Three days til pitchers and catchers report!

The first benchmark of the 2009 season is almost upon us, and just a few days removed from the Bill Murray sanctioned groundhog day comes the baseball equivalent. Baseball Prospectus, the Cadillac of analytical statistic-based performance predictions, has released their projections for the 2009 season. It's surely comforting to see the Cubbies projected as run-away favorites in their division, but it's certainly not news. With Houston and St. Louis at least two years away from their prospects and rookies developing to the point that they can compete again, and Milwaukee falling apart at the seams faster than Ben Sheet's elbow, the path is pretty clear for NL Central dominance. (There have been rumblings of Cincy as a sleeper team to look out for, but that's a bigger long shot than A-Rod winning the Roberto Clemente award in 2009) So with the obvious aside let's get on to the subtle good news.

Now OF COURSE this is only a projection, but I can't deny that seeing the Cleveland Indians winning the AL Central made me smile. I've never been a fan of AL baseball, but I now have a favorite AL team, the Cleveland Indians. I've always been a defender of Kerry Wood, a man who could have abandoned Chicago a hundred times but always wanted to make sure he did something to repay the city and his fans. Certainly not a role-model (other than to the socialite, hot tub surfing crowd) but a good guy whose charitable contributions helped the city for many years. And now he's an Indian, and a team mate of the former Cub who I had a child-like hero worship for, Mark DeRosa. (I'll have to get a DeRosa #7 to hang next to my Vaughn #99) In my mind, you can't get any more respectable than a guy who played 6 different positions in a season and always managed to contribute offensively. He always did what was asked of him and more because his #1 priority was to do what was right for the team. He's the kind of guy Mike Singletary would love.

So now, I go into 2009 excited and hopeful. For the first time I'll be following two teams (You can't think of a fraction small enough to compare how much I want the Indians to succeed versus how much I want the cubbies to succeed), and the outlook for both of them is looking pretty rosy. All I have to say is, when I get 6 bleacher seats for the Cubs v Indians home series in June, who are the other 5 people who are gonna come with to be the D, e, O, S, and A?

Bless us with Anger

Yesterday* was the realization of over a year’s worth of work done by millions of Americans in an effort to right the course of their country. As 2 million Americans flooded the national mall in DC, millions more tuned in at home to witness one of the most impressive moments in our history. Like everyone else I was truly moved. Another speech though that went almost unheard was that of that of Gene Robinson, known as "the gay bishop", an openly gay preacher. The prayer he gave opened an event that was carried by HBO, but HBO did not air the prayer. While conspiracy rumors swirl around the gay blogoshphere, HBO claims it was an honest mistake. You can read the whole speech here and I encourage you to before reading the rest of the post.

As much as it was about Obama, what yesterday* also meant to me was the end of an era that inspired more anger than any since probably the days of vietnam. And yet it wasn't enough to keep anything from happening it seemed. The protests seemed to have no effect, the shoe option wasn't on the table back then... There has been so much to be angry about for so long.

For 6 long years we have been blessed with anger. Anger at the indifference to the lives of average Americans shown by our leaders. Anger at the treatment of our poor, our sick, our wounded military men and women. Anger at the lies that we have been expected to swallow.

We have been blessed with tears. Tears for our fellow citizens lost in Iraq, Afghanistan, New Orleans and New York. Tears for the lives lost in the Middle East and in Africa and elsewhere by those who do not share our heritage but for whom we must feel compassion if we are to retain our humanity.

We have been blessed not with discomfort but with horror, and with humiliation. Horror at the atrocities that have been committed in our name, in the name of a country that was for so long the biggest source of hope in the world. Humiliation that it was we who allowed our former president and his administration to deceive and distract us, to lead us into war. Humiliation that we consented to the barbaric treatment of prisoners. Humiliation that we agreed it was necessary.

And now it feels like it's finally over, the long national nightmare, the "regin of error" of George W Bush. But after the celebration is over the new fight is to stay motivated. It will be hard to stay involved, to stay indignant over the frustrations caused by Obama. But they will come, and we need to stay vigilant to keep him honest. He's not a savior by any right, he's just a better man for the job. And it's our job to keep him on the right path, even when we're most tempted to give over our trust and relax our activism. In those moments, in the words of Gene Robinson, God, bless us with anger.


*Obviously I didn't get this post finished until a week later. I've got quite a few half finished that I'll try and get posted soon.

America's back!

And I plan on being back soon too

Go vote!

In the off chance that someone will see this who hasn't voted yet... go do it!



And just in case it isn't clear, this blog completely endorses Barack Obama :)

Nothing important

I know I haven't been on here much lately, between class and work and very sporadic campaigning (also a fair amount of drinking) I haven't found the time. But this is just hilarious. Especially if you remember the show from when you were really young.

More endorsements

Endorsements for Barack have been coming from some unlikely sources lately. Including the son of the famous conservative William Buckley, whose endorsement prompted his resignation from the National Review.

Less surprisingly, there are plenty of VERY smart people that would also like you to vote Obama.

Also, I know that I promised I would let everyone know what new insights I gained about political discourse to help you in your efforts to convince your own jewish grandparents to vote for Obama, but all I really learned campaigning last weekend was that I really need to brush up on my spanish.

New Yorker Endorsement

If you have some time, read this endorsment of Barack Obama by the editorial staff of the New Yorker. While I don't agree 100% with what they've said, it's a compelling read and a good motivator to consider voting for Obama if you're undecided and to put more effort into getting him elected if you've already decided.

After this weekend I'll post an advice post for how to convince people to vote for Obama. I've had some experience lately talking with conservatives, undecideds, and idiots and I'll just lay out my personal advice. Tomorrow though I'll be canvasing in WI (the first time I've had time to, damn you ultimate) so there will probably be a story or two to relate.