B List: 7 Wonders of This World - The "What If" List (List 4)

If only this and this would have happened, things would have been different.

We all have wonders in our lives on what could have been if something in our lives would have changed. It doesn't mean a regret, which is something one should never have anyways, as we all need to make mistakes in life on occasion to get on the right path.

There are certain moments that you can look back on and say, if only. This list is inspired by something that just happened today, leaving the sporting community wondering "if only..." 

Below is a list of 7 athletes, actors and musicians who either had their lives or careers end tragically in my lifetime, with probably more of an emphasis on athletes. I'll rank them in order based on a combination of potential cultural significance of what they could have been and their relevance in my areas of interest (i.e. sports hold more of an interest in my life than music).

What could have been for Oden...

7. Greg Oden - Tabbed by many as one of the next big franchise centers for years to come, Oden has only played 82 games since being drafted #1 by the Portland Trailblazers in 2007. He didn't play in a game until a year and a half after he was drafted, and from there, he just continued to get injured. Worse for them is that Kevin Durant was drafted by the Supersonics (now the Thunder), so they'll always have their own version of "what if". Despite his lackluster stats in that 82 game sample of a career (9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds per game), anyone who watched Oden in college and before know the type of talent that he had. In the absence of hindsight, three scoring titles and at the very least, an NBA Finals appearance, there was a good reason why Oden was drafted with the first pick. For the most part of NBA history, the staple of sustained success was with having a big talented guy at center. I hope he can eventually get healthy and make a comeback of sorts. I hate watching talent go to waste.

He overdid everything - including drugs.

6. Chris Farley - He'd be higher on my list if it wasn't a shock that he would end up dying in a very tragic way at an early age. Anything that Farley did, he overdid, whether it be in acting with his pratfalls or with his drinking and drug use. Farley's legacy for our generation was summed up in his appearances on Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, and the classic SNL skits such as the Chippendales auditions and Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker. I'm not sure how much more he could have done with his brand of comedy, as his range was limited to a very specific role (fat, aloof idiot who we couldn't help but love). Seeing what a similar actor in terms of lack of range  (Adam Sandler) did with his "talents" over the years after a successful SNL stint, I'm sure there would have been a career full of movies for Farley had he stayed alive. However, I doubt they would have matched the appeal of his first two major roles (see: Beverly Hills Ninja).

Cobain hated the fame that his music created .

5. Kurt Cobain - Like Farley, Cobain's demise was apparent to those who knew him best. Even in his lyrics, you could hear the wanting out of life that Cobain desired. In April of 1994, he shot himself dead at the age of 27 (no, it wasn't Courtney Love). I didn't get into alternative music (and music in general) until about 2-3 years after his death, so his death doesn't hit home with me as much as it might some others. I know some people who think Nirvana is overrated, and I admit that I haven't listened to them as much over the years as I did before - mainly because their library of music isn't as deep as most artists I listen to (and thus, I get sick of it quicker). However, there's no questioning the new era of music that came in with Nirvana and the album Nevermind. To many, Nirvana was music's answer to the fluffy era of rock music that preceded it, one that actually reflected the angst that many teenagers were dealing with. I don't know how much more Cobain could have done as a musician, but his early death will leave people wondering....if only. Could Nirvana have had as much staying power as Pearl Jam has? My opinion - no, only because I believe Dave Grohl already had Foo Fighters lined up before Cobain died. To think, Foo Fighters have been around since 1994 (its 19th year as a band). That's about five times longer than Nirvana lasted.

I'll Have Another in the Kentucky Derby

4. I'll Have Another - In terms of a sports story, it doesn't get much sadder to see a horse miss out on a chance to win the Triple Crown because of a career-ending injury. I'll Have Another paid me a handsome sum back in May when he raced out of the 19th post as an 18/1 and took home the Kentucky Derby. He followed that victory up with another head-to-head victory over Bodemeister in the Preakness, en route to becoming the first horse since Big Brown in 2008 to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown. A swollen tendon is what will hold the horse from having a chance to be the first Triple Crown winner since 1978.  If he would have won the Triple Crown, the marketability of the horse and horse racing in general would have had a short-term spike. Nevertheless, I'm sure his stud fee is through the roof, so no tears to be shed for his owners.

Biggie & Tupac's deaths left a hole in hip hop that will never be filled

3. Tupac/Biggie - I know many of my friends aren't the biggest fans of hip hop music, but the deaths of these two rap legends left a hole in the hip hop industry that they have never really been able to replace. Both deaths were violent endings to Hall of Fame rappers, both of whom connected to their listeners in a rare way and brought hip hop music to new heights. It's unfortunate that these guys had to die when they did.   To think that I've already lived four more years than either one of them did. I would probably have these guys up higher if I was a bigger hip-hop fan (I consider myself a fan of limited hip-hop, the small part of the genre that doesn't constantly rap about "big screen TVs, blunts, 40s and bitches"*). I wouldn't blame people having these guys as the biggest "what ifs" of our generation in terms of what could have came from their future talents. I believe they would have done more with their future talents than Cobain would have.

*A nod to the Steve Berman track on an Eminem record

Bias a couple days before his death

2. Len Bias - For those of you who don't know who Len Bias is, I highly suggest you do a quick Google search and read everything about this guy's freakish athletic ability. Before Michael Jordan comparisons became the norm in the era of the 24/7 news media, Bias (from many accounts) would have been the closest thing to him in terms of his athletic prowess. According to Wiki, the Boston Celtics' famed coach Red Auerbach said he planned on drafting Bias for the Celtics for the three years before he actually declared for the draft. A few days after being drafted 2nd by the Celtics in the 1986 draft, Bias died of a drug overdose. I've heard that the 30-for-30 piece about him on ESPN (Without Bias) was well done, although I can't say I've seen it. All I know is that his death more than likely prevented the Celtics from continuing their dynasty into the early 90s (and perhaps allowed the Chicago Bulls to have a chance to secure their own dynasty with one less roadblock in the way).

One of the best athletes that's ever been around.

1. Bo Jackson - With the talents that he possessed, Jackson could have been a Hall of Famer in both baseball and football. He had power and speed that the NFL had never really seen before, especially from the running back position (his Tecmo Bowl replica was probably the most devastating video game character ever). His limited NFL career had plenty of highlights, most notably the destruction of roided linebacker Brian Bosworth, who dared to talk shit to Bo. According to his Wiki profile, he is the first athlete to be named an all-star in two professional sports. His 4.12 speed in the 40m run is still the fastest recorded time at an NFL-draft combine. If he wouldn't have suffered his severe hip injury in the 1990 season, he would have had a good chance to become an all-time great running back (based on his 5.4 yards per carry in his career). In addition to his football talents, Bo also hit 20 home runs in his first four full seasons in the pros - the four years preceding his hip injury (including a career high 32 in the 1989 season). Bo was somehow able to make a comeback to baseball in 1991, signing with the White Sox. After missing the 1992 season, he came back in '93, artificial hip and all, and helped the Sox make their first postseason in 10 years in limited action. The hip injury ultimately derailed any chances Bo had of becoming Hall-of-Fame worthy in either sport. It's a shame too that much of the generation that followed me wouldn't even know who Bo Jackson is.

B List - Best Value on NFL Super Bowl Futures (List 3)

We're still over 3 months away from the regular season starting, yet I can't stop thinking about it. The sport itself is enough to enjoy, but add to it the element of fantasy football and gambling, and we have a recipe for my favorite sport. While it is not the most timely of topics, it is one I cannot avoid.

Below are futures bets (odds to win the Super Bowl) that I'd consider great values at the moment. I'll eventually write an NFL preview with predictions and may not have the same opinion of the teams listed below as I do now.

Remember too, for gamblers, betting on odds to win the Super Bowl isn't always about picking the team who will win it all, but rather what team can guarantee you some profit depending on their level of advancement in the playoffs. Profit should always be the goal, so hedging against these picks in the playoffs would guarantee some money back either way.

Without further ado...

7. Kansas City - 50/1...A year removed from a division championship, the Chiefs offer great value for a team that resides in the NFL's new worst division. Last year, it felt like the entire Chiefs team got injured with ACL injuries in the first couple weeks. With a presumably healthy Jamaal Charles & Matt Cassel coming back, along with a nice complement for Charles in Peyton Hillis, I believe that the Chiefs have a great chance to win the division again. My initial thought of winning this division a few weeks ago was San Diego, but I'm not sure how much I can trust a team led by Norv Turner, who must have naked pictures on the Chargers owner for continually avoiding the chopping block.

6. St. Louis - 80/1...The Rams have a well-respected coach taking the helm this year. Like the AFC West, we're not talking about one of the toughest divisions in the NFL. If Bradford can stay healthy behind center, I expect the Rams to surpass the Vegas win total of 6 for the 2012 season by at least two games. I don't think the Rams are better or more talented than the 49ers, but even I know that the leap the Niners took from 2010 to 2011 is likely to have a regression of sorts. If that regression is in the 9-10 win range, I think the Rams could threaten for the division. Another great thing about the Rams is the tremendous amount of youth on their team - it could end up working in their favor.

5. Miami - 40/1...In the first half of 2011, the Dolphins were looking like strong contenders to be in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Then, after an 0-7 start, something strange happened...they started winning. They closed the second half of the year with a 6-3 record, with many blowout wins in that stretch (their average margin of victory in those 6 games was about 16 points). They were even slaughtering the Patriots in a Christmas Eve tilt before Brady and company came back and stole one at home. The Dolphins may have drafted Ryan Tannehill for the future, but I believe Matt Moore's solid run down the stretch behind center deserves a second look entering the season. I could see Miami contending for a Wild Card in the AFC, with an outside shot at the AFC East crown if New England loses Brady for a significant period of time.


4. Chicago - 28/1...Last year, I liked the odds they had in the preseason as well, and their odds looked like a steal until Cutler and Forte went down in mid-November and their team, which looked like a team who could make a run in the playoffs (despite the likelihood of playing nothing but road games), went to completely crap. A 7-3 start was followed by a 1-5 stumble in the last 6 games without Cutler. This year, Cutler and Forte are back and have experienced backups (Jason Campbell and Michael Bush) that would make injuries to the starters less harmful to the season's prospects. With Brandon Marshall in the fold, Cutler has his favorite target from Denver. Their defense has hardly ever been an issue, so I expect them to be strong there again. Division champions have about a 50% turnover rate every year, so it would not shock me to see either the Bears or Lions overtake the Packers in the NFC North and have a high seed in the playoffs.

3. Carolina - 44/1...After seeing what Cam Newton did in his first year behind center, I am a big believer in his abilities and I think he will be in the elite QB discussion for the next 10 years. A blog of mine back in January pointed out that most teams who win Super Bowls have a Hall-of-Fame quality QB behind center, and while it was only his first year, I believe Newton's career arc will have him contending for Super Bowls in the near future. With the leaps that teams make from year to year, who's to say the Panthers can't go from 2-14 to 11-5/12-4 in a two-year span? Consider me one of the first on their bandwagon.

2. New Orleans - 16/1...The Saints are one of the most difficult teams to project in the NFL. The coach who led them to the Super Bowl - suspended for year. Some key defensive players - suspended for portions of the year (Vilma for the entire year). I wouldn't be surprised if the distractions of what has happened this offseason caused the Saints to dip to an 8-8 or 7-9 record. On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise me if Brees and company picked up where they left off last year and dominated their division once again. The latter thought is what makes me think that New Orleans has great value at this price. If NO were to make the playoffs in a similar fashion as last year, their odds will end up being a lot lower. And don't forget - if they do make the Super Bowl, it would be a home game, with the Superdome as host for this year's big game.

1. Detroit - 23/1...Stud QB, check. Stud WR, check. Stafford and Calvin Johnson showed what they can do together in a full season, which led Detroit to their first playoff appearance in centuries. In a passing league, having elite guys at these positions is key to making a series run at a ring. The front part of their line with Fairley & Suh is as talented as they come. The one thing I worry about with the Lions is their character issues. Fairley, Titus Young & Mikel Leshoure have all been arrested this offseason for various reasons. Leshoure missed 2011, but he could be the key in Detroit taking the next step in 2012. If the Lions could add a running attack to that passing offense, the Lions could be contending for the #1 seed in the NFC. There's still some issue with a weak secondary, but I place Detroit as the best value in terms of somewhat long-shots because I believe their ceiling is the highest of these teams. It'd be a risky 23/1, but one that could pay itself off in a big way.

B-List - Things I've Learned While Packing (List 2)

Welcome to the second edition of B-list. Last week's first list featured my top 7 favorite White Sox players of all time.

This week's list is on another timely topic. As many of you know, I'm about to move to the city with the girlfriend. I'm still in the process of packing stuff that has been collecting in my room for the past decade and a half.

The packing process has brought back some memories. In no particular order, seven random thoughts...

7. I've collected waaaaaaaay too many things. You need four or five copies of The Daily Illini from 9-12-2001 that reflect the tragedy that our nation suffered the day before? This guy had them. What about some random bent-up baseball cards from the early 90s of guys who are probably changing oil on your car? That doesn't include the stuff I still collect, like hats and beer glasses, which are all coming to the new place (as the Lady smiles).

6. Me and my friends used to be skinny. I was looking at some old pictures of y'all. Sorry to say, ladies and gentlemen, but Father & Mother time hasn't been friendly to our mid-sections. Do I blame alcohol? No. Laziness? No, not that. Decreased Metabolism? Nope. Terrible dieting habits? Uhmm....nope, not that either. Screw it, I'll just blame global warming. Increased earth temperatures caused us to balloon up 20-50 pounds. Not alcohol.

5. One Hit Wonders. I'm sure every generation of kids has a handful of albums they've bought for that one hit, only to realize that the other 11 songs are complete shit. There's a reason many of these groups did not make it beyond that one hit. Anyone looking for that Dishwalla reunion tour opening for the New Radicalz (with a 'z' cuz they're edgy and cool) might be waiting a while. Yes - I have a Dishwalla CD from the 90s, and no - I have no idea why I didn't throw that into the fireplace at some point over the years. At least I wasn't dumb enough to put them on my I-tunes playlist; otherwise, based on my new year's resolution of listening to every single song on the I-Pod, I might have to (gulp) listen to....Dishwalla. If you don't know who they are, go on YouTube and search "Counting Blue Cars" (I apologize for putting you through that 4 minutes). But please, whatever you do, don't tell me all your thoughts on God.

4. Dusty Rubbers...I'll leave that one to the imagination.

3. So much stuff, so little space. If you've ever been at the house, you'd know that my room is one of the smallest in the house. Before I moved down here in the mid 90s, the room was home to all of me, my brother and sister's toys. When shoving a bed and a dresser for clothes into the room, there's not a whole lot of square footage to navigate in the room. For this much stuff to be in the room is quite amazing. And yet, I'm still not done in there. That's more due to procrastination.

2. The Devaluation of Memories. Packing up all the trophies I received from the bowling, basketball and baseball leagues over the years, I have much different thoughts about some of those experiences now than when I experienced them back in the day. The biggest trophy in my collection was an indirect subject of my blog from yesterday - since I don't actually remember playing a single game during that baseball tournament. These participation trophies are a lot cooler when you're younger than now, when they're just reminders of your lack of playing time. It also reminds me of the three-point contest that I never got a chance to compete in during middle school since my coach gave me the wrong time for the start of the competition, and funny enough, his kid replaced me in the contest. That team participation medal that I got that day went immediately into the trash can. Fuck that guy.

Ok, I'm done venting. Seriously though, if you're ever a coach of a sports team for kids, don't be as big of a dick as that guy was.

1. I'm really gonna miss this place. That's what living in one place for 26 years (including the years at college, when this place was still technically my home) will do to a guy. Sure, don't get me wrong - I cannot wait to start my new life in a new place with a great gal. I can't wait for the new memories that are awaiting me in the future, but being the reflective guy I am, I can't help about the great times I've had at this place, save for Item 4. The toilet toss, Monday Night Raw sessions, pick-up basketball games, poker games. To leave this place behind is gonna be tough. But I'm ready to move on.

Time to create a new home in a new area. I can't wait.

Fuck that guy. Sorry, still stewing about the end of Item 2.

Little League, Big Disappointment

In the past 10 days, I've had flashbacks to my Little League days - but not the good "Home Run" or "Nice Catch" memories pop up. More of the LSD/'Nam flashbacks where you just want the acid trip to end (note, I've never done acid, just to ease your mind in case you worried - this is just to make a point).

Last week, I went to a White Sox game with Jen, her friend from work and the friend's husband. The Sox were facing the Tigers. We had decent bleacher seats in right field, kind of close to the vistiting team bullpen. As the Tigers half of the first inning ended, I saw a familiar name warming up the right fielder. Turns out an old classmate of mine is now the bullpen catcher on Detroit and gets to play catch with the outfielder during the game.

Look at this stud

I knew this guy was in the Tigers system, but that's not the story. The sight of this player brought back some memories of my Little League days. I played with him in a baseball league back in the day, including making a traveling All-Star team when I was 8 years old. I say "made the team", but unfortunately did not involve much playing. This team was coached by the guy's dad. It sucked as a little kid sitting on the bench for these games while my peers got to play every game and every inning. Sucked even worse for my parents who came to all my games, hoping that I would get some action, only to be a bench prop game in, game out. I have a trophy that proves that I was a part of the team, but I was no more part of the team than you were. You would think that all kids in a setting like that would get close-to-equal playing time, but this particular coach was all about winning.

My second reminder of these days happened earlier this week. I was watching America's Got Talent, and some 7-8 year old kid was showing off his rapping "skills". The judges buzzed that kid off before he could finish, which led the kid to cry. While I don't remember crying when these baseball games were going on and I couldn't play, I was definitely just as disappointed at not being able to play. The weird thing with this incident was that I completely sided with the judges on this one. The kid didn't deserve to advance - he sucked. The judges are required to be critical of bad talent and advance the good talent. Obviously doesn't always happen that way, but they get it right more often than not in these shows. Anyways, Howard Stern was given heat for critiquing the kid, even though he was hired to be critical. It's as if a kid is just automatically supposed to advance because "he's cute" or some other BS.

In both of these cases, a young person (me and this kid) were exposed to disappointment at a very young age. Despite my negative experience, I didn't have a ton of sympathy for the kid who got voted off. If this kid is as good of a rapper as he and others may think he is, he will continue to work on his skills, practice his craft to no end, and perhaps someday show some actual talent in rapping. Whether you're the best at what you do or looking to advance in the field of your choice, practicing and looking to learn how to get better is necessary.

While I didn't give up Little League after that experience, I did give up playing baseball when I got cut from the high school team in freshman year. My line of thinking was - OK, I didn't make the team this year - no way will I make the team in future years. So instead of trying to get better and make next year's team, I quit playing.

These experiences as a youth can definitely carry over to one's adulthood. While I was definitely disappointed with how my traveling baseball experience went when I was younger, it gave me a life lesson really quick. One that we're afraid to expose to younger kids - the concept of disappointment. As parents (or in my case, a future parent down the line), we want our kids to be happy and have a better childhood than we did - even though many of us can't really complain about how things turned out.

Unfortunately, it's hard to spin a disappointing event in a kid's life into a positive. It's hard to tell a kid, "This is how life is sometimes. It's not fair." As a kid (or even a high schooler), if I really really wanted to succeed at baseball, there's no guarantee that I would have made future baseball teams. Sometimes, it's just a true lack of talent in something that holds you back from making a team; other times, it may be some silly politics, where kids make teams simply based on who they know or whose asses they kiss.

However, there is a definite guarantee in not making the team if I don't try out for it. I suppose I just didn't care to succeed in baseball, that I was somewhat burnt out from playing for the past 9 years and just wanted time to myself.

The best thing you can teach a kid in a moment of childhood disappointment is that while life doesn't always go the way you want it to, if you really want something, you have to keep trying, keep practicing at making yourself better. You may not always catch the right eyes and get what you want (more playing time or your first record contract), but you won't catch anyone's eyes if you just give up because someone said you weren't worthy or weren't good.

As the cliche goes, you miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take. You may miss some (or most) of the ones you do, but if you really want something, a certain level of effort is needed. Otherwise, you have only yourself to blame for it.

B List: Favorite White Sox players (List 1)

I figured I should hit the refresh button and come up with a new theme in the blogs. The dating blogs seemed to be the last theme-based writings I did, and I'm glad I didn't have to write them for very long on account of meeting a wonderful girl in the first month of doing it.

Every Friday (give or take 7 days), I'll aim to come up with a unique list, covering random crap (but for your sake, hopefully not literally random craps). I'll try keeping them relevant to something current going on, although with the tangents I go on, I could connect my baseball hat collection to the fall of the Roman Empire in about 3-4 steps.

Without further ado, here's the inaugural list: Favorite White Sox players of my lifetime. The White Sox/Cubs series kicks off (for many) the official start of baseball season, and with many Cubs fans favorite pitcher Kerry Wood having just pitched his last game with the team, I figured - hey, a great topic.

I'll be making my Lists in 7s, mainly to be different, and 7 because of its Vegas tie-in.

Feel free to offer your own favorite Sox or own list ideas.

Missed the Cut (in no particular order): Lyle Mouton (based on name only), Bo Jackson (wasn't with team long enough), Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome (same reason as Bo, although at least he was with the Sox for a few years), Melido Perez, Ray Durham, Carlos Lee

One of two pictures showing White Sox players being punched

7. Robin Ventura - Ventura was a staple of the middle part of the White Sox lineup in the 90s, amassing 171 of his 294 career home runs with the South Siders. His 10-year career with the Sox also included 741 RBIs & a .274 average. For some reason, his average season (17 HRs, 74 RBI, .274 average seems rather meh, but missed time in 1994 (player's strike) & 1997 (54 games played) skews the averages. According to baseball-reference, he also had 4 seasons with the White Sox where he finished in the top 5 of fielding percentage for AL 3rd basemen. I enjoyed watching him as a kid—you knew what you were going to get with him, year in and year out. However, he can’t be any higher than 7 for the simple reason that he picked a fight with a grandpa on a baseball field and got his ass kicked. I never said this was going to be a logical list.

Black Jack - As good of a 3-year run as Sox fans seen from a starter

6. Jack McDowell - BlackJack McDowell was the first great ace that I was able to enjoy as a kid. His three year stretch from 1991-1993 (averaged 257 IPs, ERA in the 3.30 range, combined record of 59-30) is as good of a run as we’ve seen for a South Side pitcher, culminating in a Cy Young in 1993. As a kid though, it was great to have a guy who brought a presence to the mound, where you and I and everyone else knew he was the ace just by the look of him. His trademark thinly styled sideburns with goatee was classic Black Jack. He was only with the White Sox for 7 years and never really sniffed his early career success at his other stops. His run in Chicago was memorable enough for me to crack the Top 6.

What many people wish they could do to AJ

5. AJ Pierzynski -  AJ is the poster boy for polarizing athletes. I don’t have poll results in front of me, but I’d venture a guess and say that about 90-95% outside of the White Sox fan base would not mind if Pierzynski was pushed out of a moving vehicle in the direction of Lake Michigan, where some of those Asian Trout can feast upon him. You get the idea. When he was with the Twins, AJ endeared himself to absolutely no one in Chicago. He was the face of our hatred for the Twins. Now, I bet you would find that most White Sox fans (myself included) appreciate his grit and win-at-all-cost attitude, usually at the expense of irritating his opponent.

 Since his arrival to the White Sox in 2005, AJ has had a hand (sometimes literally) in many memorable moments (for good and bad). Take your pick: getting punched by Michael Barrett after Barrett didn’t take kindly to AJ’s method of slapping the plate (followed up by some colorful language I presume); The Drop Third Strike in the 9th inning of game 2 of the ALCS (only AJ could be involved with a controversial play of this magnitude); catching two no-hitters (including Philip Humber’s perfect game this year). While the mere mention of him annoys many non-Sox fans, one thing he has to be given credit for is his great work ethic. Dude always brings it when he’s on the field. In his 8 year career with the Sox, he has never appeared in less than 128 games (outstanding stretch of health for a catcher), netting average seasons of .280 average, 12 HR, 50 RBI. More importantly though, he’s always seemed to have a good handle on the pitching staff.

Giving hope to many ugly people who want to get laid

4. Ron Karkovice - Ron Karkovice’s pock face reminds many of what Neil Armstrong probably saw when he landed on the moon almost 50 years ago. I don’t have a great reason for including him this high in my favorite Sox of my lifetime outside of his paper bag-inspired face. He batted .221 for his 12-year career (all with the White Sox). He had a 5-season run in the mid 90s where he got double digit home runs every year—but then again, what player in that era DIDN’T have a run like that? He did have a great nickname (The Officer), and I remember him being serviceable enough of a catcher. Actually, I’m pretty sure he’s higher than he should be on this list solely due to his crater look.

 3. Paul Konerko -  If some people want to put him higher on the list, I couldn’t blame them. Like AJ, Konerko will always have his own page in White Sox history, especially with his grand slam in Game 2 of the 2005 Series. He continues to put up great numbers despite advanced age. He reached the 400 HR plateau this season for his career, 3 away from 400 in his White Sox career (would be second to hit 400 as a White Sox player – Frank Thomas). Outside of one bad year in 2003, Konerko has been a guy to count on for the better part of the past 13 years, averaging over 30 HRs/90 RBIs w/ a respectable .285 batting average (.507 career slugging percentage). The memories that don’t show up in box scores (ok, one does) that I remember are (1) his brief stint as one of Chicago’s 50 most-eligible bachelors, during which Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin’” would blast through the stadium speakers as he slowly approached the plate and (2) attending a game during his crappy 2003 season where he came up to pinch-hit in extra innings down by a run, and a near-by “fan” just stormed away in disgust, figuring the game was over, as PK was well below .200 hitting at that point in the year (3 HRs in 69 games played through that point in July). Paulie connects on a dinger that extends the game another inning, with Frank Thomas ending the game on a 2-run walk off. If you want to put him 1 or 2, I don’t blame you. I put him at 3.

Big Pimpin'



Mr. Perfect

2.Mark Buehrle - Buehrle wasn’t just a model of consistency—he was a goddamn supermodel of consistency. His 12 year with the Sox ended when he signed with the Miami Marlins and reconnecting with Ozzie Guillen, but his decision has no bearing on where he ranks in my favorite White Sox players. From his first full season (2001) thru 2011 (11 total seasons), he reached 13 or more wins in all but 2 seasons, never straying far from an ERA in the 3.80 range with the exception of one year. He was as healthy as they came too, pitching 200+ innings in that 11 year span, never starting less than 31 games in a season. His resume is as decorated as any in White Sox lore: 2 no-hitters (including a perfect game), 3 Gold Gloves, 4 All-Star appearances. He even notched a save in the World Series. His personality always came through when he played. I remember him doing the slip-and-slide on the tarp during rain delays, before Sox management put the axe on that. There really isn’t one thing that I can complain about when it comes to him. The only group of people that could reasonably complain about him were beer vendors, who many times had less than their standard 2 hours of getting the crowd hammered thanks to Buehrle's quick efficiency on the mound. Great player, great guy. We definitely miss him on the South Side, but can’t say I blame him for taking a better deal with the Marlins. While I don’t mind that we didn’t give him a longer/more expensive deal than Miami, simply because pitchers at his age are usually not worth the time and expense, you could argue that his consistency mentioned above deserved at least a matching offer. I’ll continue to root for him until he retires.

If there was one White Sox player larger than life, it was Thomas

1. Frank Thomas - Before he became famous for making his own beer*, Frank Thomas was famous for hitting baseballs often and hitting them far. He has pretty much every significant power hitting record in White Sox history while maintaining a .307 career average with the team. From 1991-1997, he batted over .300 w/ 20+ HR & 100 RBI EVERY SINGLE YEAR in that span. Consider by many a power hitter, he never led the league in home runs but does have a batting title on his resume. He had a great eye for the ball, walking over 100 times 10 times in his White Sox career. He was one of the best hitters in MLB history and definitely one of the most feared in our generation. There's times where I think we didn't appreciate what Thomas did as a player because so many people were turned off by his personality. When I judge my favorite players, I don't hold his uneasy relationship with the media against him. Rather, I remember him for what his bronze statue on the left field concourse shows - a big linebacker of a baseball player with one of the best swings we'll ever see. I don't see another like him coming around anytime soon. I really wish he could have played in the 2005 run to the title, but I am really glad he got a ring one way or another. There's no one who did more as a White Sox player as Frank Thomas did in his time with the White Sox. To the Big Hurt, this one spot is for you. Thanks for being such a dominant hitter and giving White Sox fans thrills for over 15 years.


*I'm assuming (wrongly) that someone will read this blog in 20 years after his Big Hurt Brew has entered its sixth year as the top selling beer in the world.

Packing Away the Memories (And Ready to Make New Ones)

I just packed my first box to move out.

I know that doesn't sound like much, but it's the first step of moving my belongings from the basement that I've called my own for the past 17 years and a home I've stunk up for the past quarter century.

I remember my first nights down here, wondering what the hell the sounds were coming from the laundry room. Not sure if they were imagined or real to this day.

As I grew older, I remember having my first beer down here, a can of Miller Lite that looked to be many many years old (it didn't taste that bad, given it was many many years old and that it was Miller Lite). I remember all of the Monday Night Raws I would host with friends coming over to watch the teenage male soap opera before it went all PG and started to suck.

And who amongst my friends of 10+ years doesn't love remembering the days of Toilet Toss, which required a person to throw a tennis ball from the couch aligned with the bathroom into the toilet. Surprisingly (or maybe not), the shooting percentages of me and the friends were not very high. But it wasn't so much making it in the toilet that made us enjoy the game, but rather my dad getting pissed off at the sound of a ball hitting off the bathroom wall. At least we didn't paint a backboard on the wall (think positive, Dad).

I don't remember where I heard this one, but sometime during my college run from 2001-2005, I believe my brother was supposed to move down here to end my reign as King of the Basement (no, unfortunately, I don't have a crown for this). However, my folks were hesitant to let him have a room/area to himself that would be hard to supervise him and his g/f. They didn't have much faith in my ability to get a girlfriend at the time (can't say I blame them - I'm far removed from my days as a nerd that was uncomfortable talking to girls).

The last of rituals that was established downstairs were the poker games, usually on Wednesdays, that would last until 1 or 2am. The side tables would create the most fun though, with random card games being played for four or five times more than the hold'em tourney about to finish off. All the while, some beers were consumed, even by Buddy, who would often be jonesing for a beer whenever a game was going on

I think it's fitting to tell these stories as it represents the immature side of my life. That may never change though. However, taking the next step, moving into a place with Jen and being responsible for a lot more now, it makes me reflect on all the times spent in the basement/garage over the years and realize how much I've grown.

While I have many more boxes to pack before moving out in three weeks, I figured I'd reminisce a little about all the good memories I've had in the basement down here. I haven't given much thought to what I'm leaving behind until now. I must say, I'll miss some aspects of this place.

But it's time to move on, become a responsible adult, and start the next chapter of my life with my great girlfriend. Time to become a Chicagoan, soaking in the sights and sounds that the city has to offer - including a great view of Lake Michigan from our complex's rooftop.

In the meantime...to my friends of yesteryear, anyone up for a game of Toilet Toss before I leave the suburbs?

Kobe vs. MJ - The Retirement of the Comparison

In his own air

Kobe Bryant has a stomach ailment that may cause him to miss the Lakers Game 6 versus the Nuggets. Naturally, this leads many people to pull out the MJ card.

What is the MJ card you may ask? It's the card used by media and fans alike to constantly and incessantly compare basketball players to Michael Jordan, the best player of our generation, and arguably, the best player to ever play the game.

As many people remember, Jordan battled the stomach flu in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Jazz, leading the Bulls to a 90-88 victory by pouring in 38 points despite the ailments. You won't hear many arguments from me if you want to call that Jordan's best game given the circumstances.

I don't know the degree of stomach ailment that Bryant has, but it's bad enough where his status is in doubt for the game. I do know that while Kobe Bryant does have the same drive to win as MJ does, he is not Jordan.

Kobe (and his game) may be sick, but he is no MJ

Nobody is, so please, everyone - stop comparing people to Jordan. Something about sports (or perhaps just human nature) lends itself to the "need to compare". I don't mind comparisons, but the ones to MJ are over-done.

Anyone remember the name Harold Miner from the Miami Heat? He was dubbed "Baby Jordan" in the early '90s.

Over the years, the names of people dubbed "The Next Jordan" would turn onto the basketball highway only to veer off the road before the first exit. And it's not that these players (another one that comes to mind is Vince Carter) actually sucked. It's just that these players had no chance at all of ever living up to that title.

(And please, please, please don't compare Lebron to MJ. It's not even the lack of rings argument that bothers me with that, although keep in mind that MJ didn't win his first title until he was 28 and Lebron is only 27 at the moment. Lebron is more like Magic Johnson in his game play than he is to Michael Jordan)

The closest anyone in this generation has come to His Airness is Kobe Bryant. There's plenty to compare between the two:

- Championship rings: MJ 6; Kobe 5
- Finals MVPs: MJ 6; Kobe 2
- Scoring List rank: MJ 3rd; Kobe 5th (just over three thousand behind - about 1.5 seasons away from passing him).
- Common Coach in their primes: Phil Jackson
- # of HOF teammates that each won 2+ championship with: MJ - 2 (Pippen & Rodman); Kobe - 2 (Shaq & Gasol)

While there may be many things to compare between the two, the comparisons of who is a better player should just be left on the shelf. I know we want to do it with players all the time, but let's retire the Jordan comparisons, please?

And let's not Favre this retirement by contemplating it and then eventually coming back to it. And no, I don't mean a Michael Jordan retirement either. To make it official, let's throw this comparison a retirement party and buy it some retirement gifts.

Ok, you get the point. Let's never compare anyone to Jordan ever again. There will never be another one. In about 10-15 years, people will still be doing it, so then maybe my 40-year-old self will have to re-post this to remind people to stop it.