As Heard at Miller Park

"Go back to Chicago!"

-- Man, presumably a Brewers fan, wearing a hat reading "CHICAGO IL" shouting at an obnoxious Cubs fan.

As Heard at Miller Park

"Mom! Sober up long enough so you can enjoy the game!"

-- Teenage daughter to her mother, as mom lead them up, then down, then almost back up and finally down the staircase leading to the wrong section for their seats.

I really hope she was giving mom a hard time, otherwise this is a sad, sad statement.

Singers Out

This opinion is not 100% formed, but I'm pretty sure that singers shouldn't be allowed on America's Got Talent because we already have American Idol.

How can you judge between a magician and a singer as to who is better? Or a singer and a fire breather, etc.?

I suppose this could go for any talent vs. different talent matchup, but without the singers we'd at least be left with the wacky, original and oddball performances.

Oh...but you get an exemption on the whole singing thing if you have a mullet.

You're Revived

Trump was fired from NBC's fall lineup and now he's re-hired. Something tells me this is gonna be hu-uuge.

AP:

Apprentice' to return with celebrities

By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Check your publicist at the boardroom door — NBC is inviting celebrities to try to wow Donald Trump in the next version of "The Apprentice." And while it would make for a marquee matchup, don't expect Rosie O'Donnell to be among them.

"It will never happen in this lifetime or beyond," said Cindi Berger, O'Donnell's spokeswoman.

The network announced Monday that the game show will be back in the middle of next season with the celebrity twist, the winner donating proceeds to charity instead of going to work for The Donald.

Huh?!? So the show that is supposedly the ultimate job interview doesn't end with someone getting a job?

I guess this just means one thing, Trump doesn't want to give K-Fed a job either.

More Popular Than Ever

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Breaking News

Los Angeles Times:

IHOP buying Applebee's for $2.1 billion
By Daniel Yi
Times Staff Writer

Pancake chain IHOP Corp. will aggressively franchise Applebee's restaurants under a $2.1-billion acquisition plan announced today.

Glendale-based IHOP, which offered $25.50 per share in cash for the Overland Park, Kan., restaurant chain, said its main strategy would be to franchise the majority of the 508 restaurants currently owned by Applebee's International Inc.

Applebee's franchises about three-quarters of its 2,000 restaurants. In contrast, 99% of IHOP's 1,319 eateries are operated by franchisees. IHOP believes the strategy will save money and help boost Applebee's laggard financial performance.

Finally! Riblets for breakfast!

Two of the Good Guys: Buehrle and Nocioni

From Rick Morrissey and ChicagoSports.com:

...Something happened this past weekend that doesn't happen often in the world of professional sports. Two athletes in the same town looked around, decided their lives weren't going to be enhanced by more money and chose to stay put.

Presumably independent of one another, the White Sox's Mark Buehrle and the Bulls' Andres Nocioni came to the conclusion that a fellow could live quite comfortably on a huge, multimillion-dollar contract if he were frugal and kept his Maserati collection down to a workable number of, say, 10.

But when Buehrle accepted the above contract and when Nocioni agreed to a five-year, $37.5 million contract with the Bulls, it at least meant that sanity had established a tiny beachhead, that heart mattered and that happiness levels don't necessarily increase as salary numbers spin upward.

Players who view themselves as part of and are willing to sacrifice for the team. Geez, inbetween the quacking duck player of the game, the MVP awards, Gold Gloves, All-Star teams and other awards that honor the individual over the team, you would think that there might be an award recognizing these (albeit incrediably rare) types of players. Oh yeah, that's right there is...fan respect. That, and championships. Buehrle got his (with more to come); Noce, it's your turn.

Let the Boredom Resume

Well, the New York Times moved its offices, so Spaulding decided to do the same. One move, a new Internet service provider, a bunch of procrastination and -- bam -- Spaulding is back. Apologies to anyone who missed this blog during its hiatus. Here's hoping our one reader hasn't found anything better to do yet.