I imagine this will be me come next month.

Heh. I still can't believe the M's are even in a position where it's worth getting worked up over a bad outing. I had them pegged for an 80-win team, 3rd in our division, out of contention for the playoffs by July. Our one chance was if King Felix put up Cy Young-quality numbers all season, but after the first two games he's been decidedly less than regal on the mound. Some days he's even more like Scullery Boy Felix. Ichiro and Putz were brilliant before the All-Star Break, but they've looked human since, and, anyway, a closer and a lead-off hitter can't carry a team all by their ownselves. And that's not even getting into idiotic management decisions by Hargrove and then MacLaren. I've yet to figure out why we're winning games. We could be leading 10 runs going into the 9th of Game 7 of the World Series and I'll STILL be waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Still, it's fun. (Except for the part where we're currently down 8-0 in the 3rd. I know we can't win them all, but this is just embarrassing!)

To my understanding, hitting opponents is more incidental than strategic (though I could be wrong)

No, it's totally strategic and deliberate.

And dropping the gloves and actually fighting outside the play of the game is tolerated, if not encourage.

Lawyers/other people who might see memorandum's of agreement:

Does this sentance make sense or does it seem like it is missing a word:

• Payment will be a shared assumption of MY COMPANY 60% and TEACHER of 40% minus expenses. Expenses will include copying required course materials chosen by instructor, refreshments, and bulk mailings.

Also, I kinda like Hockey because they beat each other with sticks, but I head the rushing at each other tangled up-ness of football.

They're a bunch of pussy Canadians

Mmm. There are 16 regular season games in the NFL season. There are 82 regular season hockey games in the NHL.

That's fighting talk, there, Missy.

I like football much better than hockey. I could give explanations based on my taste in sports--I don't care for soccer, either, and hockey is kinda like violent soccer on ice--but I'm sure what it really comes down to is I was born and raised in Alabama. Football is in my blood, and I still prefer the college to the pro game.

Is there money in it?

There could be. It's all in the marketing. Back in the day baseball players were these squeaky-clean saints and fans ate it up.

I can see this well-rounded animal on the field/gentleman off thing being very promotable. And its not like they'd have to FIND those guys, they'd just have to focus on the ones they have.

A truism that makes me want to say...Kill me now.

Sports have always been that way, though, haven't they? If not money, then fame and glory comes along with the spotlight of popularity.

There could be. It's all in the marketing. Back in the day baseball players were these squeaky-clean saints and fans ate it up.

Don't know enough about baseball to say, but I'd not only be surprised if there weren't a seamy underbelly, but even more if the momentum of current popular sports could be changed noticably.

No, it's totally strategic and deliberate.

Cool. Did not know. I think of football having a "when the ball is snapped, you go kill X" element that hockey doesn't. I am fairly hockey illiterate.

Mmm. There are 16 regular season games in the NFL season. There are 82 regular season hockey games in the NHL. That's fighting talk, there, Missy.

TOTALLY kidding

Back in the day baseball players were these squeaky-clean saints and fans ate it up.

Ty Cobb
Babe Ruth
Mickey Mantle
Pete Rose

IJS.

TOTALLY kidding

I totally got it. Next fauxfuffle: Canadian vs. American beer.