Sports and such

Well, MLB has passed a big event in the season. The trade deadline. This season has been one of the more active in my memory, with many big named players changing cities, leagues, and looking to either help a contender or rot in obscurity.

This intense trade pattern started with the Milwaukee Brewers picking up C.C. Sabathia from the Indians, who promptly changed his name to CC Sabathia. The Cubs counter punched with the pick up of high risk, high reward pitcher, Rich Harden, from Oakland. Both pitchers have performed very well for their respective new teams. Harden has an ERA for the Cubs hovering around 1, and has had around 9 strikeouts per start. Sabathia pitched 3 complete game wins. More on this little gem of a story later.

The trade deadline then came upon us today, and big names were flying across the map. Mark Teixeira went from Atlanta to the best team in the majors, the Angels. Pudge Rodriguez traveled from Detriot to New York and the Yankees, Ken Griffey Jr. left longtime home Cincinatti to go to Chicago and the Sox, and Manny Ramirez went coast to coast to the Dodgers from the Red Sox. These are all big name trades that definitely help to redraw some lines in baseball. I'd watch for all these teams to push for their division leads even stronger and to hold them as well.

Back to the Cubs and Brewers. CC came to Milwaukee to help get a struggling Brew Crew over the hump to the playoffs. And it looked that way, until the Cubs came into Miller Park, and forced a no decision out of CC and beat the Brewers in the first game of a four game series. This led to more beating by Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, and Rich Harden, who finally got the run support to help his low ERA actually win a game. The Cubs swept the second place Brewers today and depending on how Saint Louis does in Atlanta today, they could drop to third in the division. Pretty great time to be a Cubs fan. Let's hope this momentum flows for a while.


On to more awful matters. Brett Favre. I know, if you watch sports, you're tired of it, and if you don't, you just don't care. But, being a Pack fan, I have an opinion. Here is what I told a buddy of mine today.

I think Ted Thompson is a dirt bag who wants to help Ted win and Green Bay be Ted's team. If all the things I see are true, he has tried to bribe a legend to sit on the couch, rather than trying to win right now. The NFL doesn't work on risks of winning now vs. maybe winning later. You try to win now, even if that means your handpicked QB (Rodgers) leaves after the season. You drafted Brohm for a reason, didn't you? I think Favre was forced into retirement, just like I think he was being forced out for the last 3 season. I haven't liked Ted Thompson, even though we were 13-3. That says more for McCarthy and Favre and the D than Thompson. We have signed like 3 free agents in 3 seasons. The biggest was Charles Woodson (which was good), but Moss was available twice. It is frustrating. I wish they would take Brett back and let their be a QB competition. If they think Aaron is so good, let him win his position. And if you don't want him back, send him away in a trade, and I hope that team does very well..VERY WELL, even if Chicago. I have a loyalty to a franchise, not Ted Thompson

That should be enough to get my thoughts out there. AND SERIOUSLY...a 20 million dollar bribe to not play. You really must be desperate to not be embarassed Ted Thompson. But by trying to cover your own butt, you are becoming a very shady character. Oh, and yes Brett did retire. But would Microsoft turn down Bill Gates for his replacement since he has retired. NO! They'd find a way to fit him in. Obviously this is a bit different, as you can only have one starting QB, but think about it. Brett gives you the best chance to win, and he wants to come back.

Anyway, I hadn't written about sports in a while, but this is what I have been seeing.