White Sox and Buehrle Taking Away from Politics!

Just a thought as the economy and other issues surround our great country, and this is not to take away from any of our politicians, but....

President Barack Obama heads to the All-Star game in St. Louis, wearing a White Sox jacket, which puts him center stage among the baseball world. There was plenty of talk surrounding Obama's wardrobe choice, including the jeans, but more on the jacket.

I am sure Mark Buehrle loved it, and he thanked Obama by pitching a perfect game last week. Obama was even headed to Chi-Town the night of the milestone for a conference, and he called to congratulate the left-hander.

And today, two nights after Buehrle completed a record of 45 consecutive batters retired, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn proclaims July 30, 2009 as Mark Buehrle Day in the state. He even says Buehrle should join the state legislature when he is done pitching. The Sox thank Quinn by going out and hitting a walk-off single in the ninth to beat the Yankees. Dewayne Wise got the hit, and Wise made the great catch to preserve perfection last week.

There is a state budget crisis, the nation's economy is trying to get back into shape, health care is an issue, meetings at the White House are being held today with beer, and so many other issues to be resolved.

Yet, the focus has also been on a 52-51 team from the South Side of Chicago. Again, all the love in the world goes out to our leaders. Yet, if problems continue in our country, you may want to thank the White Sox for bringing the attention on themselves.

For those in Illinois, I hope you had a wonderful Mark Buehrle Day. I wonder when Dewayne Wise Day will be.

TBDS Late Night: Pitching Coach Edition

Much has been made of President Barack Obama's first pitch at Tuesday night's MLB All-Star game.  And while you might boo his political stances or his affiliation to Chicago (especially the White Sox -- yuck) I booed his flawed mechanics.

Watching Obama throw that first pitch made me think that Kerry Wood's mechanics were the stuff of Gods.  Instead, Obama, who probably has more pressing issues outside of the sports world, needs some help from a pitching coach.

And while I am not a pitching instructor, I am willing to play one on this blog.  Here is my three-pronged analysis.

• His arm slot was high, almost too high.  However, if his front side doesn't fly open early, he could have the kind of mechanics that could produce a 12-to-6 curveball.
• He actually stood on the mound.  He should have planted right inside the rubber and probably found a side of the mound he was comfortable on.
• He had no grip on the ball.  That's probably why it dipped so soon, Albert Pujols had to take a few steps and scoop before it touched the ground.

Since today is arguably the most boring day in all of sports, I would suggest that you do whatever your wife, girlfriend or significant other wants to do.  So when she flips out on you for not throwing out the trash, doing the dishes or giving  her a massage, you can ignore her because you obliged once.

Then you can go out and watch the rest of the baseball season without an interruption.

Here's your Quality Linkage:

• Barack Obama is a better analyst than Tim McCarver. Fact. [Awful Announcing]
• Is Nate Robinson going to follow Josh Childress' lead? [Newsday]
• Erin Andrews' dress looks like it was attacked by a tiger. And she's still hot. [Sports Illustrated]

Um, don't you have something better to do?

I'm not sure what to be bothered by more.

The fact that President Barack Obama found time out of his busy schedule to fill out a NCAA Tournament bracket or that ESPN's Andy Katz got into the White House to cover it.

I can't get Mario Moccia to fill out a bracket because of NCAA rules, but the leader of the free world can. I'm thinking the President has more inside info than the Director of Athletics at SIU. Whatever.

For the record, Obama selected North Carolina as his national champions. What can I say: great minds think alike.

Barack-etology [ESPN]

My president is black and enjoys a brew just like I do

What does this have to do with sports?

Um. Quick.

It was at a Wizards-Bulls game.

He's a Bulls fan.

Dick Vitale calls him the Commander-in-Swish.

He looooooves the White Sox.

His brother-in-law is the head coach of Oregon State's men's basketball team.

Anything else?

Good.

Look everybody, Mr. President is just like me. Except he runs the free world and I run a blog. Which is kind of like a free world.

Future Headline: Obama To Slay The BCS Monster

Someone should tell President Barack Obama that eliminating the Bowl Championship Series should be his top priority as he steps into the Oval Office today.

Sure, the economy is in dire need of a PacMan Jones, rain-induced boost. And yes, we should make a courtesy call to our worldly neighbors just to catch up. And we should most definitely drape the White House with a banner that proudly says "U.S.A.: Under New Management" as soon as possible.

But why deal with all the hard stuff first. Take care of the BCS and you would be crowned an instant success by people like me.

All I am asking you is to come in on your white horse and slay the evil BCS Monster once and for all.

Or at least come with your cavalcade of black GMC Sierras and sign a bill with that mighty pen that denounces the system that has caused as more message board wars than Barry Lamar Bonds, SpyGate and Lindsay Lohan's relationship status combined.

Take advantage of that whole "executive power" deal and help benefit America, because, truth is, a playoff benefits everyone.

And if those bowl-pushing bullies try to intimidate you, tell them they can keep their individual bowls featuring the barely bowl eligible WAC and MAC teams as long as the top teams can battle for a true national championship.

Use the BCS bowls as playoff sites that pit conference champions against one-another. Because that makes sense, and unlike the thinking of the previous presidential regime, making sense is a good thing.

And if Central Michigan wants to play Nevada in the Big Dead Sidebar Bowl of Mediocrity, so be it.

We really could use the advertising money.

My President is indeed black

Congrats Barack.

Congrats America.

Congrats to everyone who made this happen.

And kudos! to the great prophet, Young Jeezy.

OK, so a White Sox fan is in office. I'll get over it. Besides, if you voted for a candidate based on their preferred baseball team, then you're foolish.

Because if a White Sox fan can become the leader of the free world, there is NO reason for the Chicago Cubs not to be able to win a World Series.

Now we can go on to some real important issues.

Continuing to lower gas prices. Digging out of a financial crisis. Getting out of two wars.

And getting college football a playoff system!

That is all.

Obama throws down the gauntlet on Cubs fans. Hilarity ensues!

Courtesy of Awful Announcing, this is part of ESPN icon Stuart Scott's interview with Democratic Presidential hopeful, Barack Obama.

Scott: “If the Cubs and the White Sox both make it to the World Series?
Obama: “I would be going.”
Scott: “Who would you root for?
Obama: “Oh, that's easy. White Sox. I'm not one of these fair weather fans. You go to Wrigley Field, you have a beer, beautiful people up there. People aren't watching the game. It's not serious. White Sox, that's baseball. Southside.”

Oh, no he didn't!

First, I'd like to say at least he's not a fair weather fan. Fair weather fans (I'm talking to you John Cusak) can go off and suck a fat one...pick a team and stick with 'em, no matter what!

On to my rant...

I'm not mad that he's a White Sox fan, hell, we all make mistakes in life...but to throw out that generalization is out of line, especially for someone that wants to bring everyone together. That's just silly Barack, silly!

That's a petty argument Mr. Obama. Cubs fans aren't serious? Nothing is more serious than a fandom that constantly supports its team despite 100 years of suffering through crap with a few sprinkles of joy (1984, '89, '98, 2003, '07) in between.

Maybe it's easy to turn a blind eye when you're busy in Washington, D.C. and around the world an all. Oh, but I was wondering: when did this, this and this count towards "watching the game"?

[Ed. note: This #1 is Patty Biggio gettin' smacked during the World Series...classy. This #2 refers to a father/son duo jumping a fossil of a first base coach...trashy. This #3 is Sox fans jumping an umpire who happened to be an ex-Marine...stupid!)

Look, I can go on with this debate, but it's truly petty.

As for the fans Mr. Obama wants to call out...you know the Wrigleyville Trixie that skanks it up over at the Cubbie Bear. Or Douche McFrat with his popped collar and vocabulary that begins with the word "dude" and ends with "sweet." They give actual Cubs fans a bad name.

Those are the people who will read this and say "screw that dumb Sox fan, I'm voting McCain" and won't think twice about it.

As for me, I'll leave my preferred team out of this, since they sport the best record in baseball (81-50) and base my election choice on which candidate can find lower gas prices, provide a better educational system and understand the value of a high OBP in a lead-off man.

What? You gotta have something to base your choices on.