Cubby-Blue

It's Cubs Convention Time!

 

I'll be there tonight, and I'll be so much happier this year with Milton Bradley gone.

If you recall, he was quite the topic of conversation around this time last year, and a source of major angst.

Last year I got there a little late and met Sutter, and we watched the opening speeches and introductions next to a discarded 5th of Jack Daniels someone had left on the hideously patterned carpet. They played a nicely produced video with a good sound track and the right mix of archive footage and newer stuff. People cried. It was pretty awesome.

Later in the bar we stood next to Matt Sinatro for ohh, 20 minutes and didn't recognize him til he was walking away.

We also happened to be next to... why I already forgot his name.

Who was the super fast outfielder the Cubs had last year - the guy who could jump over a parked car?

Is that guy even still in baseball?

I was tempted to challenge him to a hallway race, but you know - how embarrassing would it have been if I won?

Next morning in the Trib you'd see: "Beered-up blogger beats new Cub Speedster in hallway race at convention."

But I'm looking forward to seeing the Ricketts family, the reaction that Jim Hendry and Marlon Byrd get, what Lou will say. 

I'm super busy so have patience - I'll definitely have some sketches from Friday and Saturday, but they might come later in the week. And Saturday, if this happens, I'll be in the Vine Line (it's the 25th year of VL publication!) live session at 12:30 with RANDY HUNDLEY (the REBEL! Guy has the coolest voice I've ever heard,too), and '09 first round draft pick outfielder Brett Jackson. I think they'll show some slides of illustrations and hopefully they just ask some easy questions. 

Maybe I'll see you there, but again that's only if it happens.

Greg Maddux is new Cubs Assistant

 Wow.

Can you imagine having Greg Maddux as your assistant?

It would be so easy to get his autograph: "Uh Greg, ordinarily I'd be the one signing all these contracts, but uh, in your new capacity as Assistant to the General Manager, why don't you sign them. And this baseball. And this program..."

You could have him handle all your important calls: "Hello, Charlie Trotter's? Yes this is Greg Maddux and I'd like a table in a half hour please." 

Or - "Rocky! The Wirtzter! It's Mad Dog! What up, bro? Listen, my boss would like some front row tix to the Hawks/Redwings next week..." 

Or - "Hello Mr. Selig, Greg Maddux. Great. How about you? That's great. Listen, can you tell me why the Cubs aren't playing the Cardinals at Wrigley in a big 4 game series on either 4th of July or Memorial Day weekend? Yeah. Can we move things around so that can happen please? You're the best, Bud."

Ahh, but that's not why this is really such awesome news, is it?

You and I can both remember seeing Maddux talking on the bench to whoever was pitching that day. And you'd think, "We are sooo lucky Maddux is on the Cubs, giving out invaluable instruction like that."

I love that he's gotta "learn how to evaluate talent", like he couldn't figure out if a guy has a good swing or curveball, right?

But as Assistant to the General Manager, whatever he ends up doing, this is SO all good.

AND... maybe he'll make an appearance this weekend at the Cubs Convention.

I'd break all my own personal rules about not talking to celebrities or trying for autographs if he does.

Also, and this isn't written in stone or anything, but I might be doing something at the Convention with Mike Huang and the VINE LINE guys. Maybe a slide show of illustrations or something. It would be awesome if it happened.

I'll let you know. 

The Mark McGwire Asterisk

 

Saw the Bob Costas interview with Mark McGwire online - they play about a minute and a half or so.

If you haven't, go here.

Wow, that was pretty illuminating, no?

So, obviously Mark's got a little denial thing going on I guess.

Anyway, I'm SO SICK of this crap.

Especially if they continue to insist that "bat speed" and "hand to eye coordination" got them all those home runs, or strikeouts or whatever.

We can't pretend they never played - it won't happen. These people will be in the record books.

But Bud Selig, do me a favor and just say everybody from this "era" gets the Needle Asterisk next to their name. You can use it for free.

And then maybe every time one of these clowns has to explain to their grand kids what the Needle Asterisk means, they break down and cry all over again. 

A Bear Fan's take on the Packers game

 

Even though at the end I was actually pulling for the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rogers because that was seriously one of the most amazing efforts I've ever seen...

Even though the Pack dug themselves into the worst kind of hole, and slooowly climbed out...

And even if they had actually pulled it out and made some kind of historic comeback...

As a Bears Fan, it is my duty to provide this kind of cartoon.

But man, what a game!

Blackhawks' Cristobal "Huet Angst"

 
 Man, how about them (What about Cristobal Huet?) 1st place Chicago Blackhawks?!!!

They're scoring (Why does Huet) goals like crazy, nobody seems to (give up goals in bunches) have their speed, this could be the most awesome season (like that?) EVER!

Kane and Hossa and Kopecky and Toews and Seabrook and (nobody asked Huet) Keith were all chosen to play for their country's Olympic team!

Yeah, they lost to the Wild last night, but come ON, they've (Huet gave up 4 goals on 7 shots?) been on fire.

I got to go to the 5-2 Hawks win over the Ducks last Sunday - the one where (Antti Niemi was awesome!) Hossa scored twice and Dustin Byfuglien was in a fight only about 20 seconds into the game. Went with my neighbor Gary the Cop who's a HUGE fan, and we had a blast. 

Here are some photos:

20 seconds into the game: Dustin Byfuglien rumbles.

Captain Toews face-off.

This was one of those "shoot the puck thru the little tiny hole in front of the goal for one million dollars" competitions between periods. For some reason, the announcer said, "Pray that it goes in!"

Kane rarely uses his mouthpiece as anything more than a chew-toy.    

Byfuglien takes every opportunity to be sociable. 

Ice maintenance - very important for player safety.

Antti Niemi.

Well, if that guy's head wasn't in the way, you'd see Toews' tip in of Kane's pass, scoring the Hawks' 5th goal of the night.  

Anyway, in tandem with Antti Niemi so he gets plenty of rest, I'm sure that Cristobal Huet will (won't he?) be fine.