Cubs, Sox, and Rossi, too!

Sox Record: 30-34; The Sox have a -27 run differential.

Place in the A.L. Central and Games back: Third place and 4.5 behind the Tigers.

Most annoying person in the Sox organization: Still Josh Fields.

Member of the White Sox I love the most at the moment: Ozzie... because he called Wrigley what it is: a dump. Fans treat Wrigley like a dump. For all the bullshit about how it's a "national landmark" and the "treasure" the truth is that the same fans that say it's the greatest place on Earth also treat the park like shit. If Cub fans actually respected Wrigley would they actually stand for the behavior that takes place there? And that behavior is some sort of combination of drinking, puking, pissing, yelling like a moron, not watching the game, and then crying after they lose... again. And again. And again.

Rhetorical Question of the Day: Okay, Cubs preview. I'm not sure how to break this down other than just to start rambling. I promise to put away my hyperbole fingers and think with my Milton Freeman Rational Cap.

1) Sox fans do not like Cub fans. There are a billion reasons as to why this is... one is that Cub fans are completely and totally insane. They haven't won the World Series in 100 years, yet fans convince themselves EVERY YEAR that they are going to win the World Series. They're delusional, totally delusional. Reality does not exist at Wrigley Field. TheRiot's game winning hit on Sunday? To the casual baseball fan, the park exploded as if the Cubs had just won the N.L. Pennate. Of course all that happened was that the Cubs broke a four game losing streak and managed to get their asses back to .500.

2) Cub fans don't really care about Sox fans... but then the Sox won the World Series in 2005 and now half of the Cub fans that exist sort of hate and resent us. They'll claim they were happy for us, and I'm sure that was true, but now it sort of grates at them. The other half, the other half that doesn't hate Sox fans? These people are NOT Cub fans. They're MidwestCollegeTransplants (MCT). MCTs went to a Big Ten, a MAC, or Ohio Valley School. They grew up in places like Columbus, Grosse Pointe, Edwardsville, or Middle'O'Nowhere, Iowa. They probably grew up either as casual Red, Indian, Tiger, Brave or Brewer fans. They have since switched allegiance and go to Wrigley to get drunk, puke, yell like a moron, not watch the game, and then cry when the Cubs lose again... and again... and again.

3) The most underrated Cub fan is the 73 year old grandma who goes to the local tavern and drinks High Life while watching the Cubs. These ladies freak me out if only because they don't act like nice little old ladies and can lose all rationality while watching the Cubs. Plus seeing a 71 year old, white haired lady, drinking a High Life at the bar is weird.

4) Remember, newspapers usually don't do statistics well.

5) Both teams come into this series in a state of confusion. The Sox are probably a tad worse than people thought, but I can't call them underachievers. Meanwhile, the Cubs have sucked the first 60 odd games of the year. Their offense has let them down, and the bullpen is a problem again. Their starting pitching has been their saving grace, however, they still lack a #1 pitcher or someone who can go out there and battle no matter what. The closest the Cubs come to that 'ace' is Ted Lilly -- but people are still pissed about Lilly's suck ass performance in the 2007 playoffs. Meanwhile, Zambrano continues to be totally, utterly insane and teams can still rattle him and get inside his head. Rich Harden has been a bust imo and further proof that you cannot trust any Canadian that does not play hockey full time. Between injuries and walking everyone in sight, I'm not sure he actually helps the Cubs since he can't seem to get past the fifth most starts. Ryan Dempster is also a Canadian and also proof that you cannot trust Canadians who do not play hockey as a profession.

6) Speaking of Dempster, he started the now infamous Game One of the 2008 NLDS which does not get enough media attention. The Cubs, who were the best National League team in the regular season, and their fans were pumped for this game. If you remember, Dempster was walking everyone in site.

7) If you want my opinion on why the Cubs are struggling and will not win this year here it is:

Soriano leading off takes their best bat away from the middle of the line up. If Soriano hit fourth, the Cubs line up would be pretty sick and much more difficult to pitch to. But Soriano's instance to lead off hurts this team... instead of going Lee, Soriano, Bradley (and eventually Ramirez) the Cubs stick Fukudome in the three hole. And we all know the Fukudome may be the most hated Cub in some time. The Cubs need Soriano's power down in the order, I think that's the easiest and best way to fix the Cubs. They can't unsign Bradley (who they should NEVER have signed in the first place), and unless they can deal for Chase Utley, there's little chance they they can find an upgrade at any position on the trade market. Moving Soriano is really the only option they have in 2009. Not that I want them to win... but it would be fun to watch them lose to the Phillies or Dodgers in the playoffs.

8) The Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908. They haven't played in the World Series since 1945. Wrigley was built in 1912.

9) Prediction? I'll say the Sox take two of three. The pitching match ups probably slightly favor the Cubs, but the Cubs pen figures to blow one of the games.

The Most Hated American in America: George W. Bush gets the day off because... Giuseppe Rossi appeared! Under normal circumstances scoring two goals to lead Italy to a 3-1 victory of the U!S!A! in soccer would lead Rossi to be disliked by a the 100,000 soccer fans in the US. But Rossi was born and raised in... New Jersey and thus is an American citizen (I wonder if Rossi voted in 2008?). However, Rossi decided to play for Italy internationally because, well, he's good enough, probably would like to win a trophy that isn't the Gold Cup, and his father is Italian (which gives him Italian citizenship). Rossi spent the first 13 years here in the USA and probably orders heroes from the place catty corner from wooder plant while listening to Bon Jovi. I'm sure he fits in with these guys...

I didn't see the game. It sounded like the US got a bogus red card, went up 1-0, then got taken apart in the second half. Now they have their work cut out for them to advance to the next round of the Confederations Cup.

As for Rossi... until he starts doing American Apparel ads, I can't hate on the kid. Sure it'd be nice if he'd play for the country he was born in and lived in, but it's within his right to play for Italy. You win some (Freddy Adu) and you lose some (Rossi and the Serbian kid, Neven Subotic). However, with the US dying for an American born soccer star... wouldn't it be in some young kids interest to play for the USA? Seeing how much press Adu got when he was a teenager and how much money Beckham got, wouldn't being the first American soccer star be a lot of money in the bank? Rossi won't be endorsing anything here in the U.S.A. because he decided to play for Italy. But with his talent... wouldn't he have a ton of offers if he did play for the USA? Or is this wishful thinking on my part?