And So It Starts

The problem with being on vacation when the Cubs are starting up is the inability to follow preseason results. While I understand they won today, that A-Ram drove in both runs with a dinger, that Korey started off right where he left off, details just aren’t available.

What is possible here at Club In-Law is to follow the quotes in the paper. I couldn’t help but notice these two from an article by Paul Sullivan about the reconstructed bleachers at Wrigley Field. It seems that fewer balls will land on Waveland and Sheffield once the bleachers are expanded.

"There's some meaning to [street shots], because ... at Wrigley and Fenway when you hit one well enough, you can hit it onto a street. ... At other parks, it's just an average home run. It adds a little juice, a little spark to it." – Corey Patterson

Then, in the next paragraph, we see this:

"It doesn't matter if it's in the first row, they all count the same," he said. "What about the people on the rooftops? Will they still be able to watch? That's a part [of Wrigley] that I like." - Nomar Garciaparra

Which one of these guys gets it and which one is thinking about "Touch 'Em All" on ESPN? And his contract?

Slotting

The Wife and I have been hitting the desert casinos pretty hard this week. The Wife is a slot bandit while I prefer craps or blackjack. Here in California, games with balls and dice are outlawed. Here’s how they play craps. You get two “numeric cubes” with numbers 1 through six written on them. The pit boss shuffles 6 playing cards, ace through 6. He lines up the cards on slots number 1 to 6. You roll the dice. Whatever numbers you get, the pit boss flips over the corresponding cards. Whatever the number on the cards, that’s your roll. Say you roll a 1 and a 6. The pit boss flips over cards 1 and 6. If they are 4 and 2, your point is 6.

Goofy. I didn’t like it. Too slow and anti-climactic. You roll a 7 and it’s really a 4. Then, you make your point on the cubes, but the cards flip to a 7 and you’re out.

What is interesting is the sheer number of licensed slot machines. It used to be Red White and Blue, or Triple Double Diamond. Now, it’s all video slots. And the games include M*A*S*H, Men In Black, I Dream of Genie, Monopoly, Beverly Hillbillies, Price is Right.

How long until sports leagues sign up? The slots seem to be no risk licensing opportunities. You can’t wager on the outcome of a game. The leagues and the player’s associations could make beaucoup bux. I know, the leagues will never go for it as it makes a direct tie to gambling.

Well, they won’t until broadcast rights fees shrink.