Wii Still Want to Play

AP:

Nintendo Plans to Boost Wii Production

Friday April 27, 6:22 am ET
By Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer

Nintendo President Promises to Boost Wii Production, Increase Deliveries to Meet Shortage

TOKYO (AP) -- Nintendo's president acknowledged Friday that the shortage of the hit Wii game machine was "abnormal," and promised production was being boosted to increase deliveries by next month.

"We must do our best to fix this abnormal lack of stock," Nintendo President Satoru Iwata told reporters. "We have not been able to properly foresee demand."

The comments came a day after the Japanese manufacturer of the Wii -- which comes with a wand that can be used as a sword, tennis racket or fishing rod depending on the game -- reported that sales nearly doubled for the fiscal year, lifted by robust sales of the Wii and the DS portable, a handheld video game.

...The Wii has pummeled its rivals in a head-to-head battle in next-generation video game consoles involving Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3, which has been plagued with production problems, and Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360.

Iwata refused to disclose the monthly production capacity for the Wii, and said it was too early to say by how much the production was being raised.

But he said efforts were under way to increase production, and more machines will get delivered to stores around the world.

"We will do our best to offer the machine for those who are waiting," he said at a Tokyo hall.

Well it's about bloody time!!!

This Wii wait has been ridiculous. Nobody should have to stand in line at a Toys R Us parking lot at 4 a.m. with a bunch of guys who sustain themselves by selling Wiis on eBay simply for the privilege of getting to play Wii Sports. I should be able to walk into my local Target, hand over $250, and go home happy.

I'm giving Nintendo until the U.S. Open to get enough Wiis to the market to ensure that I'm playing Tiger Woods golf when the pros are playing at Oakmont.

Letterman's Great Moments in Presidential Speeches: Decisions

Exhibit A: Pitching Wins in Baseball

New York Yankees starting lineup:

Damon, CF
Jeter, SS
Abreu, RF
Rodriguez, 3B
Giambi, DH
Matsui, LF
Posada, C
Cano, 2B
Mientkiewicz, 1B

The result? Team is on a seven game losing streak. The Yankees have used 9 different starting pitchers in their first 21 games.

Letterman's Great Moments in Presidential Speeches: Jorge

YEEESSS!!!

Congratulations, Mark Buehrle, on your no-hitter!

Wrestling*

Sports Illustrated is reporting that pro wrestling might have its own steroid scandal.

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!

What about the records? The integrity?!? How are we supposed to know how many pre-determined wins various wrestlers would have if they weren't on steroids? How can we know that those oversized belts were earned fair and square?!?

At least there are still body building and strongman competitions to enjoy.

Delayed Response

Chicago Sun-Times:

Urlacher fined $100,000 for Super Bowl hat

Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was fined $100,000 by the NFL for wearing a cap during Super Bowl media day that promoted a sponsor not authorized by the league.

NFL rules prohibit gear that advertises any product but a designated sponsor, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Wednesday.

Urlacher was fined for drinking vitaminwater and wearing a vitaminwater hat during the media session in Miami leading to the title game. Gatorade is the NFL's official drink.

Um...wasn't the Super Bowl in early February? This vitaminwater revelation must have come from a "Super Bowl - The Lost Episode" tape.

Oh well, gotta give the NFL Network something to talk about in April...

A Message from Sofa King

Peyton Manning for the United Way

100th Zune

A little computer geek humor. You gotta love it:

Just days after Apple’s announcement that it had sold 100 million iPods, Microsoft’s Zune celebrated a milestone of its own.

According to a press release issued by the company today, its 100th Zune was sold to 13-year-old Dieter Ebersbacher in Shreveport, Illinois, and is a sign of its success in the marketplace.

“The sale of the 100th Zune is a sign that it has captured a secure foothold in the market and it totally doesn’t suck,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

Asked to explain the discrepancy between this and its previously announced sales figures, Ballmer said “Well, when you take out the units we’ve just stuffed into the channel and then you take out the units that have gone to reviewers… and the units we’ve just outright given away… you’re left with… uh… a hundred.

The full fake story is available here.

NL West

The teams:
Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants

The outlook: This division was horrible last year. For awhile the Padres were hovering at .500 and in the lead. Lame.

As for this year, look for the reconfigured Dodgers to make strides and separate themselves from the competition. The Dodgers are -- as a reader pointed out -- filled with old Cubs, and we all know that as soon as the Cubs get rid of somebody that player takes off. (Which gets me thinking, Mark Prior make a great Devil Ray).

Spaulding prognostication:
NL West champion -- Los Angeles Dodgers


P.S. Arizona, the Astros just called and they want their color scheme back.

NL Central

The teams:
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Houston Astros
Milwaukee Brewers
Pittsburgh Pirates
St. Louis Cardinals

The outlook: Ugh, the defending World Series champion only won 83 games last year?!? C'mon! 83 would have been good enough for fourth in the AL East, fourth in the AL Central, third in the AL West, third in the NL East, and third in the NL West. No one is happier with the six division system than the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals.

So what does that mean for 2007? Mediocrity or better puts you right in the hunt, and that's good news for everyone else in the division -- mainly the Cubs, Astros and Brewers. (Sorry, Reds and Pirates).

The Cubs threw money around like a yuppie bleacher bum trying to impress his waitress at Hooters, but all the money in the world can't fix Mark Prior or Kerry Wood -- both are starting the season on the disabled list.

Meanwhile the Astros lost Andy Pettitte to the Yankees and Roger Clemens to his now yearly diva ritual where he is too cool for the first half of the season. Get over yourself, Roger. Either you want to play or not. It's baseball -- that's 162 games, of which you'd only be asked to play every fifth day. Most of us work five days a week or more in a row on two or fewer days of rest. And you don't even have to wash your own jock. Come over to my house and we'll do laundry after I've put in a day at the office. Then you'll see how easy it is to sit around for four hours spitting sunflower seeds in between starts.

The Brewers have a lot of nice pieces that if they fit together could make for a winning combo.

Spaulding prognostication:
The Brewers will have the Chorizo for the entire season. Look for that to add some spice to the ballpark and push the Brew Crew into the postseason.

NL Central champion -- Milwaukee Brewers

NL East

So who cares if Opening Day is already in the books? On with the predictions...

NL East

The teams:
Atlanta Braves
Florida Marlins
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Washington Nationals

The outlook: Wondering why you can't find any duct tape at your local hardware store? That's because the 2006 New York Mets used every last inch of the stuff to hold together their pitching rotation. Look for the we-can't-beat-an-83-win-team-in-the-NLCS Mets to take a step back this year.

Jimmy Rollins says the Phillies are going to win the NL East this year. Why not?

Spaulding prognostication:
NL East champions -- Philadelphia Phillies
NL Wild Card -- New York Mets

AL West

Round three of predictions-that-probably-won't-turn-out-accurate.

AL WEST

The teams:
Los Angeles Angels
Oakland A's
Seattle Mariners
Texas Rangers

The outlook:
Where does one begin? The AL West in recent memory was a good division. Now it is...well, not something I'll be staying up to watch unless my team is on a road trip.

The A's are without Barry Zito, the Mariners were a mess last year, the Angels can't decide what city they play in, and the Rangers play in a place where it is too damn hot to play anything but night games unless you're testing a new formula of high endurance Gatorade.

Look for a St. Louis Cardinals-esque just-a-little-above-500 record to take this division.

Spaulding prognostication:
AL West champion -- Texas Rangers

Up next: NL East

AL Central

The second installment of my utterly un-researched predictions for the 2007 baseball season.

AL CENTRAL

The teams:
Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals
Minnesota Twins

The outlook: The AL Central is the best division in baseball -- period -- and this year's competition is going to be intense.

The please-don't-bunt-it-to-the-pitcher Tigers return basically the same lineup as the team that got them to the World Series last year, with the notable addition of Gary Sheffield. The loss of Sheffield is huge for the Yankees, as they will now have to find a different outfielder for Old-Timers' Day. Postseason innings can take quite the toll on a pitching staff (see Kenny Rogers), and it is a valid question as to whether the Tiger pitching staff will be able to hold up over another 162 game season and carry the tabbies deep into October. The Tigers will have a better first than second half -- look for them to get a slight lead, but fade down the stretch (your 2006 AL Central Champion Minnesota Twins anyone?).

The White Sox should be Detroit's main competition, and they could be a very capable or superior opponent. The 2007 White Sox team has a lot of ifs -- if Mark Buehrle can return to form, if Javier Vazquez can live up to his potential, if Scott Podsednik v.2005 not v.2006 shows up, and if John Danks can be a capable fifth starter. If all those ifs fall into place this White Sox team will be a handful. (Too many ifs? Remember 2005? If Orlando Hernandez can still pitch -- if Jon Garland can live up to his potential -- if this Tadahito Iguchi guy can play second base -- if Shingo Takatsu can remain a dominant closer without prototypical stuff -- and later, if this tall, wide guy named Jenks can take over the closer's duties).

Look for the White Sox and Tigers to slug it out all year, being pushed by the Cleveland Indians, and, to a lesser extent due to the loss of Liriano (injury) and Radke (retirement), Minnesota.

Spaulding prognostication:
AL Central champion -- Detroit Tigers
AL Central Wild Card -- Chicago White Sox

Tigers limp to a divisional crown, but don't get to live October to its fullest.

Up next: AL West

"The Oval Office"