IT'S TIME FOR THE BLACK OUTFITS TO COME OFF

I'M OKAY NOW

I've been in mourning for a day and a half now, and Annie-O says to come back into the light. Unfortunately, ESPN is still showing World Series highlights and there is supposed to be a parade in Boston on Saturday that will evoke more highlights I'll have to ignore. David Ortiz was named W.S. MVP, and he sure deserved it. I've never seen a hitter terrify a team like Big Papi did in this Series. That, I can live with .

NOT DEFENDING A-ROD, BUT...
More disgusting rhetoric out of the A-Rod appeal process this week. Rob Manfred, MLB's chief operating officer, jumped all over A-Rod for his statement vilifying Bud Selig over his statements involving this appeal. To quote Manfred:
"Mr. Rodriguez's use of PEDs was longer and more pervasive than any other player, and when this process is complete, the facts will prove that it is Mr. Rodriguez and his representatives who have engaged in ongoing, gross misconduct."
A three-man panel is hearing this appeal and Manfred is one of the three. He's certainly entitled to his opinion, and his assessment is probably right, but since A-Rod's defense doesn't even start for a couple of weeks, don't you think Manfred should hold his tongue and give this process at least the appearance of being objective? Nah, let's keep this whole situation down in the mud pits where it belongs.

SPEAKING OF MUD PITS... 
The NY football Giants - I have to say 'football' because it's hard to recognize what the Giants are playing - are also down in the mud pits. They've had multiple injuries to their offensive line and to their running backs. All this contributes to the horrible season Eli Manning is having. The Jets have also had injuries to some of their impact players (I'm not sure 'impact' should be in any sentence involving the Jets), and we're all aware of the Yankees injury problems. All 3 New York City teams:  think it  might be something in the water?

SO NOW THE SECOND-GUESSING STARTS 
Before the Series, sportswriters were raving about Yadier Molina's ability to call a game. His pitch selection was so imaginative and so effective, that St Louis pitchers all seemed averse to shaking him off. HOWEVER: all that changed after game six, when Michael Wacha couldn't make it pass the 4th inning, gave up six runs and ultimately took the loss.  After shutting down the Red Sox in game two using mostly fastballs and change-ups, Wacha used a lot more curves, his third best pitch, than change-ups in game six, and the Sox beat him up. Sportswriters are asking why Molina didn't rely more on the change-up in game six. There are scouts who say that the Red Sox hitters were beginning to hone in on the change-up in the latter part of game two, so Molina was obviously trying to confuse the Sox in game six. If it had worked, everybody would have jumped on the Molina bandwagon. When it didn't, he was vilified. I quoted Terry Francona last time and it still holds now: "If you win, you're smart..."

NEW SEASON, NEW TEAM, NEW CONFERENCE 
The Syracuse Orange basketball team begins their first season in the ACC this year, joining teams like  Duke, North Carolina, N.C. State and Maryland, to name a few. Former Big East opponents will be there too, like Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. It's looks like it's going to be a bumpy ride. On the bright side, Orangeman C.J. Fair was voted ACC Player of the Year in a pre-season poll, and incoming freshman Tyler Ennis is drawing raves as the starting point guard.


***THEY SAID IT***
"The Cardinals were very late getting into Boston Tuesday night. A mechanical problem delayed their flight for six hours and they didn't get in until 11 p.m. Ironically, the team named after a bird had trouble flying."  -- Jimmy Kimmel

"Wasn’t Red Sox owner John Henry absolutely terrible during the post game ceremony? Why didn’t he crawl back into his Wally the Green Monster costume and just stay there?"  -- TC Chong

"An NFL game ended Thursday night in overtime on a safety? That’s almost as unbelievable as a baseball game ending on an obstruction call."  -- Janice Hough

"A “Walking Dead” fan convention is scheduled for this weekend in Atlanta.We’d have guessed Jacksonville: It’s the Jaguars’ bye week."  -- Dwight Perry
"Alabama’s Nick Saban chastised Tide fans for prematurely heading for the exits. Let’s just think about that. Nick Saban is criticizing someone, anyone, for leaving someplace early?”  -- Steve Schrader, Detroit Free Press
"At the Oct. 29 NFL trade deadline, The New England Patriots got a defensive lineman and a player to be indicted later."  -- Alan Ray
"After the Packers-Vikings game, Aaron Rodgers had a “super long” hug at midfield with ex-teammate Greg Jennings. Rodgers was whispering into Jennings' ear, trying to sell him an insurance policy."  -- Brad Dickson

"So long to longtime broadcaster Tim McCarver, who is finally retiring . He has given up trying to be more popular and famous than his backup catcher during his playing days – Bob Uecker."  -- TC Chong

"The tallest man in the world, Turkey’s 8-foot 3 Sultan Kosen, got married over the weekend — and at least one well-wisher says he can’t wait till they start having children.But enough about John Calipari."  -- Dwight Perry

"Oct 22, 2000: Colorado goalie Patrick Roy was arrested on suspicion of domestic assault. Head Coach Bob Hartley had no comment.

Oct 31, 2013: Colorado goalie Semyon Varlamov was arrested on suspicion of domestic assault. Head Coach Patrick Roy had no comment."  -- TC Chong

 [It ain't sports, but...]
"An Italy woman has left her entire $13.3 million fortune to her cat. You think that's stupid -- the parakeet is contesting the will."  -- Brad Dickson


 CP-