eight stitches to repair a cut foot after he stubbed it on a carpet at home Saturday night"?

What kind of carpet is that?
Barbed wire?
Brillo pad material....

Sounds like Daunte tried to punt his empty Coke Zero bottles...