Bonds Market, Up or Down?

There's no way Bonds is going to get more than $10 million a year from the Giants. I seriously doubt he would get more than that from any other team either. Only the Yankess would pay a designated hitter that much money, and they haven't exactly come knocking on Borris' door.

As I stated earlier, it's unlikely that Bonds will be playing for the Giants next year. He's too expensive.

Football Hell

You'd think the defending champs could muster enough pride to beat one of the worst teams in the NFL. Especially after coming off a humiliating loss the previous week. But nooooooo! They get their asses handed to them instead. That's what you get for going with a brain-damaged quarterback.

Meanwhile, the Niner's got bitch-slapped by the Bears. There's no light at the end of this tunnel. The defense sucks, the offense is improved but still bad. Even the special teams has been ordinary this season. I guess the only thing to is shout "Go (Cal) Bears!!!"

It's the (Fuel) Economy, Stupid!

Looks like Ford is finally getting it. When you're paying nearly three bucks a gallon, you don't want a vehicle that gets three miles to the gallon (I know I'm exaggerating, but not by much). But why did they wait until they had the worst quarter in 14 years to change gears? How hard was it to see the writing on the wall? And why are the top executives still employed after such a dismal performance?

I'm sure that's what a lot of soon to be former Ford employees are asking as they receive lay-off notices and buyout options. Ford suffers from the same short-sightedness that all the U.S. automakers suffer from. Toyota and Honda didn't just come up with Hybrids and other fuel-efficient vehicles, they set out to capture the market well in advance of the latest spike in gas prices. Now they dominate that market, and the big three are trying to play catch-up. It's like the 70's all over again.

As the saying goes, those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Has Tony Lost His Edge?

Under any other circumstance, Tony La Russa would not hesitate to have a suspected pitcher searched for illegal paraphernalia on the mound. But for some reason, La Russa didn't resort to his usual gamesmanship. Instead he had a "chat" with the home plate umpire, who had a "chat" with the suspect pitcher, who may or may not have had some foreign substance on his hand that he used to doctor the ball and make it break in an unusual manner. Kenny Rogers went on to pitch seven more scoreless innings after he "washed" his hands, so you might think that the point is moot. Not so fast.

La Russa is a close friend of Detroit manager Jim Leyland. The article suggests that La Russa chose the "chat" route over inspection, to preserve that friendship. If that's the case, and the Cardinals end up losing to Rogers again in a possible deciding game six, La Russa should lose his job. Friendship is nice, but when it comes to breaking the rules or staying friends, the rules should win out every time.

If Rogers did have a foreign substance that he used to doctor the ball, he would have been ejected from the game immediately and faced suspension for the rest of the series. Instead he got to wash his hands and stay in the game and the series. I can't wait to see game six.

Microsoft: New Vista, Same Old Tactics

Some Microsoft partners are not happy about MS' new OS and security package. Apparently, MS has built in a block to the kernel on the high-end version of Vista that the security software vendors can't get through and thus handicaps their product. MS says their own security product will not have access either and therefore not have an advantage.

Right! That sounds a lot like the song and dance that MS gave when they made Internet Explorer an integral part of Windows that just coincidentally made IE the default browser, and made using Netscape harder for the novice user.

Let's not forget all the widgets that point to the MS product to "secure your computer". Sure they promise to provide links to the other security products, but since OneCare is a part of Vista at no additional cost, how many users do you think will pay for extra protection?

So what it comes down to is whether you trust MS security or not. Considering that IE7 already has a vulnerability publicized one day after release, I think the answer is not.

The Next Killer Animal Flick

First Steve Irwin buys it, now another man has been attacked by a stingray. Can we expect a movie about killer stingrays in the near future? If so you saw it here first. Imagine the voice of the movie trailer announcer:

"'Jaws' chased you out of the water. Now 'Barbs' will keep you out! The sharks' gentle cousins are benign no more! Now they're out for blood."

"Coming soon to a theater near you: 'Barbs'. Rated R. Not recommended for children under 17 years of age."

Or maybe it'll be a cheesy made-for-TV flick airing constantly on TNT:

"See 'Barbs' over and over this Sunday, only on TNT. We know drama."

Who should play the adventurous animal show host that becomes the first victim? Any suggestions?

Niners Down Again

The defense just sucks. You can't stop an offense when you give the quarterback so much time to throw. Even the worst NFL quarterback will find an open receiver if you give him enough time. It also would be helpful if they could stop the run too.

Will Moneyball be Swept Away?

The Oakland A's have looked terrible in the first two games of the ALCS. They may be going into Detroit upbeat, but if they lose today, it's over. What Boston did two years ago was nothing short of a miracle. The A's aren't going to repeat that feat against Detroit.

Niners Top The Raiders

I know this post is a little late, but work takes precedence. Anyway, it was the best of both worlds. The Niners won, and the Raiders lost. Al Davis must be grinding his teeth to nubs over that one.

Bye, Bye, Barry

I looks like Barry Bonds did indeed play his last game as a Giant. Bonds isn't interested in a pay cut and states that he doesn't have to play baseball anymore. If he's serious, then the Giants don't have any choice but to let him go his merry way.

Bonds didn't really earn the millions the Giants paid him the last two years. His injuries combined with the steroid scandal offset his accomplishments on the field. He's going to be 43 next year, and if the past two seasons are any indication, his body will continue to betray him and reduce his playing time. The Giants can't afford to pay that kind of money for so little return.

I've been supportive of Bonds throughout his tenure as a Giant. I'm willing to give him the benefit of doubt when it comes to the steroid issue. He's never tested positive, and until he does, it's his word against some less-than-credible individuals. But the Giants need more than a part-time player for the kind of money Bonds wants. Barry can't guarantee that he'll be able to play more than 60% of the games next year. Why should the Giants pay him that kind of salary?

It's doubtful that Bonds has played his last game, especially considering that he needs only 22 more home runs to break Hank Aaron's record (Bonds hit 26 this past season). Some team (probably the Yankees) will pay him enough money to keep him playing until he hits number 756. I wish him good luck and I hope the Giants don't have to face him next year.