The newest baseball curse...

The week long layoff leading up to the World Series. Given that this year's should be considered less of a suprise (at least to Las Vegas), this makes two successive teams falling who had marched through the LCS in the minimum 4 only to have to wait a week to play again. The Rockies attempted to run some simulated games during this time to stay fresh, but they must have been simulating losing them if it worked... Cause they are getting spanked in a manner that is illegal in public in at least 5 states.

The real question is what do we call this curse?

The Tawdry Tiger?
The Detroit Diaspora?
The RockyTop Stop and Drop?
The Curse of the Sweep?

The Sox Sock/Rock the Rox...

The Rockies bounced back well after their game one meltdown, but it wasn't enough. The Rockies pitching and defense looked good, but there was no offensive spark. The maxim that sometimes "the best defense, is a good offense" has not taken effect with Colorado in the Series (or the last 10 or so games). I also find it nuts that a team could finish the year 21-5 and get swept in the World Series... I'm still reeling from that run the Rockies put together to get here.

I have decided that an expose on why I hate the designated hitter is in order...
just not today.

Sox and the Rox

I chose to use an alternative abbreviation for the Rockies, in honor of and in comparison to a high school team from near my hometown: Da Jug Rox.... I think the Rox (of Colorado) may be considered about as much of an underdog as the Rox (of Southern IN fame) were in every sporting contest in which they participated. Honestly, how are the Red Sox the prohibitive favorite? I get that they should probably be considered likely to win given their greater depth in pitching and overall higher level of experience and arguably talent -- but somehow the Sox are getting odds that seem a bit tilted. I guess it could be the "Notre Dame effect," which holds that in the three or four days from the time a line is released the line will move unfavorably with respect to Notre Dame due to the large amount of blind follower fans who place inordinately large wagers on their team. I have no idea if this is a true statement, but I do know that betting against ND has been profitable for me.

I don't think the momentum has worn off with the break (I don't really know if I believe in momentum across games?), but even if it has - Colorado won 21 of 22, which isn't something done on mojo alone... This team can flat out play with anyone and I think underestimating their ability to do all the small things that win games is a little presumptuous. It will be fun to watch and I'm willing to bet every game has more than 7 runs scored. GO NL! beat those little brat brothers. I'll take the Rox over the Sox in 6. I'll also take a snowstorm in game 5.

Online poker scandal

I highly doubt anyone has missed the biggest online poker scandal in recent history, if not ever. As mentioned in the Freakonomics post, I sincerely hope that if there was an employee within Absolute who blew the whistle by supplying the necessary data to the public that they are congratulated and commended by the poker player community. I have been oft quoted as saying that there is no institutional interest in cheating by online poker sites. This does not, however, account for what appears to have been the likely case here – an individual with inside information using it for evil. A hearty well done goes out to the folks over at 2+2 forums for putting together one of the most intensive collaborative online detective jobs ever seen outside of the conspiracy theorists sites. A call to arms for all online players: Vote with your virtual dollars and move to a more reputable site.

Of personal poker note, I will get a chance to play live in a couple weeks when I return to Evansville IN for a weekend getaway. I cut my teeth playing 5/10 Limit at Aztar and I’m really hoping they still offer it. I hope to prove I can still play limit hold’em halfway correctly. I still remember how good I thought I was the first couple of times I walked with a two-bill profit. I also remember being so tight that I would fold pocket 6’s or 7’s in the cut-off position with nobody else in the pot in front of me... Now I don’t know if I could throw out a raise quick enough.

BCS or BSCS???

Everybody knows we need a playoff in NCAA football, but could the whirlwind that left Ohio State University (intentional omission of the) a completely untested, young Big Ten team numero uno even be serious? South Florida followed by Boston College? Not to belittle the "non-traditional" football schools, but come on folks - the BCS rankings just don't hunt. Give me a 12-16 team playoff and let's have a fun December. I know it's all about the dollars, right?

Dusty Baker heads up the Reds

So it looks like the Reds went and got themselves a new manager. We will see if Dusty can turn around what is the most sad franchise in the NL Central, which probably means in all of baseball. I remember when I was younger, I had a friend [who will go unnamed] who used to try and convince me that the Reds were just as or more prestigious than the St. Louis Cardinals. That argument never held water with me, but now it is unquestionably false. Playoff appearances since 2000: STL-6, CIN - 0....

MLB on TV, Unless you don't have cable, like me.

In the case that you are part of the minority of Americans sans cable, I thought you might like to know that the Major League Baseball playoffs are upon on us. In fact, they are zipping right by with a total of 13 games needed (minimum +1) to get through the Divisional Series.* The end result of these four Divisional Series nearly mirrored my desired outcome. This is of course excluding the Red Sox beating the Angels, who are appropriately named “Evil Empire Lite” by my good friend Mel-Anon. This being said, it is hard to say that rooting for the Angels and Moreno’s Evil Empire Lite: West Coast Edition could be considered fun from a passionate purveyor of parity – as I tend to be.

In conjunction with Mr. Anon’s post on this subject, I would have to agree that it looks like the Colorado Rockies should be the favorite in the NLCS. After a sluggish outing by Webb last night, the Snakes have an uphill climb. I think they may make it fun to watch (if you have cable) but, I think the Rockies will be, pardon my biblical reference, David of the NL this year. Rox in five. The David role is what NL teams get to play in the World Series, at least from a betting line standpoint. I do believe the only two favorites from the NL going into the Series in the past decade were the Cards in ’04 (oh lordy, what a no show that was) and the Diamondbacks, with Schilling and Johnson in 2001 (by a scant –115 over the Yanks).

The real question at hand is to whom the role of Goliath falls. Though I hope, and wagered, on the Indians triumphing – their bullpen must outperform its regular season effort to be competitive. I do like Cleveland’s defense, contact hitting, and overall clutch performance. The front side of their rotation with Carmona and Sabathia is powerful in a seven game set. The Sox counter with a very powerful line-up and a solid rotation. I still think Beckett is overrated, but it is hard to downplay his previous playoff success. Overall, I think the intangibles lie with the Indians. They get to have it out with David after beating EEL in seven.

The World Series... Well it’s too early to start prognosticating, but if the Rockies make it and are a huge dog – you can bet that I’ll bet on them.

* I had to look into the appropriate plural form of series, and in fact it is series. If it is referring to a single series of events, it takes a singular verb. Correspondingly, if it is referring to more than one series of events, it takes a plural verb.

Vicariously I live while the Cubbies die...

I have to admit a bit of glee did become me this past week as the Cubs slouched away into the fall wearing the playoff collar. Hah! I recognize this lack of performance does reflect poorly on my team, since the Cubs are the champions - take note of the lower case c - of the Central. Alas, this argument just doesn't matter because the Cubs are simply impossible to support (even tacitly). Go Cards!

I have also enjoyed watching the Yanks, Angels, and Phils lose. It's going well right now for me in the playoffs, but let's see if the Cleveland vs. Colorado world series can't happen to help keep the ratings nerds on edge. go Indians! (Full Disclosure: I have a wager at 2:1 on the Indians to beat the Red Sox).

In other sports news, the Badgers got flat out beat by the Illini. They are off to Penn St. this weekend, where we will hopefully not need to break Paterno's leg to pull one out. (You have to be wondering how many 'break a leg's' are being said in Happy Valley this week). Bucky also lost Luke Swan for the year, which is one of the more disappointing things in sports this fall. This kid just has guts, a walk on who clawed his way into a starting scholarship slot position and then as a senior a captain is out with a torn hammy. Little tikes should take heed and stretch well prior to full physical exertion.

Another huge disappointment this past weekend was the Pack, their failure to protect the football and to make a stand when they needed it was disenchanting. I guess it is important that they let us Cheeseheads down early from that 4-0 start. The good news is they have enough fluff (and play in the NFC) that they should still be locked up for a playoff run. That is both exciting and probably excoriating for me, as I will endure a number of "memories" of that one time when Favre took'em to the house. I love football.

I will try to include some poker stuff in my next CardsDonkey post, but for now... DonkOut.