There's No Better Way To Celebrate Than With Phillies "Lucky" Rain

If you're a Phillies fan it's time to go crazy and celebrate.  Those in Philadelphia already have.  But if not it's time to get in on the action.  You could celebrate like this:

Or even something like this:

The odds are against you doing anything of that sort.  So why not do something sensible instead.  Commemorative shirts and hats are acceptable.  But here's something for the true Phillie Phanatic: "lucky" rain from part 1 of Game 5.  Only on eBay, right?  Right.  

You are bidding on rain from the same storm system that brought the game to a screeching halt. It was collected no more than 5 miles away from Citizens Bank Park. It will be contained in a small vial and then sent to you via priority mail. I do not know what size vial or exactly how much you will get but it will be no less than 2 ml. I took a picture of the rain that I had collected in a pan that was sitting on my front steps. That is the only collection unit that I used so a very limited number of vials will be available & once they are gone, they are gone. Some will laugh but others will covet this tangible piece of history in the making...

Some will laugh.  But the last laugh will be on them.  $8.99 for a soaked piece of Phillies history?  It's a once-in-a-28-year championship, and a once-in-a-lifetime treasure.  Let seller Thomas sum up the Phillies' success so succinctly:

"if you shoot for the stars, maybe you'll end up on the mooon."

Indeed.  

Grandma Won't Give Ball Back; Grandma Gets Arrested

88-year-old Edna Jester is one tough cookie.  Or that's what it seems.  Little ol' Edna was arrested this past Thursday by Blue Ash, Ohio police after refusing to give back her neighbor's ball.  She was asked by police to return the teenager's ball, and refused to do it under any circumstance.  

"I said go ahead and arrest me. Handcuff me if you'd like, because I said I'm not guilty of anything," said Jester.

Jester fought the law, and the law won this time. She was arrested for petty theft, and the police even took her to jail.  Should she be found guilty, she faces at most six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.  Kind of stiff, no?  Had the kids stayed off her lawn, there probably would never have been a problem.  If the police arrested Edna for petty theft, then perhaps a trespassing charge should have been threatened against the kids.  

In a state where Joe the Plumber can become a national star, where is Edna's 15 minutes of fame?  Surely she can become "Edna the Petty Thief," whose Socialistic ways can face off against Joe's simple American dream?  I wouldn't mess with Edna, that's for sure.  

Professor Dennis Green Won't Let His Students Off The Hook

What do you get when you have a famous former football coach who likes to rant and has a lot of time on his hands?  That would be Professor Dennis Green.  The former Vikings and Cardinals Head Coach has begun teaching San Diego State University Sports Business Management MBA program's Strategic Management.

During the semester, students will work on a major project where they will develop a group presentation suggesting a viable solution to the stadium improvement issue currently facing the city of San Diego and the San Diego Chargers. The proposed solution will be based on classroom interaction with local experts involved with the issue and their own research conducted outside the classroom.

The lectern seems like a suitable place for Green, who's perhaps most famous for his fiery rants than his 117-102 career NFL coaching record.  The course, BA703, is sure to be interesting.  Students may crown Green a great professor, but he surely won't let them off the hook.   And, while the class seems to revolve around the San Diego sports scene, it's rumored that the final lecture will be titled "The Bears: They Are Who We Thought They Were."  Bullshit!  

Sex Olympia 2009: It's Coming

Back in August half of the buzz around the Beijing Games revolved around how much fooling around went on in the Olympic Village. While not every athlete had a chance to medal, anyone had a chance to get lucky inside in other events.  But why should those type of events be limited to Olympians?  And thus the Sex Olympia 2009 was born.  

The aim of the Sex Olympia is to contribute to the building of a peaceful and better world by liberating the world through sex, practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity, fair play and sexual liberty.

To be held in Queensland, Australia in August of next year, the Games will include such events as the Marathon Shag, Clean and Jerk, Sprints, Shot Putting, and Triple Hump.  It should be noted that participants will be judged on technique, creativity and statistical measurements where relevant. The rest of the events, with some explanations, can be found here.

An event like this perhaps could only be done in Australia.  And while you might be laughing now, the photos from it will help shake the blogosphere out of the inevitable late-summer boredom come next August.  The event is open to singles teams as well as couples over the age of 18.  So what are you waiting for?  

Free Beer For English Soccer Fans? That's Sure To Go Smoothly

When attendance is down, teams have a number of different options to fill the seats.  Discounted tickets and give-aways are two classics.  They can also provide incentives, like vouchers for free gas.  Bolton, an English Premier League team is trying a new approach, and it'll either be a great success, or result in many arrests and firings.  In order to combat slumping attendance they're giving out free beer.  

The first 1,000 fans at Saturday's match against Blackburn will be given free beer, with discounted pints available for all of the rest. Ticket prices behind both goals have been slashed to £15 and £5, youngsters can buy a season ticket for £49, and fans are being encouraged to bring banners and flags to the ground’s newly designated ‘singing end’. 

Is it just me, or does this sound disastrous?  Sure, attendance is down.  But the combo of cheap food, beer and tickets seems to be asking for the wrong crowd.  That formula seems to be foolproof across the globe, and I'm not sure how Bolton thinks it'll be any different.  

Saturday's game should be fun, though.  The same goes for the police in riot-gear that are sure to be there as well.

Vlade Takes His Flip-Flopping To Politics

We all remember Vlade Divac. The man who might be best remembered for being traded for Kobe Bryant on Draft Night in 1996 if not for his flopping skills has made the most of his retirement. He created the Humanitarian Organization Divac, helping displaced Serbian refugees across Europe.  

Now Vlade is taking on government. Or more like joining it. He's accepted an invitation to become an advisor to the Serbian government and Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dačić.  Vlade will be focusing on two major areas in Serbia: humanitarian issues and sports.  And he's qualified for both.  

“The deputy prime minister called me several months ago to explain to me his idea for me to be his adviser for the diaspora, sports and humanitarian work. That is what interests me, and if they want to create something positive, I can advise them,” he said.

Vlade's done some great work on behalf of the causes dear to his heart, and it's nice to see him taking his leadership to the next level. And he's also found another profession where flip-flopping is a big part of the game. Maybe he can get some political pointers from John Kerry? He's got time on his hands these days...

Christ Does Everything - Even Football!

After rushing for 232 yards in a High School football game, is there anything Christ can't do?  It's really too bad that Glouchester Catholic High School has Alex Christ, not that Jesus fellow.  Still - 232 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 23 carries?  He seems like a Christ we can get behind too!  

David Fincher Does Nike

Nike has a rich history of tremendous advertising, and their partnership with David Fincher is just another example. Finhcer, the director of Se7en, Fight Club, and Zodiac traces LaDainian Tomlinson and Troy Polamalu's journeys to the NFL.  In many respects this is what we've come to expect from Nike, and they deliver once again.  

Best/Worst Headline Ever?

While you might easily think the above headline is a dispatch from the porn capital of the San Fernando Valley in Southern California, it's really a High School girl's golf dispatch from Bowling Green, Kentucky.  Thank you, Courier-Dispatch proof-readers for allowing this headline to go through.  

And seriously - what about her third hole?  Not so soggy, I guess?

FOUND: The Perfect Activity For Four-Year-Olds

When I was four years old I did lots of fun stuff.  I had toys, played with friends, and went to pre-school.  I was no overachiever like Leonardo Panayiotou, that's for sure.   He might look like your average cute kid, but he's much more than that.  I had a bike with training wheels. Panayiotou is racing cars, and getting paid for it.

Panayiotou drives a go-cart at the track where Lewis Hamilton got his start. He spends over 16 hours per week training and has snared over $17,000 worth of sponsorships from five different companies. Panayiotou might be a good driver and all, but that's a lot of money to spend on a four-year-old, isn't it? While I might be a wee-bit skeptical, others clearly aren't.

Rye House manager Steve Cutting said: "I've been at the track for eight years and in the business for 15 and he is the most outstanding and talented driver I've seen for his age."

Cutting has a point, but it's probably due to the fact that the sample size is small. You have to assume that most parents wouldn't let a kid that age go anywhere near a go-cart.

Anyhow, Panayiotou's clearly got something special. Due to insurance rules the poor kid won't be able to race competitively for another four years, so let's hope this doesn't turn into a Marinovich-type affair.  And while four years may seem like a lifetime to Panayiotou (because it is!), those insurance companies have a point.  But perhaps they should go further.  Do we really need eight-year-old competitive racing?  What happened to soccer?  

Great Uses Of Judgement: Football Player Amputates Finger To Continue Career

There are some players whose dedication can never be called into question. Mesa State Right Guard Trevor Wikre is one of those people. There are also some players whose judgement can be called into question. Mesa State Right Guard Trevor Wikre is also one of those people.

Wikre, a senior, dislocated his right pinky finger during Mesa State's win over Fort Lewis last week. You can imagine how Wikre took the news that a full recovery would entail operating and inserting pins into his pinky, ending his season, and his collegiate career.

Rather than forgo the final six games of the season, Wikre instead chose to lose his pinky for the rest of his life. Yep, he had his pinky finger amputated in order to play low-level collegiate football.  So there's good dedication, and then there's foolish dedication.  This one has to fall in the latter category.  Wasn't there anyone around who was able to discourage this?  I guess only time will tell how this one turns out.  

Cubs Fans Can Eat Their Pitchers

Even before the first pitch of the series Chicago Cubs fans are getting excited. Not just fans though - businesses are getting in on the fun as well. Take Chicago-based Vienna Beef. They've created a whole line of hot dogs in honor of the Cubs' pitching staff.

Cubs fans might want to try the Dempster Dog, which honors Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster's Canadian heritage. One Vienna Beef hot wrapped by three slices of Canadian bacon topped with relish and mustard. Oh so good, and oh so Canadian!

If that doesn't whet your whistle, there's more. A bunch more wieners to satisfy the tastes of any Cubs fan.

Other specialty dogs include the Marquis Dog (honoring New Yorker Jason Marquis), which sports a Staten Island flair, and the Wood-ie Dog (honoring Kerry Wood), which is testament to Woods ability to work a quick inning or two and wrap up the game. The Marmol Dog, (honoring Carlos Marmol) which plays off Marmols terrific slider, and the Lilly Dog, which celebrates Ted Lillys great curve ball, round out the rotation.

That's five dogs. But will the Cubs have enough home games for fans to try each one? They'd be smart to double-up and eat two at a time over the next few days just in case.