pagsz's Journal: Ramblings of an Idiot (24th Installment)

Well, here I am on a Saturday morning in late August. I just finishing watching last night's episodes of Stargate [SG - 1] and Farscape. Now I have noting better to do than post yet another Ramblings of an Idiot to my Slashdot journal. Maybe I should have stayed in bed a little longer this morning.

1. Winamp: I downloaded Winamp 3 the other day, but I found I didn't like it quite as much as Winamp 2 (I have 2.80). It's not all that much different, really, but I'm more comfortable with what I've got. So, in short, I'm sticking with 2. Why am I telling y'all this? Boredom, pure and simple.
2. Baseball: I'm starting to care less and less if Major League Baseball goes on strike. For one, I'm doubtful about the Red Sox's chances to make the playoffs. They're still six games back of the Yanks in the East (and probably don't have much chance of catching them), and two and a half games behind Seattle in the Wild Card. They're still in it, but they'll probably have to go on a tear if they are going to make it; and unfortunately, you don't see the phrases "Red Sox winning streak" and "stretch run" in the same sentence very often. Maybe once or twice every quarter-century.

   That, and the NFL season begins only five days after the strike date. Who cares if there's no World Series this year? Just more time for football.

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   That, and I'm beginning to think that baseball may in a way need the strike. Baseball is just plain frelled up right now. The New York Yankees currently have a payroll of around 171 million dollars (with obligatory Dr. Evil pinky to mouth). For forty players. That's an average of four million per player, double the league average. It's also about triple what the Minnesota Twins are spending (in the 60 million dollar range). Never mind teams like the Marlins, Devil Rays, or Royals. These teams are operating with payrolls under 30 million. Bit of a difference.

   Then there's Alex Rodriguez's 10-year, 252 million dollar contract. Think about this for a minute: The Boston Red Sox were sold this spring for approximately $700 million. That includes the franchise, the stadium (venerable Fenway in downtown Boston), and a cable network, NESN. One frellin' player is getting a third of that to play 10 years of ball. Now consider the Rangers. I don't know their value, but it ain't no $700 million. The Rangers have no history (as the Sox do), and don't own a cable network of their own. Let's assume their worth at around $500 million (which to be honest, is probably too high). Half that is invested in one frellin' guy.

   One more point. If I'm not mistaken, the NFL salary cap is in the 70 million dollar range this year. That means the Yankees' payroll is more than double what an NFL team can spend. For ten less players. And an NFL team has 22 starters, as opposed to 15 in baseball (8 position players, 5 pitchers, and a DH in the AL). The closer brings it to 16.

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   Unfortunately, a strike may be the only way this frelled up system gets fixed. Baseball may have to destroy the city to save the village, as it were.

3. SatireWire: I've fallen in love with SatireWire. Absolutely love it. Check it every day now.
4. Work: After two days off, I have to go back to work today. I don't wanna go! Please don't make me! For the love of God don't make me go!

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   It was nice having back to back days off after the way August has gone. Dealing with the unbearably hot weather, and the lazy asshole who works the shift before me. When I come in after him (at least twice a week), I have to work ten times as hard to catch up because he wasn't doing his job. Last Tuesday, he up and quit. So Tuesday and Wednesday there was no one working the morning. And there wasn't one lick of difference between him working and not. Thank God he's gone, though. Maybe now they'll bring someone in who will do the frellin' job.

5. Football: The Patriots played their third preseason game last night, defeating the Panthers 23 - 3. Though it was a game that means nothing, it was encouraging to see the starting offense click for the first time this preseason (scoring 14 quick points in the third quarter). I can't wait until the season starts.

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   It will be such a different feeling this season, being defending Super Bowl champions. Everybody gunning for you. It's certainly going to be different.

6. Forgetfulness: While I've been wasting the past hour and a half writing up this post, I forgot that I was supposed to copy a couple of CDs this morning (Oh my God, what if the RIAA finds out! Ah, FUCK THEM!). Might as well get started . . .

Well, that's enough for this waste of time. I've spent almost two hours doing this, so I think I shall get going. Besides, I have to eat lunch and get ready to go into work.