Coulda Shoulda Manny Woulda (Game 116)

The Bad News theme in my reading continues, as I have begun Jane Meyer’s “The Dark Side”, a detailed accounting of how the United States became one nation under torture, first, last, and always.

I don’t know what it is that is sending me down this road, exactly. It’s sad and angry reading, with really no outlet for the feelings because there is no little to do about it. What touches me about all these books (“Greatest Story Ever Sold”, “State of Denial”, and now this one) is the accounts from people coming up with dissenting opinions and being brutalized-frozen out, fired, harassed into quitting. If you’re sure you’re right, if you’re sure that history will bear you out, you don’t need to torment your critics. It shows an elemental insecurity on the part of these people-they overcompensate by breathing fire at anyone who utters a discouraging word.

It’s just tragic, what they have done to government that used to be a government of laws.

The Ron Susskind book, of course, is all over the media. I’m not sure if I want to buy that-it seems like another tough read, and after “Dark Side”, I’m not sure if I can take any more. If his allegations are true, it is clearly an impeachable offense. The named sources in the book have made statements recanting what they said about the forgery in the book, but, as Susskind points out, you would expect someone currently working for a contractor and accepting US money to say that. Plus Susskind says he has them on tape, so that would tend to lean against them filing suit against him.

Plus, as I said, it falls in line with everything I know about this president and these people-it is easy to believe they would have done this.

Given that, absent proof to the contrary, I tend to believe the allegation is correct.

I think Farmer Jed Lowrie has earned a shot to stay at shortstop for Boston when Lugo is healthy. He’s hitting, and his defense doesn’t seem to be too bad. The Red Sox are in Chicago tonight, which is going to be a battle. Certainly a beatable team, but also a team that could punch us in the mouth and sweep us right back out of town.

The Brett Favre saga is over, and he is a New York Jet. Certainly gives the NFL season some spice, and puts Aaron Rodgers into the “I Can’t Do Anything Right” Babe Dahlgren Chair of Replacing a Legend at Sports University. A much, much larger problem than Jason Bay, but a similar one-the first time he does anything wrong, he’ll hear nothing but “the other guy woulda”.

Hard to imagine he makes the Jets a whole lot better, though they will certainly be better. (They could hardly be worse, after going 4-12).

The Patriots dropped their fantasy opener to the Ravens. From the highlights, it appeared to be simply a get through it type of game-not a whole lot of artistry on either side.

I’ll have to check on Atari Bigby to see if he’s done anything yet for the Packers. I don’t think they’ve played a preseason game yet. Atari Bigby-the Official Defensive Back With A Cool Name Of “Innocents and Accidents, Hints And Allegations”.

In Chicago, Chicago (Not My Kind of Town, Chicago Is), Boston falls to the White Stockings, 5-3. Mark Buerhle threw 7 shutout innings, and an 8th inning rally falls short. Jason Bay had only one hit-then again, the whole team only had 5.

Tampa is winning in Seattle, and New York is losing in Anaheim against the Angles.

We are still waiting on Atari Bigby News-Green Bay's first exhibition game is Monday.