I coughed! It doesn't count if I'm self-deprecating about it.

Chicago. Cubs.

Did you know that certain universal physical constants lie within a very narrow range, so that if any of several fundamental constants were only slightly different the universe would be unlikely to be conducive to the establishment and continued existence of the Goat Curse?

I was talking to a diehard Lakers fan the other day, and he was explaining to me how he can turn on the hate for a player as soon as he leaves the team, but only really hated one or two players while they were with the team.

Now, I can hate a player *because* they join a team (I'm almost like that wrt the Jazz, but if Grant Hill suddenly joined them I would just be sad), but suspend the hate because they're on my team? I'm not that loving a person. I've actually started disliking entire teams because the wrong player (coughShaqcough) joined them. Makes much more sense that way.

But that was back in the day. Shaq pretty much ran me out of basketball. Before he was all that, though, we had the Celtics and the Pistons and the Bulls and the nice Lakers, and cheering for those teams had continuity and a good fun feeling.

These days I'm just all about the tennis. Individuals make it much simpler.

My boss used a not-that-dirty word on a phone conference that I was on today, and I realise I'm a 9-5 prude. Maybe the dirtiest person at the krav centre, but get me in business casual and I clutch my pearls at the word ballbuster. I have no idea what that's about.

A great video of a drive through Chicago, mostly along Lake Shore Drive. Has a terrific soundtrack, too!

Context, ita, context.

But most people root for their city's team, or the city closest.

Oh, I completely understand that. I arbitrarily root for teams from cities I live in or have lived in. But it's weird when the team doesn't really "represent" the city.

And years ago, teams didn't change up the roster as often as they do now.

Right. When the team make-up really was from the home city, it made more sense, but now it's all different and stats are weird because who cares how many whatevers Team So-and-So has had? All that stuff happened to previous incarnations of Team So-and-So! It has no bearing on the performance of the current team! Except perhaps psychologically.

crossing fingers and keeping her mouth shut in the -t and Dana corner.

Did you know that certain universal physical constants lie within a very narrow range, so that if any of several fundamental constants were only slightly different the universe would be unlikely to be conducive to the establishment and continued existence of the Goat Curse?

Heh.

The Yankees are hated, the Cubs are lovable losers... it's all just part of the theatre of the game.

But it's weird when the team doesn't really "represent" the city.

One of the many reasons I am, and always will be, a Packers fan.