Man that title looks good, doesn't it?? Still can't believe it.

I have to admit, I still am prone to sudden bursts of being teary-eyed when I think we're the World Champs. Just the other day, I came across a commemorative book in a bookstore and got all emotional. And Christmas... well, needless to say people knew what to buy for me... DVDs, shirts, Sox art...

Got my Christmas package from my folks in Chicago. They sent me a book, a Sox calender for 2006, a DVD, and a few other choice gifts!

Also nice to see Garland back in the fold for the next 3 years!

Ozzie Guillen is celebrating his 42nd birthday today by becoming a US citizen.

He needs to do an AudioBook of the US Constitution (complete with his unique commentary).

2006 Chicago Cubs Promotional Schedule

April 7: Home Opener and raising of the "Attendance Flag" to
commemorate the magical 2005 season in which the Cubs were a bigger draw
than any
of their hated rivals. Not being raised: World Series Champions flag.

April 8: Presentation of the "Nice Neighborhood" rings to members of
the 2005 squad in commemoration of their capturing of the city's heart
by
playing in such a cute little part of town.

Not being presented: World Series Champions rings.

April 9: Home Opener Weekend festivities conclude with the Cardinals
completing a sweep of the Cubs at Wrigley.

April 24: Win a Mark Prior autographed picture! 100 lucky fans will
receive a 5 x 7" photo signed by the Cubs' 11-game winner!

April 25: Turn Back the Clock I with throwback jerseys, old-timey
music and special guests and relive the magic of the Cubs' epic loss to
the
Florida Marlins in the 2003 NLCS.

May 13: Turn Back the Clock II with authentic 1984 uniforms jerseys
and an even-more-authentic loss to the 1984 NLCS champion San Diego
Padres.

May 14: Precious Moments figurine doll to the first 10,000 female
fans*.

June 15: Kerry Wood bobblehead day. The first 10,000 fans will
receive a bobblehead doll of the Northsiders' all-time leader in
simulated
strikeouts!

June 16: Turn Back the Clock III - Kick off a rematch of the Cubs'
most recent World Series appearance as they welcome the Detroit Tigers
and
try to beat them for the first time since 1945.

June 30: Crosstown Amnesty Day - All managers and first 25 players on
the White Sox active roster will receive a complimentary win.

July 1: Turn Back the Clock IV - 1906 World Series rematch. Authentic
memorabilia will be given out to lucky Cub fans, as will an authentic
1906-style massacre of their lovable losers.

July 2: Lovable Loser Day - First 15,000 losers get to fall in love
with the Cubs even more as they are handed yet another staggering loss
at
home by yet another area team that has built something more substantial
than their own ticket-scalping empire**.

July 14: Harry Caray Day, featuring an all-star tribute to the late
and beloved former White Sox and Cardinals announcer.

August 1: Nine Games Back Day - First 10,000 fans in attendance to
correctly explain what "Nine Games Back" means receive a Cubs
t-shirt***.

August 19: Playoff Day. Come out and root for the Cubs as they stand
on the brink of elimination against the Cardinals with forty-one games
still left to play in the season. First 20,000 fans wearing Cubs gear
receive a White Sox t-shirt.

September 2: Turn Back the Clock V - Cubs fans, come out and party
like it's 1989 in this showdown against the 1989 NLCS champion San
Francisco Giants!

October 1: Final Home Game / Wait 'Til Next Year Day - First 39,538
fans are idiots.
__________________

HYSTERICAL!!!

And I'm just an unbiased observer.

I loved it! Have a bneer on me, Spartan. wink

Ozzie is skipping the White Sox trip to the White House. He and his family are going to vacation in Venezuela.

He scheduled this vacation months ago, since he spent his offseason working on White Sox-related stuff. The White House visit was scheduled twice before, each time canceled by the White House, and finally rescheduled to Feb. 13th.

Mayor Daley in a press conference a few days ago publicly blasted Ozzie for not going. I don't know why Daley has to make this political. Ozzie visited the White House in 2003 after the Marlins won, and he met Bush then.

One of the funny rumors making the rounds of Chicago talk radio: Hugo Chavez threatened Ozzie to not go Monday. A similar rumor had Chavez threatening Ozzie's family.

Puhleeze! With pitchers and catchers reporting next weekend, this is Ozzie's only time on his schedule for a real vacation.

[ February 12, 2006, 04:19 PM: Message edited by: MIB ]

For those White Sox fans who, like me, think Jay Mariotti of the Sun-Times is a clueless asswipe, you'll love this clip.

SWEET! Tearing up again just watching that!

MIB *hugs* MiamiSpartan all the way from a brutally frigid Chicago, where today's high was a whopping 8 degrees! (You read it right, 8 degrees.)

But I'll get used to it, cuz it ain't gonna be much warmer come opening day (night), when I'm sitting in my frozen seats watching my beloved White Sox begin their quest for a repeat.

I'll wave to ya from Comiskey Park (I refuse to call it U.S. Cellular), Miami. Tune in April 2nd on ESPN that night.

Big hug back atcha!
Oh yeah! I got that night on my schedule! 83 here today! Mom's coming down on Wednesday from Aurora for the month. She is dying to get outta Chicago at the moment. Possibly planning on coming up sometime this summer for a game...we'll keep you posted.

[ February 19, 2006, 06:01 AM: Message edited by: MiamiSpartan ]

So we watched "Fever Pitch" last night. My partner kept hitting me, saying "that reminds me of you." I kept insisting that I have nothing in common with the guy in the movie. "His wardrobe is all navy and red....mine is all black and white....HUGE difference there!" wink

Has not been a stellar spring for the World Champs...hopefully they'll turn it around by the start of the season next Sunday night on ESPN. At least I'll get to see the raising of the World Series flag!

Are you going, MS? Or are you going to be stuck in that horrible Florida weather come Sunday?

The White Sox will not, I repeat NOT, make the play-offs this year. You heard it here first!!

Another whiney, jealous Cubs fan again. How tiresome.

It's gonna be a LONG painful year for scrub fans! And I pledge to do my part to help in that!

Aw, don't be too hard on dem Cubs. Anyone can have a bad century.

and more sad scrub news: Both Prior and Woods will begin the season on the DL...no big shock there. They should have tried to deal one or both of them long ago. They keep hanging their hats on those two, and it's killing them.

OPENING DAY IS HERE!!!



GO GO SOX!

And why is this game not on in Canada?! The TV guide has the opening game of the 2006 season as being on Sportsnet tonight, but what do my sorry eyes see? Poker. Blame Canada! :mad:

game is in a long delay....the baseball gods are showing their displeasure at man's silly attempt to hold the opening game of the season outside of Cincinnati.

I'm home, and I'm tired! I took my father after getting lower deck box tix for the game. We got to see the entire pregam ceremony, then stayed through a 3-hour rain delay until the final out at 1:11 a.m. CDT.

And I've got to get up in 3 1/2 hours.

But who cares?

The Sox rocked Sunday! What a lineup! Thome blasts one 431 feet! And what was Bill Ko-dicks-berg of ESPN saying about Cleveland?

[ April 03, 2006, 07:10 AM: Message edited by: MIB ]

Great opening win! And what about rookie Brian Anderson with two clutch hits? And we have the banner!!!

Ah well...can't win 'em all....The Sox lost to the Tribe today 10-2, but at least Jim Thome went deep again.

Going again tomorrow, MS. I took a personal day. Look for me. I'll be the one... eek!

Last year, the White Sox won 9 games over Cleveland BY ONE RUN.

Isn't it sweet to return the favor this year

Well, looks like the Sox were too busy looking at their rings to actually play this weekend. Should be a good season playing against the Tribe this year.

Check back in late September and we'll see.

Too many missed opportunities and a very stupid managerial decision by taking McCarthy out after pitching well for only ONE inning, only to replace him with the very green rookie Boone Logan, who promptly serves up a game-tying dinger to that asswipe Hafner. That is where the game was finally lost.

Not getting off to a great start at 1-4 and losing two to Kansas City!

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about! Thome hit his forth dinger of the year, Paulie and Crede each hit their first as the Sox beat the Tiggers 5-3. Nice performance by Freddy Garcia, too.

Booooooo!

Geez, I wish we could play Detroit every day! Jim Thome went deep again for his 5th of the year!

Might as well post the same thing for today, except Jim Thome went deep for number 6 as the Sox swept the Tiggers....

Sox have now won 9 of 10 with their pitching coming together, and getting clutch hitting when they need it. They are now in first again at
10-5 after Cleveland's thrashing last night at Baltimore...

This team is just so fun to watch! Damn! That lineup is awesome. Thome goes yard yet again, but even before that, he extended his streak of getting on and scoring in a game to 17, the first 17 games of the season, setting a major league record.

Yesterday Sox killer Santana gets beat by us. Today another Sox silencer, studly Brad Radke, goes down in flames to the World Champion White Sox. Sunday we go for the sweep, then it's off to Seattle, Anaheim, and Cleveland.

Looks like it's gonna be another fun year!

Contreras looked good yesterday as the Sox swept the Twins--a team that has given us fits in recent years. 13-5, best record in MLB!

Nice win for the Sox last night in Anaheim. Dye has really been on a tear lately, and Freddy Garcia picked up his 4th win.

[ April 29, 2006, 05:43 AM: Message edited by: MiamiSpartan ]

Another good one tonight, MS! Contreras notches another win, and Bobby Jenks blows away you-know-who for the final out and the save.

Now let's sweep these yuppy, Orange County, wussy-rally-monkeys-thunder-sticks, fake baseball fan Angels.

I may not like you southsiders, but you've put together an impressive April. Congrats on that.

and Thome went deep again for a team record 10 HR is April! Seem to be clicking on all cylinders right now...

Thanks. It's not too late to abandon the Dark Side and see the light.

Ugh, I'm staying away from my computer next time I get home from drinking. Look what horrors alcohol can bring!

...and the wins keep piling on. The Sox swept LA in LA on a wild pitch. Big two game set against the Tribe coming up...

This has been a heck of a road trip: One more win vs the Tribe at Cleveland. Pods got 4 hits, and Paulie hit his 7th HR of the year. Gotta keep winning, 'cause Detroit keeps winning.