Spring Training - The most enjoyable meaningless game played anywhere

Ginger Russ, Lazy Steve, were able to attend the first Cubs Spring Training game this past Sunday which inspired me to put a few thoughts on paper (???). I have noticed over the years that quite a few Cubs blogs out there tend to down play the significance of Spring Training and some go as far as to advocate not wasting time attending. As a Cubs fan that grew up in Chicago and moved to Arizona following college I know just how wrong they are. Lets examine a few good reasons to go:

1. The weather - OK, so it was a bit cold on Sunday and even sleeting in Mesa at one point. That's about as bad as it gets. March-April and October-November are the best times to be in Arizona. The weather perfect from sun up to sun down which allows for tailgating at parks such as Hohokam (although that is likely to change when the Cubs move to their new digs) on game days and other outdoors activities when you need a day off.
2. The environment - This could be a pro or con depending on who you ask. The exhibition nature of the games allows people to mingle and meet new people. Our group of friends have met quite a few cool individuals. Single guys (and I am guessing some not-so-single guys) are treated to the local ladies that enjoy slipping back into their more revealing garb when the weather hits 80. Overall all the games are laid back and extremely enjoyable (except when it's Sox v Cubs when there is always a hand full of jerks with massive chips on their shoulder).
   
   
3. Player evaluation - Although the games are only useful for getting back into the swing of things for most veterans, Spring Training is where the minor leaguers are allowed to make a name for themselves. You would not have seen Starlin Castro in Wrigley last season if he doesn't impress Lou so much in ST2010. Lou basically mandated that Hendry bring up Starlin when he tired of Theriot's terrible defense.
4. Player accessibility - You will never get as close to the players in the regular season as you are allowed to in Spring Training. Not everyone cares about this (I don't really) but if you have a kid or just like trolling for autographs the players take lots of time before the game and as they are leaving to sign. Last season I watched first hand as Ryan Dempster signed an autograph for every kid that wanted one on his way out to the players parking lot. He didn't leave one kid disappointed. To get an autograph at Wrigley you need overpriced tickets and a lot of luck. Oh, did I forget to mention that it's fun watching Soriano scan the crowd out in left for ladies? Hilarious every time.
   

Anyway, there are more solid reasons to come out for what amounts to a vacation but frankly I have tired trying to convince people. Bottom line is it is a great time. If you stay away because you think the fans are clueless you are kind of right...although you wouldn't attend games at Wrigley if that really bothered you.


GO CUBS!
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You know...Aaron Rodgers is a prick too everyone.

Andy over at Desipio threw up a solid post today (you will be less impressed when you realize I don't mean that literally) about how the media, especially the media in Chicago, insist that Bears fans don't like Lovie Smith and Jay Cutler. I agree with him on most of his posts. Possibly the only disagreement is that I do think Lovie is especially boneheaded when it comes to challenging. Remember the Redskins game?

Anyway, I have the advantage of looking at this from the outside. I have been living near Phoenix, Arizona for 7+ years now and thankfully don't have to read much of the garbage that the Chicago sports media puts out. The national consensus seems to be that yes, Bears fans want(ed?) Lovie out, and yes, Jay Cutler is a prick that no one in Chicago likes. Let's all just agree that the national media really has no clue what goes through a Chicago Bears fan's head (IRISH CAR BOMBS!!!!) and therefore have no idea how we feel about members of our sports organizations (unless it's Milton Bradley...took a couple reg season months but we hated him). They think we hated Lovie and think we will always hate Jay...because...wait for it...he tends to be a jerk at times.

OK, I have read all of the stories and understand that he can be immature and abrasive. As Andy noted, this is usually the side of Jay that the media sees because he is forced to perform for them and seems to HATE attention. 1+1 still equals 3 right? Of course the media should assume that he acts the same around everyone as he does whenever they are around. In the end, I cannot prove he is a sweetie pie behind closed doors. What I can prove is that another quarterback in the NFC North is a pompous asshole.

Enter Aaron Rodgers. Sure he gives off that field general that all the football media seems to drool over. You know what else he does? This...



...and this...



Yeah, in that last one you saw him do his DUMBASS championship belt situation to a group of cheerleaders for gaining 9 years and a first down. Hope everyone enjoyed listening to Joe Buck in the background ignoring the taunt and comparing him to Michael Vick between puffs on Rodgers'sss''ss's johnson. I think I am going to leave the little fist pump he tends to do alone. Talking about this stuff is making me ill.

So the point is this. Aaron Rodgers is cocky. Jay Cutler is cocky. Alex Smith is cocky. I mean even Jimmy Clausen is cocky. They all are. Jay Cutler being any different is the product of a media that he often chooses to rebuff. I mean we all can't put on a show for the mic about how awesome are quite like Rodgers did after the Falcons game.

"This probably was my best performance -- the stage we were on, the importance of this game," Rodgers said. "It was a good night."

Yeah, HIS best performance. His receivers and linemen has nothing to do with it.

As a Bears fan we can take solace in knowing, that although Jay Cutler is a jerk to the media and we don't hear much good other the references to a game recap, what we see is what we get on the field and he does everything he can to crush the opposition. We shouldn't ever have to deal with the utter disappoint when the "hero" shits on our floor. How long did it take to clean off that steaming pile dear old Brett left for you Packers fans out there?

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Bears Live Tweet: Sunday Night Edition

Follow COI on twitter tonight as the "Best in the NFC" Bears take on the Giants. Angry Mike will be tweeting live from Hawaii...and probably drinking some Kona beer while eating Spam sushi rolls.

twitter.com/collegeofidiots

Go Bears!


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Are Cubs Fans Racist?

So, Bradley/Dusty/Sosa/Pierre/Jaque/Patterson, Cubs fans are racist, huh? In that case I'm sure DLee received resounding boos, racial taunts and batteries flung his way when he "returned" to Wrigley to start for his new team. Since I don't watch the Cubs anymore, let's go to the tape, via Cubs.com.

Okay, so you're actually going to have to click on the link, you lazy fuck.

Wait, was that just a 30 second long, standing ovation for a black man? Maybe it's not the color of your skin. Maybe it's that Cubs fans don't like cry-baby player/managers that don't try, complain all the time, run our pitchers into the ground or are just plain untalented. Maybe...

Nah, I mean that's nothing compared to the cheers that Todd Hundley and Michael Barrett got when they came back to play their former team.


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The Cubbies: Treehouse of Horror

Jim Hendry: [Marlin's GM, Frank Wren agrees to trade for Derrek Lee] Take this first baseman, but beware it carries a terrible curse!
Wren: Ooh, that's bad.
Hendry: But it comes with $3.3 million.
Wren: That's good.
Hendry: The money is also cursed.
Wren: That's bad.
Hendry: But you get a gold glove to replace Troy Glaus at first.
Wren: That's good!
Hendry: The glove contains potassium benzoate.
[Wren looks puzzled]
Hendry: ...That's bad.
Wren: Can I go now?

Sorry for the lame post, how long till football and hockey season?


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