Random Thoughts - 7/3 - Someone stole my idea

And the beat goes on . . .

For years my friend, John Valentine, and I talked about producing a fantasy football magazine . . . our magazine was going to be different from others . . . instead of just football, we were also going to have articles about beer, gambling, and of course chicks . . . and to differentiate our publication from all the other fantasy football mags, we were not going to have a Peyton Manning or Tom Brady on the cover . . . instead we were going to have chicks in skimpy football jerseys . . . . our publication was going to be called T.A.G. Fantasy Football Guide . . . T.A.G. stood for "Two Average Guys" . . .

But someone has beaten us to that idea . . . the other days I was looking through the magazine rack at my local Giant Eagle when I came across this hot chick on a fantasy football book . . . I knew right then and there that our idea was shot . . .

So remember, if you ever have an idea for something – go for it before it is too late . . .

The Boston Red Sox will not win the World Series this season if they keep Keith Foulke as their closer . . . Foulke has a whopping 5.82 ERA . . . the Sox need to get a closer before the trading deadline if they want to repeat as champions . . . it takes 11 playoff games to win the World Series, and your closer is going to be needed in at least seven of those wins . . . it ain’t happening for Boston if Foulke remains the closer . . .

That’s it, the American League Cy Young Award race is over . . . this year’s winner is going to be Cleveland’s Chi Chi Sabathia . . . after an impressive performance on Friday night in Baltimore, Chi Chi proclaimed that "he is back" and he has turned around his season . . . okay, he opened his mouth, so we will have to keep track of his record beginning with Friday night’s win . . .

A few weeks ago it looked like Bob Wickman was going to be the Tribe’s lone All-Star representative . . . Travis Hafner is sure working his way toward a spot on the team . . . Pronk is swinging a hot bat once again . . .

It was reported in The Plain Dealer that the Indians are looking at the Reds’ Joe Randa, the Royals’ Mike Sweeney, and the Giants’ Moises Alou for a possible trade by the end of July . . . it is doubtful the Tribe will acquire Sweeney or Alou being that they make $11 million and $7 million a year . . .

What do you get for $17 million these days . . . for that price the Yankees got themselves a 41-year-old "has been ace" who is 7-6 with a 4.24 ERA and who got shelled this week in Detroit . . .

Whatever happened to Jimmy Key? . . .

The Milwaukee Brewers Rickie Weeks is showing that he may be the real deal . . . the rookie second baseman has been instrumental in a couple of the Brewers wins of late . . .

At Wimbledon, I knew Lindsay Davenport was cooked after she blew a championship point against Venus Williams . . . never let a match or championship point slip by when you are playing the Williams sisters . . . they will make you pay . . .

Davenport, who has won three Grand Slam titles, will be nothing but a footnote in women’s tennis history because her prime came at the same time as the Williams sisters . . . that is unfortunate for Lindsay . . .

I pity whoever President Bush nominates to fill the seat on the Supreme Court . . . it will be a brutal nomination hearing in which their personal life will be scrutinized more than any other nominee. . .

On the local beat, the second coming of East High School will occur in 2007 with the opening of the soon to be constructed new high school . . . of course, nothing happens in Youngstown without some controversy . . . the new East High will not be known as the Golden Bears with the colors of blue and gold . . . no, the YCS Board has chosen to name the school the Panthers with the colors of light blue and silver . . . the East High alumni are upset . . . and rightfully so . . .

Finally, Happy Fourth of July to all . . . and God Bless America . . .

Until next time . . . the beat goes on . . .