Sunday, October 01, 2006

Post 150: A milestone of sorts

I've been blogging, Hypothetically Speaking, for six months now and this post is number 150. I suppose it is a milestone of sorts, especially since I created this blogger account simply to comment on other blogs and maintain some sort of identity beyond anonymous. I should have something profound to blog about (notice I said "should" not "do"), but instead propose a three short sports vignettes.

It is October 1st and baseball season is officially over, at least for Pittsburgh Pirate fans. We are used to putting the bats away in October, and are able to look at a few season bright:

  • Freddy Sanchez has won the National League batting championship ending the year with a .344 batting average. Not bad for a guy who did not begin the season as a starter. According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Post-Gazette, "The Pirates have won more batting titles than any team in Major League Baseball, eight of those belonging to Honus Wagner, but Sanchez is the first since Bill Madlock in 1983. His average was the highest of any Pirates player since Roberto Clemente batted .345 in 1969." (Sanchez photo, c. Peter Diana, Post-Gazette)
  • Jason Bay was voted in as a starter for the 2006 All-Star game, held at PNC Park. It was the first time since Andy Van Slyke that a Pirate was voted in as a starter. Plus, I enjoyed watching the home run derby participants try to hit homers into the Allegheny.
  • I saw the Bucs sweep the Cardinals in mid-August. It was an awesome sight.
  • And hey, they didn't lose 100 games this year (only 95) and didn't finish last in their division (the Cubs did this year).
  • It's only five months until spring training in February for the pitchers and catchers. If the Pirate ownership doesn't trade away every prospect on the team, refuse to sign current roster players at a reasonable rate, or continue in their tight-fisted way throughout the winter, spring will once again be a seaons of hope for baseball.

It's October 1st and football season is in it's fourth week; the Pittsburgh Steelers have a bye this week and a less than stellar record of 1 - 2. It is too early to bemoan the not so super play of the champions, but the team needs to get healthy. I will probably miss the NBC Sunday night game next week because it's my weekend to work (again). As late as those games run, I may get to see the fourth quarter. On the plus side, I was able to enjoy seeing the Bengals lose this week. Even better, I still have plenty of time to get a Pittsburgh Steeler flag to hang outside my apartment and annoy the neighbors.

It's October 1st and they are playing hockey! I know, I know, hockey doesn't really count until after Christmas, but I am interested to read a bit about the "new" Pittsburgh Penguins team. I am of the Mario Lemeiux era (dang, how is he 41?), and have seen Stanley Cup Championships. What is on the ice now is very far from that calibar of team. Plus, the moron Penguin ownership fired Mike Lange. What were they thinking? Mike Lange IS the voice of the Pens, how else will there be a HOCKEY NIGHT IN PITTSBURGH!



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