would have called the game an official win for the Phillies by rule. I hope the Rays come back and win the series, and you will see Philadelphians march down to castrate Selig.

Has anyone ever seen George Will smile?

That’s the rumor about who uttered the first quote.

I feel their pain. That creature is one I despise above all others – er, except for George Stonebrainer.

When the sTRangers’ then-owner Eddie Chiles was getting on in years, he sold 50% of the team to Eddie Gaylord with the proviso that Eddie G. would be allowed to buy Eddie C’s half should Eddie C. ever choose to sell. That contract and ownership solution was APPROVED BY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

Then, when it came time and Chiles was nearing the end of his long, dusty road, he got with Gaylord and sold him the rest of the team. Jerry Reinsdufas and Eddie Einhole with the White Sux didn’t think that was a good idea. Eddie Gaylord owned a SuperStation (Channel 39). Teddy Turncoat already owned a SuperStation (KTBS – 27) and was broadcasting Fartlanta games into his market, their crosstown rivals, the Flubs, already had a SuperStation (WGN) broadcasting their games into his market and the NYFrets were looking into putting their team on a SuperStation.

So, they jerked strings on their puppet up the road in Milwaukee – one, Bud Spewlig. Bud led the effort (at Reinsdufas’ urging and with his considerable support) to have Gaylord barred from ownership of the sTRangers. On the bandwagon were the YankMes, Frets, Fartlantas, Milsquawkees, Flubs and WhiteSux. Joining were the panicked Mariners (who saw their already inundated market taking yet another hit).

Now, the Fartlantas and Flubs and Frets were just looking to insure market share for their SuperStation broadcasts… no sense letting someone else in on their considerable pie. The other clubs, at that time, maybe, had a beef.

But, still, they had ratified the original sale to allow Gaylord to buy the rest of the team when the time came. The time came.

Shortly thereafter, Spewlig was named Commissioner of Baseball. In that capacity, he has embarrassed the sport by stopping an All-Star Game while it was still tied; steadfastly refused to address steroids and HGH right up until Congress threatened to sit on his head until he did; and generally mucked up the game however the owners chose to muck it up. Purist historical commissioners like Kennesaw "Mountain" Landis, Bart Giamatti, Faye Vincent and even Bowie Kuhn have been thoroughly embarrassed by their successor’s efforts to strangle the game in the "owners’ best interests". I’m sure they don’t like the fact that, since he’s moved to NYC Reinsdufas has handed off his puppet strings to the Stonebrainers.

Shortly after Spewlig became Stonebrainers’ alter boy, the Los Angeles DogMeat is sold to Rupert Murdoch and the FOX TELEVISION NETWORK. Hmmm.

Last year, Skippy Hicks brought it to MLB’s attention that the Arizona Diamondbacks were supposed to be an American League team playing in the AL West bumping the sTRangers over to the Central. This would provide the sTRanger fans with more opportunities to see games IN OUR OWN TIME ZONE rather than most of our games being broadcast out of Mongolia until all hours of the morning (anyone in Dallas still up? If so, are you watching baseball? – tho’t not). But, Arizona doesn’t WANT to move to the AL – they like the NL. Tampa Bay should stay in the AL.

And, Skippy, being the weak-minded simpleton he is, took a few bucks and said, "OK" not realizing he wasn’t just speaking for himself, but for all sTRanger fans for whom he represents. Also, he failed to realize the financial bonanza he’d’ve had if he had more opportunities to present his team to his constituents and generate some enthusiasm for going to The Ballpark in Arlington.

Then, the topper: A hurricane hits Houston causing postponement of Astros games against his buddies, the Flubs. Where to play the games? How about Wrigley? No, the Astros won’t go for that… they are, after all, in the pennant hunt against the Flubbies, no less. How can he make it look like he’s being impartial? Hmmm.

Oh yeah… how about a "neutral" field? We could let them play the games in Milwaukee! Yeah… I can stifle the masses by saying "I no longer own the team" then my friggin’ daughter can make a bundle off parking and concessions. Truly, Buddy boy doesn’t own the team – his daughter, Wendy, does. That way, technically, it isn’t a home game for the Flubs; Bud doesn’t make a profit off the issue; and the Astros lose leverage to prevent the games being played in such a "neutral" park. Never mind that The Ballpark in Arlington could be made available – or Kansas City – or Miami… anywhere but a suburb of Chi-friggin’-cago.

Spewlig and those who pull his strings don’t like Texas. They see the potential for the MLB Dallas Market to end up like the NFL Dallas Market and they and their East Coast/Rust Belt buddies are bound and determined to insure that doesn’t happen. If Texas rises up the way the Cowboys did and steals the thunder from NY & Chicago, they won’t be the big dogs in town, anymore.

You don’t like Spewlig? I can’t stand him.

This really woulda caused a riot:

Also, I’m told that MLB officials put forward the idea of moving Game Five’s conclusion to Tampa on Wednesday with the intention of playing out Game Five and, if necessary, starting Game Six. The idea was quashed by both the Phillies and Fox. Remember that Fox cannot move the gametime up on Wednesday, having locked in the 8-8.30p Eastern slot for a campaign ad. With Pennsylvania and Florida both big swing states, the Obama-Biden campaign is counting on big viewership there.

Needs to be removed from the Commissioner job, and placement of a Commish taken out of the sole hands of the Owners’ Committee. Maybe a shared responsibility to name the commish between the owners, the umpires association, and MLBPA.

You want a dirty, power tripping, no good sleaze, look to Selig. If you want someone to one up Selig by adding dirty referees in collusion with the league’s front office, you get Stern.

absolutely pathetic by Selig, but that’s nothing new…

that such a great series will forever be tarnished because of terrible decision making. This has been the first WS that I have been excited to watch in years. It almost makes me want to root for the Phils just so I dont have to hear about it during the off season.

You really do love that picture.

That wasn’t rain, that was a band of angels pissing on your awful city. Shut the hell up and play.

perfect set up for a Rays comeback.

Reminds of moises alou yelling at bartman. suck it up

I felt bad for Kazmir. Pitches right down the middle called balls.

Vegas has apparently called Game 5 to Philly, AND the Series, because they are bound by the rules of baseball by the Gaming Commission.
If that’s true (not sure if this is a odd rumor being floated), then it’ll be interesting to see if TV ratings are directly related to gamblers. A real-time experiment.

hey, gotta have something to ruminate about…