Monday Grab Bag: Football is back in business (almost)

In case you haven't noticed, it's frickin hot outside.  In response, I'm staying inside and getting some writing done.  I'll have my full thoughts on NCAA 12 and a look at the newcomers to the basketball program up later in the week.  For now, take a look at today's bag where I'll talk conclusion of the NFL labor dispute, My Sox selling at the trading deadline, and steroids being the greatest thing ever.

Click below for the bag...



Are you ready for some football? - The goalposts have repeatedly been moved, but it seems like the NFL lockout is finally coming to a conclusion.  The "i's" may still need dotting, and the "t's" may still need crossing, but, for all intents and purposes, the NFL is waking up from its summer long slumber with a ratifying vote by the NFLPA this morning.  While rumors have been circulating of de facto moves (such as Kevin Kolb to Arizona), there could be official roster moves as soon as today.

So that's essentially that.  All we lost is the unwatchable Hall of Fame Game.  Whoop-dee-shit.  Considering the alternative, I'm completely unmoved.  Losing a summer's worth of unbearable mini-camps, OTA's, and free agency consternation has made me realize that I'm almost glad this labor dispute occurred; they should do this every year! 


My Sox are about to open for trading business - For the first time in years, my Sox are slated to be sellers as the July 31st unrestricted trading deadline approaches.  Having been scarred in my youth by a situation such as this, I do come in with some trepidation, but, in all honesty, this needs to happen ASAP.  This team is going nowhere fast, and it would be nice to jump on the marketability of our bulk of no-stars; particularly the perennial journeyman Edwin Jackson.  Considering where the team is at, and that we've had 6 major league starters (when healthy) for a while now, he should be as good as gone.

*Cough* Trade-bait *Cough*

But what to get in return?  What about Colby Rasmus from the Cardinals?  Well, he's young, but he's currently experiencing a serious regression in only his third major league season.  If 'twere a matter of simply taking a chance on a young center fielder I'd be all for it, but the expensive and laid-back albatross of Alex Rios still patrolls center field, and will for the rest of his bloated contract (through 2014, when he'll still be making $12.5 million).  Maybe it would be best for Sox GM Kenny Williams to spend the days running up to the trade deadline attempting to get other baseball GM's drunk in hope of tricking them into taking Rios off our hands....


Hooray for steroids! - I went to see Captain America last night (SPOILER ALERT: he defeats the bad guy), and the enduring message I took from the flick is that steroids are the greatest thing ever.  In the film, Cap'n 'Murika has to go on the cream and the clear at the same time in order to defeat the Nazis... or something...  As for the juice, not only do steroids apparently get you ripped in 20 seconds, entice British Women to fall all over you, and make you run as fast as a jet on takeoff, but they even make you a better person.  They enhance your soul, man!

You too can achieve your dreams through the power of steroids!

Seriously, after a decade worth of media demagoguery aimed at anyone who even sniffed a supplement bottle, to release this heaping turd of mixed messages onto the public is a little confusing.  I guess maybe Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire had the right idea after all... Go America!  Go Steroids!


Happy Monday!