Trouble in Smallville?

  The Marshalltown paper is reporting that the chancellor of the community college district is going on a sabbatical and will be paid 155,000+ for the privilege. Every time the paper reports on this story, they mention that there were 4 closed door meetings about firing someone and that the chancellor has brought a lawyer to 3 of them. They never say what exactly what happens at the meetings, leaving it up to our imagination as readers (crimes too unspeakable to mention?). 2 years ago the community college district got a $25 million dollar bond issue passed, some of the money going to a new gym so our student-athletes (very few who actually come from Marshall County, Iowa) will have somewhere nice to perform. $25 million would have paid the tuition to the college for a year for almost every kid in the county. I guess the recession is over.   I have an offer to make to the community college district. If they will hire me to replace the chancellor, I will take a sabbatical for the low price of $79,999 for the year. It is a win-win situation (except for the current chancellor, that is).

World champions!!

  Finally, the 9 year wait is over and the Yankees are champions again. After the debacle of 2004, I felt that perhaps the Yankees had acquired the curse of A-Rod and I'd seen the last Yankee championship of my life time. I'm glad I was wrong. I can't argue making Matsui the MVP, personally I would have chosen Jeter or Rivera. Damaso Marte was the unsung hero. With Chamberlain and Hughes struggling, he held the bullpen together. I was nervous up to the last out since if Victorino got on, Utley and Howard would be the next 2 hitters and possible tying runs, but Rivera was again unhittable when it mattered most. If the Yankees can develop another starting pitcher, this could be the start of another run of 3 or 4 championships over the next 5 years.

  EPSN is showing the Yankee-Dodger 1977 World Series. It is a lot of fun seeing all the great players of my teen years and Billy Martin, Yogi Berra, Dick Howser, and Elston Howard (the manager and coaches). It is amazing to me how skinny all the players from 30 years ago look. Only Reggie Jackson would not look out of place in today's baseball. Part of it is the weight training, but the lack of steroid science in the 70's also has a lot to do with the lack of bulk. Maybe it is the fond rememberance of my youth, but I can't see the 2009 team winning a series from the 77 team.

  Now that baseball is over, I can turn my attention back to chess. I stayed up past midnight Wednesday night to watch the post world series interview and was so tired on Thursday at chess club I gave up a draw a pawn up to the same kid that beat me 2 weeks ago. On the bright side, our Marshalltown Thursday Night Chess tournaments are regularly having 12 players. Last night we had players from Newton and Tama. I have exactly 30 days before my next tournament (Cychess on 12/6/2009) and I am going to spend my time on tatics (50 a day), endings (1 a day from the Karpov book), openings (reviewing my standard lines), and middle games (1 Purdy game a day).

Failing to Finish

  Burnett didn't have the guts to finish the World Series, but I think Pettite will get the job done tonight. The bullpen has been good so I think even if Pettite struggles, the Yankees will be able to stay in the game long enough for the bats to get going. This has been a long postseason. 10 years ago, I was used to watching the Yankees play for an entire month, but the last 5 years, 1 week of attention was all that was needed. I'm hoping they end it now, because if there is a Game 7, the pressure will all be on the Yankees.

On the brink

  After Chamberlain nearly blew the game in the 8th, A-Rod and company managed to abuse the Phillies closer Lidge to pull out game 4 and get a 3-1 lead. You can tell that Sabathia did not have his good stuff and this (plus the Red Sox debacle of 2004) makes me nervous about the Yankees being able to close the series out. There was a manager in the 60's through the 80's named Gene Mauch who always put his pitchers on short rest in the playoffs and the last week of the season and presided over some of the biggest choke jobs ever because at the end of the season or series his pitchers were exhausted. He was always regarded as a genius. Hopefully, Yankee manager Joe Girardi is not so smart.

Yankees In Control

  Another great game for the Yankees. The bullpen is taking shape and A-Rod and Swisher's bats are coming around. The series has the potential of becoming a bloodbath with the Phillies 4th best starter going. Just like the Angel series, Yankee manager Girardi is taking a huge gamble by going with his starters on 3 days rest, but unlike the Angel series, this is probably a good gamble. Lee was so unhittable, I'd also rather take my chances with Sabathia against a different pitcher and try to get the hammerlock right away.