Manny being Manny?

Say it ain't so.

Another one bites the dust ...

Manny Ramirez suspended 50 games for positive drug test

When I heard the news this afternoon I was stunned ... But then again sort of not.

One of the best sound bites I heard was something like We knew Manny was silly. But we didn't think he was stupid.

Here's 10 thoughts on the suspension from USA Today ...

Here's the LA Times' take ...

Updated 05.08.2009 ...
Some good reads from Sports Illustrated ...
a Verducci: Ramirez's Legacy Is Tainted
a Heyman: Manny being Manny
a Posnanski: Never saw it coming

And from Bob Ryan: Being Manny, he may not have known

Sunday reading

Just said good-bye to the parents, who spent a couple days with us here on the homestead ...

A great weekend. Great food. Great conversation. Great times playing with Phoebe ... And not so great weather. It poured almost endlessly yesterday and today ...

The afternoon is fast turning into a lazy Sunday evening. Kates and I can barely keep our eyes open.

Here's some of the reads that caught my eyes over the last few days ...

Sports ...
a A tragic end for minor leaguer traded for bats
a For Free Throws, 50 Years of Practice Is No Help
a Manny Ramirez has some things to say
a What Yankees Knew About Rodriguez’s Injury, and When They Knew It

Media & the Internet ...
a When Everyone’s a Friend, Is Anything Private?
a 15 Fake and Funny Twitter Accounts
a WIAA files suit against Gannett over broadcasting of postseason games on Internet
a In Denver, Residents Lament the Closing of a Newspaper
a Will Report for Tips
a Small Town News" journalist dissed by Letterman was laid off last week ... I'm posting this mostly because I thought the "Small Town News" segment -- in case you missed it -- was hilarious. I think this reporter's reaction to it is a little over-the-top.
a Copyright Challenge for Sites That Excerpt
a YouTube and Universal Music Are Said to Discuss Deal
a A Google Search of a Distinctly Retro Kind
a How To Save Print ... A good funny

Politics ...
a For Young President, Flecks of Gray

TV ...
a CBS has its eye on Fox's ratings prize

Music ...
a Kelly Clarkson's 'All I Ever Wanted': 3.5 stars
a U2 looks in, branches out

Life & other stuff ...
a Here, all sales are final ... Never made it to any of the local Circuit City sales to check out the big sales (We don't have the money to spend), but this was an amusing read nonetheless.
a This winter, last year's add up to some bragging rights ... I'm throwing it back.

Sunday reading

Some of the good reads that caught my eyes during the last week ...

Sports ...
a Ramírez done as Dodger? ... Man, I hope not.
a Free agents-to-be raising their price tags with big postseasons
a Sports also paying a price amid struggling economy
a How much do you love football? So much you'd cut off a pinkie to play it? That's what Trevor Wikre did. ... Astonishing. My friend Tom sent me this one.
a Tony Womo Out Three To Four Weeks With Bwoken Widdle Fingey ... From The Onion.

Politics ...
a Powell endorses Obama, chides McCain campaign tone ... The news of the day.
a Sarah Palin stirs up controversy in the wink of an eye
a Leonard Pitts Jr.: It's sad, but Sarah Six-Pack is the real thing ... I remember "Dave." Great movie.
a Pentagon divided over John McCain
a Johnston speaks about Bristol Palin, Obama, baby ... Not that it's any of our business. But if he's doing interviews about it, I'm going to read it.
a Working for the Working- Class Vote ... This is an interesting one from The Times about what Obama calls his "biggest boneheaded move."
a Behind McCain, Outsider in Capital Wanting Back In ... an interesting perspective of Cindy McCain.
a He Just Can’t Quit W
a Bush Calls For Panic ... From The Onion.
a Poll: 85% Of Americans Would Like To See Candidates Compete In Funny Obstacle Course ... Also from The Onion.

Joe the Plumber ...
a Three Guys and a Table ... I didn't watch this week's debate. I couldn't take any more of it, but reading and seeing the media storm over Joe The Plumber has been quite amusing.
a Joe the Plumber: Not a Licensed Plumber
a Joe the plumber's story has some cracks
a Debate darling 'Joe the Plumber' not a licensed plumber, owes back taxes
a If `Joe the Plumber' is like my plumber, he can go pound sand

Media & the Internet ...
a Rolling Stone ends large format after 4 decades
a Parker Says Sarah Palin Isn't Ready ... More from her column a couple weeks ago
a Mainstream media look for love in fresh faces Palin and Obama ... More from Kathleen Parker.

TV ...
a For NBC Pages, ‘Please Follow Me’ Is a Fervent Wish

Life & other stuff ...
a Suit against God tossed over lack of address ... From my friend Raechel.

And finally ... my eyes caught this AP photo this week from the Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany. So dazzling, I had to share it ...

Sunday reading

Some of the reads that caught my eyes during the last week ...

Baseball ...
a Don Zimmer the ultimate common denominator
a Upstart Rays aim to keep surprises coming in playoffs
a Francona sets standard for managers
a Cardinal O'Malley is no Fenway regular. But he keeps tabs on Boston's secular faith
a Architect of Phillies, Gillick Will Listen to Anyone’s Plans
a When Philadelphia Was a Winner
a Series of changes in last 40 years
a Manny In La La Land
a Financial crisis will slow Cubs sale
a A look back on a Chicago baseball season gone bad

Football ...
a The Brett Favre Backup Club

Media & the internet ...
a Tina Brown jumps off page and onto the Web
a Couric Rebounds With Web and Palin ... I'm not yet a fan of her newscast, but her YouTube stuff has been catching my eyes.
a Katie Couric In The News For All The Right Reasons: Her Work
a Turn and Face the Change -- With Newspaper Industry in Crisis, 'Everything's on the Table'
a Social networking sites help companies boost productivity
a Seeking Broader Reach for Social Web Sites
a Check out my Twitter ... I'm telling you, forget newsprint -- it's all in social networking, blogs and newsfeeds, people.
a Newspapers’ Web Revenue Is Stalling ... Ugh.

TV ...
a Brea Grant gets off and running as latest 'Heroes' villain

Politics ...
a The destructive policies of President Bush
a In Wisconsin, a tilt toward Obama
a Historians ponder Lincoln's legacy, lessons we can learn
a He Told Us to Go Shopping. Now the Bill Is Due.
a Postponing the election: It's a joke, or is it?
a A frustrated Esquire endorses Obama
a Obama vs. McCain: Scripted and improv
a Worst of times
a When the gloves and lipstick are on

Life & other stuff ...
a What makes Boston in a league of its own

Sunday reading

Here's some the good reads I came across during the last week ...

Sports ...
a What should Oklahoma City's nickname be
a Manny beginning new chapter in Dodger blue
a Take your pick: Manny deal produced winners all around
a Handicapping pennant races after deadline
a Inside the GM's office: Anatomy of a deadline deal
a July trades reshape division races

Politics ...
a Why nothing the press throws at Obama sticks
a Hopium helps you forget several unpleasant facts
a AdWatch: McCain ad casts Obama as empty celebrity ... this one had me laughing out loud when I saw it this week.

Music ...
a Independent Acts Turn To Fans To Help Underwrite New CDs

TV ...
a Dustin Diamond to pen Saved By the Bell tell-all

Media ...
a Internet sites still blocked for Olympic reporters
a Sam Zell's Deal from Hell

The Onion ...
a New Linens-N-Shit Opens
a Favre: I've Always Had A Passion For Stopping Things, Then Starting To Do Things Again

Life & other stuff ...
a Advocates setting stage for Kenosha Theatre revival
a 10 great haunts for seekers of the paranormal
a Adventurer Steve Fossett's widow dismisses faked death claims
a Consenting to be abused
a You've got too much e-mail
a Chicago 2040 ... this is a fun look at Chicago in the future.

This day in sports

... This day only got more interesting as the hours passed ...

First, Ken Griffey Jr. gets traded to the White Sox ...

Meanwhile Brett Favre and the Packers still hadn't decided their respective futures -- although the latest report was the Packers supposedly offered Brett 20 million over 10 years to stay retired. Lovely ...

Then the Cubs slaughtered the Brewers again. 11-4 this time ... I watched it play out in the Gameday format on my computer as I worked this afternoon and I can't remember the last time I've been more relieved to see a game end ...

Meanwhile Brett Favre and the Packers still hadn't decided their respective futures -- although the next latest report was the Packers are now considering trading Brett to the Vikings or Bears. Fine, just get a deal done, already ... If, at this point the Packers are so sure Aaron Rodgers is their man and they have no need for Favre's services than send him on his way -- no matter the team. If the Packers are so sure about Aaron Rodgers, than they should have no fears about Brett Favre beating them in a rival game, right? Although, I sort of like Jason Whitlock's offer, too.

Then, after seeing reports all day that Manny Ramirez appeared destined to become a Florida Marlin -- bam -- it comes across that he's becoming a Dodger ... Sweet! I'll take it! The joy of that one makes up for the downer of seeing Ivan Rodriguez go to the Yankees yesterday ..

And the Brett Favre saga goes on ...