Curses!

Somehow I've managed to stay up every night this week and see every waking out of the Cubs in Los Angeles -- a matchup featuring two of my favorite franchises of all-time and one that evokes fond memories of me as a child begging my parents to let me stay up -- only if the game was on a Friday night, of course -- to watch the games ... although, I was usually asleep on the floor in front of the TV by the fifth inning ...

Either way ... this week's series was as exciting as ever, especially last night with Ronny Cedeno driving in the winning runs.

... Although the exciting win did little to ease the painful sight of Derrek Lee cradling his wrist after colliding with Furcal at first. Not to mention Scott Eyre limping around the infield after he dove for the ball in the first play ... talk about Cubs carnage...

... A lot of the Cubs fan I know, myself included, were more optimistic than usual about this season. ... But all that seemed to dissipate in an instant last night ...

Let's pray it's not as bad as it looked ... in the meantime, Cubbies, let's win some -- ok, let's win a lot -- for Derrek ...

Sunday afternoon

... Forget the NCAA Tournament! ... How 'bout the World Baseball Classic!! What a finish by the USA today versus Japan!

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We're not watching our usual Sunday night lineup of TV as I'm enthralled with the Baseball Classic on ESPN and Kates is upstairs working on school work ... But God bless the DVR and 'West Wing' which begins its finale countdown tonight ... can't wait to watch it all unfold!

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Baseball reads
a Clemens reportedly will retire ... for now
a Derrek Lee headed for big payday
a Jim Leyland wants to prove himself again in Detroit

... and in other news
a Salukis' cheerleader expected to make full recovery ... I'm not sure if I cringed more at the sight of her falling to the court or her doing cheers as medical staff carted her away on a stretcher. Call me insensitive, but I found the whole thing -- not to mention all the attention she's garnered this past week -- incredibly cheesy ...
a Bradshaw Bares All for His Latest Film ... looking forward to it -- the film, that is.