Another Brewer rumor...

According to Yahoo's sports site, a deal in which the Brewers send Turnbow and Kevin Mench to the Phillies for Jon Leiber is in place. The Phillies are waiting to pull the trigger if and only if a trade for another starting pitcher goes through.

Leiber is a quality pitcher who had a bad year last year. I like the deal if it goes down.

The reason for the season

I received this via email last weekend and thought it was very appropriate for the season. The next time Bill O'Reilly goes off on the War on Christmas remember that there better ways to show your faith than simply spouting off all the time. Merry Christmas, everyone...

A Letter from Jesus Christ
(concerning His birthday celebration)

Dear children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of you're predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grapevine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgot that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that some people in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who those persons are, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

P.S. Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember, I LOVE YOU.

Why the BCS needs to go...

How many years are we going to go through this until we simply stop watching the games?

The BCS, once again, got the most important game wrong. How can Florida, who lost to #10 Auburn by 10 at Auburn bounce ahead of Michigan? But more importantly, the BCS has completely ruined what used to be the best day of the year in sports. Take a look at what we would have had under the "old school" bowl formula and what we are stuck with now...

Rose Bowl:

2007- USC vs. Michigan
Pre BCS- (Pac 10 champ vs. Big 10 champ) USC vs. Ohio State

Edge: Close, but a game between the two conference champions would be more interesting to watch. Old school up one.



Orange Bowl:

2007-Louisville vs. Wake Forest
Pre BCS (Big 12 champ vs. At Large) Oklahoma vs. LSU

Edge: The old school game is a great matchup to finish off New Years Day. The 2007 version is background noise until the halftime show starts. Old School up two.

Sugar Bowl:
2007- Notre Dame vs. LSU
Pre BCS- (SEC champ vs. At Large) Florida vs. Michigan

Edge: The 2007 game is one of the few interesting games on Jan. 1... wait, it's on the 3rd now (more on that later). The old school game, however, is the night's national championship game if Ohio State falters earlier in the day at Pasadena. Old School wins again.

OutBack and Capital One (Citrus and Hall of Fame) bowls:

Both of these bowls could very well be the matchups we would have seen back in the glory days of the 80's. We'll keep them the same and call the games a push.

Fiesta Bowl:
2007- Boise State vs. Oklahoma
Pre BCS (At Large vs. At Large) Notre Dame vs. Auburn

Edge: I really liked watching Boise State play on the blue field. Advantage old school


Gator Bowl:
2007- West Virginia vs. Ga. Tech
Pre BCS- (ACC champ vs. SEC) Wake Forest vs. Tennesee

Edge: Both games would be entertaining. Again, maybe I'm old but I liked watching the best of the ACC compete with a SEC heavyweight. We'll call it a push.


Cotton Bowl:
2007- Auburn vs. Nebraska
Pre BCS (SWC vs. at large) Lousville vs. Texas

Edge: The Southwest conference is dead, so we''l match up last year's National Champ with #5 Lousville. I lost interest in watching Nebraska about a decade ago, so again, I'll call it even


Yes, I see the white elephant in the room. We lose the National Championship game. I would argue we may get two in return (if, as usual, the Big 10 falters in California). Short of a playoff system, I would rather see a return to the days when perhaps two teams could claim the title.


Perhaps my biggest complaint about the BCS system is the way it has ruined January 1st. Remmber the old days, with eight games in one single day? For 30 minutes the Hall of Fame bowl stood alone and a bit of the Rose Bowl was played with no other games going. At the height of the day, however, four games were going. If the Orange Bowl sucked, surely the Sugar was a great game. The afternoon tested your remoting skills with the Cotton, Citrus, Gator and Fiesta (Sunkist) all going on.

Now? The Fiesta and Rose stand alone. The Sugar and Orange have their own night. For all intent, the college football junkies dream day is over about 4pm. Championship Saturday for the conferences is now a bigger day. Heck, Separation Saturday probably has better games.

Ahh, for the old days. Now, I'll probably watch the Badgers and go catch a movie...