Wednesday, October 1:
My pal Mike is here on his annual trip back home from Vancouver so again the mighty triumvirate of yours truly, Mike and our bud E-T got away yesterday for some wings and a wobbly pop or two. Crazy that we only get together once a year and that (shameful!) E-T and I only meet whenever Mike makes the long trip back. We're not close geographically -- almost a two-hour drive -- but we should do this far more often. We're a heck of a lot closer than a full continent away, as Mike is. No excuse, but we're both crazy busy with work. Still, the two hours we all shared was filled with the usual good cheer and crazed chuckles.
Not a White Sox fan but good on Jim Thome, last night's hero in their 1-0 win over Minnesota in the one-game playoff for the American League Central Division crown. Thome, one of the sports's true good guys, homered in the seventh for the game's only run. This will be his first return to the post-season since his days with the Indians. He's a guy I'd love to see fitted for a World Series ring. The Sox have the pitching to beat Tampa Bay but I don't think they'll get any further than that. You never know in baseball, but they're not in the same class as the Red Sox or Angels, IMO.
Thursday, October 2:
BUFFALO, NY -- Here I am, JUST across the border in my hotel room, and the federal leaders' debate might as well be on Mars. Almost every channel is showing the Biden-Palin face-off. And I expected as much.
We've decided on the Tucson visit. What tipped the scales was a call for rain in Los Angeles Saturday. I love watching football at the Coliseum, but I'm not going to southern California to sit in soggy weather. Besides, the following week, they're at home to Arizona State in what might actually be a better game.
Saturday, October 4:
TUCSON -- Stopped at the border town of Calexico, California just a little south of the freeway to get better prices on a hotel room. Sometimes you don't have to go far off the beaten path to get some great deals.
Two years ago, I sat in on an Arizona State football game against UCLA in the Phoenix suburbs. The place was half empty and those in attendance pretty much sat on their hands all night. So, I figured that was how college football was received in this state. Then I visited Arizona Stadium in Tucson. It wasn't a complete sellout for the usually-lousy University of Arizona Wildcats but it was close -- and the place really rocks. What's more, Arizona might have a pretty good football team this year. It will be interesting to see what they do against the big boys of the Pac-10.
Oh, Chicago. The euphoria of having both teams in the baseball playoffs is dissolving into the reality that both may be finished by the end of the weekend. In fact, round one of the playoffs is looking to be a dud with four sweeps possible.
My dad passed 30 years ago yesterday. And I miss his love and strength every day.
Monday, October 6:
PHOENIX -- So, you want to be a quarterback. Ask Trent Edwards of the Buffalo Bills how that feels this morning. He was KO'd by a blitzing Adrian Wilson just three plays into yesterday's 41-17 romp by Arizona here and Bills' back-up J.P. Losman couldn't answer the call against the Cardinals' defence. If you need further proof of the dangers of being a signal-caller, check out our picture of the week. We managed to catch Wilson's hit on Edwards, which pretty much was the turning point of the game.
The full compliment of pictures from Tucson and Glendale will be up in a day or so. Unless I stay late at poolside.
Off to Vegas today or tomorrow. There's no place like it in the world.
Tuesday, October 7:
LAS VEGAS -- Every time I visit this desert city of glitter and gold, I'm amazed at what I see. Another two or three old casino landmarks have been leveled and new ones will soon take their place, each new building more opulent then the previous one. I'm not much of a gambler but there's every form of entertainment here known to mankind and it's an outstanding locale for people-watching.
You can actually drive through the corner of Dean Martin Drive and Jerry Lewis Way. Cool.
The Hoover Dam is an engineering marvel. And so is the highway 93 by-pass, which is still a good two years away from completion. But the arch footings are visible high above the Colorado River and it will be a kick to drive over the new bridge on some future trip.
Thursday, October 9:
LAS VEGAS -- I like Las Vegas, mainly because there's no place on earth like it. But once again, I will leave with no fortune won. Of course, playing the $0.25 slot machines won't get you there.
Always wanted to drive north through Nevada so we're going to San Francisco the very long way -- through Nevada to Reno and then southwest to the city by the bay. And we'll spend the weekend there, so that means watching Arizona-Stanford and Eagles-49ers. Maybe we'll get to a Sharks hockey game, too.
Friday, October 10:
RENO, NV -- The drive was mostly boredom -- not unlike the highway 99 desert route between L.A. and S.F. -- but it was spiced up by a few fascinating sights, especially once you starting climbing the hills. There were some salt marshes and large lakes along the way and it was cool to feel the temperature plummet about 30 degrees Fahrenheit from start to finish. It was also amazing to see, as we did in Arizona, some old, once-thriving mining towns that have been reduced to a few crumbling shacks. A century or so ago, they would have been teeming with people.
Gonna miss Gary Dourdon's Warrick Brown character on CSI. I love the show, partly because they've kept the same cast of characters for years and years. But it all started to unravel last season when Jorja Fox left the show. At least they kept her character alive. But they killed Warrick off -- and now the key actor, William Petersen, is leaving later this season. This is gonna test my loyalty.
Forty years ago today, they were dancin' in the streets of the Motor City and I was doing cartwheels on our front lawn. The Detroit Tigers defeated the Cardinals 4-1 in St. Louis in game seven of the World Series as Mickey Lolich outduelled Bob Gibson. Forty years. How can that be?
Saturday, October 11:
BERKELEY, CA -- So we wake up yesterday morning and head out on the road, only to be greeted by a blizzard! Not just a few flakes, but the real deal, with accumulation on the lawns. We departed Reno as fast as we could before the roads started getting covered, and a few hours later we were back in 70 degree sunshine. Whew!
There was no sight more intoxicating in major league baseball than the one from the press box at the Oakland Coliseum at twilight. Staring east, you could see the rays from a setting sun sparkle off hundreds of windows from the distant homes rising in the hills beyond the low bleachers. But then the Oakland Raiders came back, the bleachers were demolished and huge stands were erected on the stadium's east side, completely obliterating that view. I thought of that whilst driving along the interstate near the Coliseum today. Sad.
What's not sad is the city of Oakland. Frankly, it was a dump a decade ago and we gave it up for dead. Today, it boasts a fresh and vibrant downtown, a makeover of its old Fox Theater is almost complete (much like the one in Detroit that was restored to its past glory) and even the classic old four-sided clock on top of the Oakland Tribune building now shows the correct time. A very pleasant surprise.
Off to Palo Alto later today to see if Arizona's high-powered offense can click on the road against a better opponent than we saw a week ago. My guess is that the Wildcats will beat Stanford, but in a much closer game.
Have a great Thanksgiving weekend and please stay safe!
Monday, October 13:
BERKELEY, CA -- Happy Thanksgiving! I hate missing the annual dinner our friend Pat puts on for a bunch of us. I'll be there in spirit!
Odd. I was here in Berkeley two years ago during the U.S. Thanksgiving and now here I am in the same place during ours. I always stay somewhere in the East Bay while visiting San Francisco and Berkeley has become my town of choice. I have an affinity for college towns and this is one of my favourites.
I do miss local radio. Last night after the 49ers game, I drove north from Candlestick Park to Petaluma for one of the great steaks at Cattlemen's. And though it was out of the way, I returned to Berkeley via both the Golden Gate bridge and the Bay Bridge -- just for the incredible sights. And one sight I didn't expect to see was a massive brush fire burning out of control on nearby Angel Island. There are some wonderful historic buildings there, so I scanned the radio dial in a futile effort to get more information. Alas, every station was playing pre-packaged programming. Radio's one advantage is immediacy and yet stations won't take advantage of it when news is breaking. Sad.
Tuesday, October 14:
WOODLAND HILLS, CA -- It's Voting Day, Canada. So make sure you do. Those who reside 'neath Flanders Fields gave up their time on earth so that we could.
I was late leaving the San Francisco area, so some of the great drive along the California coastal highway was done at dusk, with the sun sinking into the Pacific on my right and a full moon rising over the mountains on my left. What a sight! Not that there's much time to take in the sights when you're behind the wheel. It's not a drive for the faint o' heart, especially southbound where there isn't much, if anything, between you and a sheer drop down a cliff to the ocean. But if driving is in your soul, it's one of the world's most exhilarating rides!
Wednesday, October 15:
WOODLAND HILLS, CA -- Can anybody tell me what the great benefit of a "strengthened minority" government is? A minority government is a minority government, meaning a confidence vote can bring it down, whether or not the ruling party has more seats this time around or not. In other words, we went to the polls for nothing, really.
The pics from last weekend's games in the Bay area are finally up. Late, but it's been too nice out here to sit in front of a computer.
Finally, shouldn't 49ers head coach Mike Nolan know the rules on challenging a field goal before throwing the flag and costing his team a critical timeout?
Friday, October 17:
SAN DIEGO -- Saw something on the interstate yesterday that had me in stitches. As I passed a Jeep, I noticed some upside-down-lettering on the spare-tire cover on the rear of the vehicle. I saw enough to make it out as I sped by: "If you can read this, please turn me over."
When I flipped the TV dial over to an early showing of this week's CSI, the Tampa Bay Rays were up 7-0 and just seven outs away from a berth in the World Series. When I flipped back, David Ortiz was on TV, being interviewed about the Boston Red Sox' astonishing comeback. I can't believe a) they did it and b) that I missed it!
It's not New Year's Day, but I'm still going to take in a football game tomorrow at the Rose Bowl between Stanford and UCLA. I wonder which Bruins team will show up -- the one that beat Tennessee or the one that lost 59-0 to BYU?
Saturday, October 18:
PASADENA, CA -- Like favourite baseball announcers (and what a treat to hear the ageless Vin Scully on radio out here these past two weeks) I also have favourite football announcers. And high in the rankings is Dave South, who calls Texas A&M games. Driving here from San Diego this morning, I managed to catch about two hours of the Aggies' game against Texas Tech. Which allowed me to hear such South-isms as "Twins left, triplets right," while describing a five-receiver set, and "He came up barkin' and beggin'," when a Tech receiver complained that he'd been interfered with. Priceless stuff.
Sunday, October 19:
TARZANA, CA -- I've seen this movie before. In 1985, the Toronto Blue Jays carried a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series into game five in Kansas City and they let the Royals off the hook. Not 7-0 off the hook as Tampa Bay did the other night, but they allowed K.C. to win a game Toronto could have had. And some of us media-types who were there wondered if it was a turning point -- if the playoff-rich Royals would then take advantage of that experience back in Toronto. Sure enough, the Blue Jays bats went ice-cold and the Royals won games six and seven on their way to the franchise's only World Series championship. And I'll bet dollars to donuts that Boston does the same to Tampa Bay tonight.
What goes around, comes around. Stanford, which beat Arizona eight days ago on a game-winning touchdown in the dying seconds, lost the same way yesterday to UCLA. The Bruins passed for the winning score with 10 seconds remaining. Check out the picture of the week 
to see how wide open tight end Cory Harkey was.
Monday, October 20:
LOS ANGELES -- Thankfully, I didn't bet dollars OR donuts yesterday as Tampa Bay's pitching shut down the Boston bats and the Rays offence did just enough to win 3-1 and gain a berth in the World Series. Philly versus Tampa. Much as we'd love to see Pat Gillick go out a winner again, I gotta cheer for the Rays!
So apparently the football crowd in Tampa abandoned the Buccaneers late in their comfortable win last night for the corridors at Raymond James Stadium so they could watch the baseball action on TV from the Trop across the bay at St. Petersburg. I remember seeing something similar years ago when the Tampa Bay Lightning used the Trop (the Thunderdome, they called it). The Florida Gators were battling for a berth in the Final Four one Sunday when the Lightning played a home game, so they set up televisions away from the playing surface, down along what is now the left field line. The basketball game went into overtime and the hockey crowd left the live action en masse to crowd around the TVs. Of course, that resulted in deafening cheers during odd moments of the hockey game and goals that were barely noticed. Surreal.
A looong day of travel today back to the east. And to the cold. Ah, to be in California year-round.
Tuesday, October 21:
So I was hoping against hope that I could ease back into eastern Canadian weather, that the wall-to-wall California sunshine wouldn't be immediately replaced by something harsh. Ha! Stouffville is being blessed today with snow showers and feel bitter, bone-chilling winds. The only word to describe this weather -- well, the only non-swear word -- is "raw." Thanks, weather gods!!
Mandy, the Wonder Pooch has now injured her left "good" leg and is putting her weight on the right leg and knee that was operated on last year. This isn't a good sign. We'll get the leg fixed next week and then hope she gets better. But Mandy turns 11 in January -- which is "up there" for a lab-shepherd cross -- and if the surgery doesn't make her well, we'll have a tough decision to make.
Thursday, October 23:
Last night's World Series opener was seen by some as a must-win game for Philadelphia with its ace, Cole Hamels on the mound. If so, then tonight's game two is obviously in must-win territory for the Rays, whose bats have been in a slumber since blowing that 7-0 lead in Boston in game five of the ALCS. They've scored just six runs in three games since and if the offence can't find its way, Tampa Bay's dream will fall short.
So, how's the local six? Dreadful, I'm afraid. It's a rebuilding year for the Stouffville Spirit, currently 3-and-12 and in last place heading into tonight's home game against Cobourg. Just one of their three wins have come in regulation; the other two via shootout. Growing pains. Same with football's Michigan Wolverines, currently 2-and-5 and going nowhere.
Sunday, October 26:
All washed up, eh? Over the hill, huh? That was the general consensus just a few years ago regarding Joe Paterno, the longtime head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Lions were getting hammered and folks were clamoring for JoePa to step down for the good of the program. Today, Penn State is unbeaten, having just knocked off Ohio State right in Columbus. Penn State was number three in the BCS standings, and will likely stay there as number-one Texas won a home squeaker over Oklahoma State while number-two Alabama romped at Tennessee. The Lions now get a bye, followed by a tricky road game at Iowa and home dates against Indiana and Michigan State. Run the table and they're in excellent shape, seeing as Texas has a very tough game next week at Texas Tech, an anything-but-a-gimmee at Kansas, their rivalry game against Texas A&M and a potential Big-12 championship game remaining. 'Bama? They still have to play one of those dreaded Saturday night games in the bayou at LSU, they've got their rivalry game against Auburn remaining, as well as a potential SEC championship game. So, the weak Big-10 could once again have a representative in the national championship game -- it just won't be the Buckeyes.
I guess they finally started the World Series game last night around 10 p.m., after the long rein delay. But I didn't watch it -- not with it starting at that hour. I can't imagine too many kids in the east did, either. But baseball doesn't seem to care much about that. No wonder it's seen by many as "yesterday's" game.
Monday, October 27:
Yeah, I was afraid of this. Tampa Bay's bats have withered and died on the big stage and the Rays remind me of the Tigers from two years ago -- finally seeing their shadows after an incredible season. And with Phillies' ace Cole Hamels on the mound tonight, I doubt that the World Series will get back to Florida.
The Detroit Lions' perfect season is still intact. It looked doubtful for awhile yesterday but a second half collapse saved the day and they lost to Washington to move to 0-and-7. What a franchise!
And unless the Michigan Wolverines win at Purdue, their season may actually finish with a nine-game losing streak. Michigan's other three opponents down the stretch are Minnesota, Northwestern and Ohio State, a combined 20-and-5. That would leave the Wolverines at 2-and-10. I expected growing pains but not this severe. And I suspect that if Lloyd Carr had stayed on as coach, Michigan would be no better than 4-and-4 right now. He has as many questions to answer for regarding the state of the football program as new coach Rich Rodriguez.
Tuesday, October 28:
Thank heavens they called last night's ballgame before someone got hurt. And no doubt, baseball commissioner Bud Selig felt much better about putting a halt to the soggy proceedings in Philadelphia after Tampa Bay had tied the game 2-2 in the top of the sixth. Can you imagine a team winning a World Series while sitting in the clubhouse, following a long rain delay? So, the game is a suspended one, to be picked up sometime today if the rain stops, or tomorrow if need be.
There was a time when it wouldn't have mattered if the Rays had tied the game last night. Prior to the 1979 season, an official game that was rained out in the late innings reverted back to the last complete inning. And Philadelphia would have won 2-1 in an official game called after five innings and the Phillies would have been crowned World Series champs. But legendary Baltimore manager Earl Weaver's shenanigans led to a rule change. August 13, 1978 -- Memorial Stadium, Baltimore. The Orioles vs. the New York Yankees -- a game I was fortunate to attend. Baltimore broke open a scoreless tie on a steamy, sultry Maryland afternoon with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. But in the seventh with storm clouds approaching, Bob Lemon's Yanks scored five runs and had the bases loaded with no one out when the skies opened. I mean, it just poured. The grounds crew managed to get the tarp onto the infield but took its sweet time in doing so. Some 45 minutes later, the skies cleared and then Weaver went to work. He had the grounds crew empty the water from the tarp into left-centre field, which happened to be the most chewed up area in the outfield, thanks to a recent Colts' (they called Baltimore home in those days) football exhibition. Naturally, the already saturated ground became an instant swamp. The crew put the tarp back over the infield, Weaver brought the umps out for a good look and they agreed that conditions were unplayable. Game over. The final score reverted back to the last inning: Baltimore 3 New York 0, game called after six. Naturally the Yankees, in the process of erasing a large Boston lead in the standings, went apoplectic, but the result stood. Had New York won, which they likely would have, there would have been no one-game playoff at Fenway Park that season and no Bucky Bleepin' Dent. Have a look at the picture third from the bottom of our Scorepics page from that game (you may have to squint. The quality from the 30-year old prints is pretty dreadful). It has the scoreboard displaying a Yanks' 5-3 lead at 4:16 in the afternoon. Then scroll down to the bottom picture, with the board showing Baltimore winning 3-0 at 4:52 p.m. In the off-season, the rule was changed to incorporate suspended games. So, in a way, the Tampa Bay Rays can thank Earl Weaver that they're still alive today.
Wednesday, October 29:
Maybe they’ll wrap up game five of the World Series tonight. Or maybe it will rain or snow in Philadelphia until April. There have been a few other lengthy World Series that I can recall due to bad conditions. I was nine years old when the Yankees and Giants had to wait out three days of rain in San Francisco to resume the Fall Classic, which New York eventually won 1-0 in game seven. Not that I cared much. I hated the Yanks and was cheering for the Dodgers in their pennant race against Frisco. In 1975, a three-day rain hit Boston between games five and six but the wait was worth it. Carlton Fisk’s homer off the foul pole ended perhaps the greatest Series game in history, but Cincinnati won it all the next night. (As a personal aside, I believe my college girlfriend and I broke up sometime between games five and six, but no, it wasn’t over baseball). Finally, it wasn’t rain that caused the 10-day delay between games two and three of the 1989 Series between Oakland and San Francisco, but the Loma Prieta earthquake that struck just before game three was scheduled to start. I had nightmares about the 42 people who died when the double-decked Nimitz Freeway pancaked, having driven on that stretch of I-880 just a week before while covering the Blue Jays-Athletics ALCS. Tonight of course, it’s a suspended game they’re picking up and the whole thing may be over in as few as 18 outs. With any luck, it will either be over soon or heading back to Florida where it can conclude inside a dome.
Thursday, October 30:
Congrats to Pat Gillick, Matt Stairs and the rest of the Philadelphia Phillies. And y'know, if every World Series telecast was only 18 outs long, then maybe kids could see the championship trophy being awarded every year!
Friday, October 31:
Possibly the best part about the November return to standard time -- around here anyway -- is that trick-or-treating for the wee ones gets started at dusk. Easier for drivers to see, more time for parents to plan their kids' activities and safer for all involved. Except that this is a Friday night so all bets could be off. Please stay safe and be alert for the ghosts and goblins roaming the streets.
The Raptors kicked off their regular season with a Wednesday win at Philadelphia and got it done before the Philly crowd went wild across the street at the ballpark. I expect an 8-to-10-game improvement in the Raps this season and with luck, they can move to 2-and-0 with a win in the home opener tonight against Golden State.
The U.S. election is four days away. People believe it's close but I don't know. For a variety of reasons, I think Barack Obama will win handily. Maybe it's just because I spent most of my vacation time in California, a fairly liberal state. There was Obama signs and stickers everywhere.
