With Condolences To Bill Simmons

What a mess Major League Baseball has gotten itself into. The reign of current commissioner Bud Selig really can't be more of a tragedy, only he's the idiot who got himself into this. With the news today that both of the heroes of the Boston Red Sox 2004 and 2007 championship teams, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, tested positive for PEDs in 2003 ... well let's just say that the hour is getting late, and the wheels are falling off this entire era.

It was just the other day I was waxing poetic on Griffey Jr. and I still hope ... heck, maybe even pray at this point ... that he is/was clean. We need someone we can hang our hats on. But with Ortiz (Mr. "anyone who tests positive should be suspended for a year") and Manny (who we all said "he's too dumb to even complete a full steroids cycle" regarding) testing positive, the hit list continues:

- McGwire
- Sosa
- Bonds
- A-Rod
- Manny
- Big Papi

At what point do we stop being surprised? I think I'm already there, personally, but when I loaded up espn.com tonight I still found myself shaking my head. I'm not sure what I was shaking it in. It wasn't surprise, and it wasn't really disappointment either. The Sports Guy writes about people entering what he terms "the Tyson Zone" (scroll almost all the way to the bottom of the page, or just CTRL+F and search for Tyson Zone for Simmons' explanation). Basically, a person in the Tyson Zone is so crazy that no matter what you hear about them it doesn't really surprise you. I'd like to suggest that all of Major League Baseball has entered into the Tyson Zone. I honestly can't say I'd be shocked by anything at this point. You could tell me that Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux were using at this point, and my only thought would probably be "well they weren't using very effectively since they never topped 90 MPH with their fastballs."

To be clear, I am not saying Glavine or Maddux used, anymore than I think that Griffey used. In fact, of all the superstars from the steroids era, I'd have to say they are the most pristine. But I am saying that nothing could really surprise me anymore. Baseball has put itself in an awful situation, and I'm not sure what they do with it. George Mitchell and his report has got to be considered a bit of a fraud now; there were tons of Yankees on the list and pretty much no Red Sox. Anybody now believe that Mitchell (a Red Sox insider) was, if not actively trying to distort the truth, at the very least actively not trying to taint his team?

You now have even more of the era tainted, but beyond the statistical taint we now have the biggest moment in baseball in my life tainted. Look, McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, A-Rod, they all have one thing in common: they didn't win a World Series. No champions were directly tainted by a huge superstar. But the 2004 Red Sox, with their improbable comeback from down 0-3 to the "hated" Yankees, as well as ending "The Curse of the Bambino" ... well that team was iconic. That team was the single most memorable baseball team in my lifetime. And now they are the single most tainted aspect of baseball's steroids era.

Sure, the individual records have been tainted for some time, but that we can mentally undo. We can mentally say "Maris is still number one with sixty-one" and "Hank Aaron is tops with 755." We can do this all too easily ... but how do we deal with a team who was tainted in such a drastic way? I'm not sure, but I'm pretty certain Bill Simmons is going to have reconsider whether he really can die in peace after all. For once I actually have to agree with Ozzie Guillen: get the list out, the whole list, so we can move on. Get the whole list out, just so we can see how deep this goes, and so we can begin to deal with it.

And so, on a day when my beloved Cubs traded two promising young right-handers for two lefties (one who is average, and one who is awful), I can't even complain about how we blew the chance to get what we really needed (Freddy Sanchez) from the very team we just let rip us off. No, I'm here no longer wondering how we got here ... I'm just wondering where we go from here on out. I finally do have an answer, however, for the Cubs fan who called in to WGN radio after Sosa's positive test. The caller argued that he was now happy that the Cubs collapsed in 2003, blew a 3-1 lead in the NLCS, and brought all the heartbreak on. He was happy because, in light of Sosa's positive test, if we won it would have now been empty. At the time I thought "well, there's another Cubs fan justifying us choking." Now I can't help but agree. Having tainted personal records is one thing. Tainting an entire franchise and a couple of World Series titles? My condolences Mr. Simmons...

The Ten Best Movies of the Decade: The Aughts

We aren't thinking about it like we did ten years ago, but we are within six months of the end of the decade. In 1999 all we heard was how the decade was ending, and we were treated to all kinds of retrospectives on the decade. Sure, it was amplified by the fact that it was also the end of the century, but here we are, almost to August of 2009, and there is very little out there looking back at the decade that was.

As such, I've decided to take a look back at the decade, here and there, and see what I thought of various aspects of the decade. Following up on Bill Simmons' proclamation that "Almost Famous" was the best movie of the decade, I decided I would start by looking at the ten best movies of the aughts. This is a tough topic, because not all movies which won awards or were huge box office successes were necessarily the best movies of the decade. Still, with no further delay, here is my take on the decade's best movies.

10. Gran Torino - 2008

The further away from this movie I get, the more confused I am by its lack of support from the Academy. On paper this movie is everything the Academy loves: Clint Eastwood, a good script, dynamic characters ... I swear that this is the best Eastwood movie I've seen out of all his recent works. "Mystic River" was awful, yet it managed to get all kinds of nominations, leading to Sean Penn stealing the Best Actor Oscar from the much more deserving Bill Murray. "Million Dollar Baby" wasn't bad, but "Torino" was much better. In a way I'm glad this movie didn't get the acclaim because it further solidifies my view that the Academy doesn't really know anything. Sometimes they get one right, and other times they miss by a wide margin. "Torino" was one of the best movies of 2008, and was certainly better than the eventual Best Picture winner, "Slumdog Millionaire" (which, as a side note, I also enjoyed).

9. The 40 Year Old Virgin - 2005

There were a number of comedies in the aughts which were worth the price of admission: "Wedding Crashers," "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," and "The Hangover" all jump to mind. But no other comedy just blew people away like this one. "Virgin" launched Steve Carell to another level, made Judd Apatow a house hold name, and delivered a ton of memorable quotes, moments, and laughs. This is the movie that started it all, as far as aught comedy has gone.

8. Star Trek - 2009

Among the most anticipated movies of the decade, J.J. Abrams and company delivered a knockout win with this epic reinterpretation of Gene Roddenberry's sci-fi classic. It seems that every year there is a movie that redefines what can be done with CGI, but this movie took it to another level. Some of the shots were mind blowing: the Enterprise jumping out of warp into a field full of other ships which had been decimated; the Enterprise lifting out of the mists of Saturn's moon Titan, as the clouds move around it; the Enterprise jumping out of warp and firing at the enemy ship. The role of Spock in present time, played by Zachary Quinto (of "Heroes" fame), was a total success. Leonard Nimoy's reprisal of his Spock role solidified the film, and allowed for a number of goose bump inducing moments which would have otherwise been impossible. Chris Pine was great as Kirk, and Karl Urban rocked as "Bones." It is the rare movie that exceeds expectations, but this film did. Beyond that, I would argue that this film was the best reinterpretation we've seen, even better than "Batman Begins." What Abrams managed to do is pay homage to the past, while creating an alternate universe in which to do whatever he wants free of the past. Just a great film all the way around.

7. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - 2002

I battled over whether to put each of the LOTR movies in individually, or to simply do what I normally do, consider them one mega-movie, and place them in one spot. I eventually settled on giving each its individual due, mostly because of the intricacies in each film which make them stand alone successes. First of all, it's always worth remembering that each of the three movies was nominated for Best Picture, and the "Two Towers" certainly lost to a weak film ("Chicago?!?!" Really?!?!?!?). This film did a great job of bridging the first two installments, and branched the more upbeat, happy feeling of "Fellowship" with the sense of doom presented early in "King." The battle scene at Helm's Deep was the most amazing CG battle I'd seen (until one year later), and the score and visual shots were top notch.


6. Garden State - 2004

Some people won't like this movie at all, and many people seem to have a Zach Braff hatred that I don't understand, but I will always be blown away by the fact that Braff wrote, directed, and starred in this film. "Garden State" is, at the end of the day, a coming of age tale with an amazing sound track and some powerful moments. Natalie Portman delivers an amazing performance, reeling you in and selling you fully on her character. Braff's various friends, played by a number of "that guy" actors including Peter Sarsgaard, each bring a unique and important lesson to the film. "Garden State" is further down this list than it would have been even a few years ago, but it'll hold over time because it fits the time period so well. For anyone who has come of age in the aughts there is a sense of comfort in this movie, as well as one of reality.


5. V For Vendetta - 2005

Now we are into the heavy hitters, and "Vendetta" is the rare movie that actually improves with each viewing. A political drama of sorts, built in the future setting of England, it goes without saying that anyone who lived through the eight years of Dubya should be able to appreciate this movie. Another dynamic performance by Natalie Portman is found in this one, but the movie is carried to greatness by the masked man whose face we never see, V. Played by Hugo Weaving, V is a freedom fighter in his own mind, and a terrorist vigilante in the mind of the totalitarian government that is in control. This movie, if you've never seen it, can give you goosebumps with its eerie similarity to some Bush era actions, and it can give you an appreciation for the strength of this country. As General Hummel would say, once upon a time Jefferson, Adams and Franklin were considered to be traitors, and were thought to be supported by domestic terrorists. They became Patriots. History is always written by the victors, but "Vendetta" shares another view on the concept.

4. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - 2001

I had never read any of the LOTR books before I got drug to the theater to see the first movie. From the opening scene this movie grabbed you. It gave you some of the most enjoyable plot development ever, and it never seemed to drag even as it went near the three hour mark. This movie is more upbeat than the following two, and it delights in showing the intricacies of the life of a hobbit, as well as developing the strong bonds of friendship which make the next two movies as powerful as they are. Again, with memorable moments, spectacular cinematography, and a great score, this movie is a complete package.

3. The Departed - 2006

This movie was loaded with talent, and extremely hyped, but it managed to deliver. After a number of disappointments this was the movie that finally won Martin Scorsese his Academy Award for Best Director. The two main leads, DiCapprio and Damon, both delivered stand-out performances, but the movie is carried by the secondary actors, including Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin. Even with Jack Nicholson's uneven performance (it seems a bit over the top, and almost as if Jack was just mailing it in) this movie delivered the goods.

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - 2003

The greatest movie I will ever see. That was my thoughts leaving the theater in 2003, after the midnight showing of "King" on opening night. Those were my thoughts for each of the concurrent years. And yet, somehow, it only comes in number two on this list. But before I get to the film that unseated this masterpiece, let's appreciate ROTK for what it was. Peter King has received a great deal of criticism from Christopher Tolkien (LOTR author J.R.R. Tolkien's son) for his interpretation of the books. Christopher is dead wrong. Peter King's work in this series was amazing, and this film was his masterpiece. If you watch all three you aren't human if you don't get caught up in the character development. The seeds, planted in "Fellowship" and nurtured in "Towers" bloom fully in this film. The epic battle scene before the white city blows the battle in "Two Towers" away. The film flows without missing a step, and it left me wanting more, which should be impossible after nearly nine hours of film. Among the highest grossing films of all time, "Return of the King" is an all time great film, narrowly edged out as the best film of the decade by...

1. The Dark Knight - 2008

There is no denying this film its rightful place. Heath Ledger delivers an epic performance, turning you on your head. I remember when they announced that the follow up to "Batman Begins" (a great film itself) was going to focus on the character of The Joker. My brother and I both were in total agreement that this was an awful idea, because Jack had defined the role already. When they announced that Ledger would play the role I became even more skeptical. Very quickly I was proven wrong, as this movie was carried across the goal line by Ledger's amazing showing. Sure, there were other moments in this movie (mostly delivered by a stellar supporting cast including Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart), but when Ledger was on screen he stole the show. The most legitimate complaint I've heard about this film is that it wasn't enough of a Batman film; that is, the film isn't really about Batman. That's true, and given Christian Bale's lackluster performance, that might be a good thing. But this movie is an all-time great, and it will stand the test of time.

The Way It's Supposed To Be

It's a beautiful thing really. When I look at the numbers I can't help but smile, and think to myself "this is how it's supposed to work, how it's supposed to happen." He's swinging away, with a batting average of .211, with ten home runs, with a paltry 27 RBI. He's 39 now, and we've watched him since he was 19. We saw his rise, his era of dominance. We thought "that's how it's supposed to be" when he made his triumphant return home, and then we hurt with him when it didn't work out in fairy tale fashion. Now he's back to his first home, and he's doing it the right way.

If you never followed Ken Griffey Jr. closely, if you don't remember him when he was "The Kid" then perhaps this makes little difference to you. But he is, as Princess Leia would tell Ben Kenobi, "our only hope." One by one every epic slugger from his generation has fallen. McGwire won't talk about the past. Sosa can't speak English under pressure, and tested positive in 2003. Bonds' head is three times the size it was when he was first winning MVPs. A-Rod and Manny fell this year as well, one to the 2003 tests, and the other to his thirst for female fertility drugs. Palmerio, one of the few 3,000 hit, 500 HR men in baseball history tested positive shortly after telling Congress he never had, and never would use steroids. These men fell under the pressure to be the best, the desire to make more money and extend their careers. Somehow, it would seem, Griffey rose above it all.

All of this is a moot point if he ends up being tied to PEDs, but I can't believe he will. He drop off was far too steep, far too real for someone who was cheating. Look at Bonds, and his numbers from age 35 on: they are otherworldly. Griffey, the one who was always there, always the next legend, became very human at just the right time. He took the pay cut to go "back home" to Cincinnati, the place he saw his father win it all (it might seem crazy to praise Jr. for taking less when he still made over $100 million, but consider that he could have made twice that on the open market and it does come into focus). And from there on out the wheels fell off.

Griffey hit at least 40 home runs seven times in his big league career, but none of them occurred after he turned 31. He won 9 Gold Glove awards for his stellar defense in center field, but none after he turned 30. He limped into a few All Star games after 30, but only because the fans wanted him there. Griffey's career breaks drastically into two eras: 1989-1999 and 2000-2009. In the first he was "The Kid," and he was good enough to be named to baseball's All-Century team in 1999. He was epic, an icon. In the second era he was injured constantly; quite frankly, his legs gave out on him. He struggled to stay healthy, and along with his legs went his defensive prowess, his power, his average ... just about everything.

He was just never right after leaving Seattle for Cincinnati. He took less to go to his father's team, but never got the magic, and never won. Last year he finally, after a few years of trade rumors, accepted a trade to the South Side of Chicago, but he hit only 3 home runs in over 40 games there, and was out of the post-season almost before it began. And this off season, when faced with the choice of more money and the weaker NL pitching with the Braves, or going back home, Griffey did what we all long to do. He went home. He went back where there was a fan base that would appreciate him, that would support him, that would embrace him. Even in his current state, Seattle looks at Griffey and sees The Kid, not the old man he has become.

And when you think about it, this is how it's supposed to happen, this is how a legend realistically can go out. When you ask a 39 year old to hang it up, end his career, and move into retirement you can't expect it to be pretty. Sports history is peppered with instances of all time greats who can't leave on top. And baseball, in particular, illustrates this trend brilliantly.

Looking at baseball's most sacred fraternity, the 600 home run club, really shows you all you need to know. Bonds and Sosa have joined the 600 home run club, but neither of them are clean, and as such I won't consider them here. When you look at the other 3 members, the big three, then it becomes more apparent:Hank Aaron's last year saw him hit .229, Willie Mays hit .211 in his final year, and Babe Ruth hit only .181 on his way out. When seen in this context, Griffey fits in just right, sitting right with Mays at .211. That Griffey was humble enough to take this road, a road which, in the steroids era, was most certainly the road less taken ... we were blessed to see this, even if we don't yet appreciate it. He could have juiced, he could have gone the route Bonds did. Both of these men were all time greats without steroids; only one decided that being among the greatest was enough. Griffey could have fallen in with the other sluggers of his era, and he might have hit 800 home runs. Look at his career numbers; if you factor in the quicker recovery time and training benefits into his 2000-2009 stats it isn't that crazy of an idea. But then he wouldn't be an all time great: he'd be a cheat. Appreciate Griffey while you can, because he has done it with class, and there aren't too many like him left.

View From The Road - Days 5 and 6

Now that I have a moment to work with the pictures, here is the final day in DC, plus the journey home. On Sunday (day 5) we saw the natural history museum; day 6 took us past Antietam National Battlefield. On to the pictures:

- What happened to Calvin?


- Bad day to be the prey...


- This is my distant cousin? Not the last time I would think it might be fun to tour this museum with Sarah Palin...

- Don't mess with the kitty...

- Here is another time I thought I would like to have Mrs. Palin around ... just to ask her if this was the dinosaur who ate her distant relative a few thousand years ago ... you know, when she thought dinosaurs walked the earth. She was almost our Vice President. Wow.

- It's really impressive to see how big a T-Rex is in person.

- Here is the Hope Diamond

- Our view from the right field bleachers during Sunday's game. We were in the first row, right above the Nationals' bullpen. Great seats for all four games.

- Once the Cubs put 7 runs up in the 4th we saw an awful lot of action in the Nationals' pen, right under our feet.

- I think I'm going through President withdraw already

- Four games in four days: four wins. Bring out the brooms, because for once we actually took care of business

- A shot of the church at Antietam, behind which the Confederate ranks of Stonewall Jackson were positioned

- The sunken road at Antietam. A handful of Confederates held this line for quite some time, inflicting heavy casualties. They eventually fell back, but held at a later point when reinforcements arrived. All in all, Antietam was the bloodiest single day of the entire Civil War.

The Multi-Step Dance to War

As I am getting ready to leave for Chicago to go to a White Sox game (yuck!) I was looking over the New York Times, a habit which I developed while in school, and still follow. Today there were two headlines which grabbed my attention. The first was about Obama's news conference, scheduled for tonight, in which he is expected to articulate again his argument for health care reform. The Times argues that this fight over health care could be the "defining moment" of Obama's Presidency. I sincerely doubt that it will be the defining moment, as it is almost impossible to identify the defining moment of a President's term until quite a way down the road. Furthermore, when defining moments happen, they usually occur in the realm of foreign policy. Think about it:

-Dubya had 9-11 and Iraq as his defining moments (even if Katrina should be in there it won't be)
- Papa Bush had the 1st Gulf War
- Reagan had the fall of the USSR
- Carter had the Iranian Revolution and the taking of the US Embassy
- LBJ had Vietnam
- JFK had the Cuban Missile Crisis

In other words, in the post WWII era (A.K.A. the era of USA as "superpower") the majority of Presidents have been defined by a foreign policy issue. Even Nixon would likely would have been remembered for his trip to China and his Cold War diplomacy had he not been a paranoid idiot (see Watergate). Even going back to Truman's second term, Korea was his defining moment, so the trend holds. That leaves us with three post-WWII Presidents who are not easily defined by Foreign Policy issues (Eisenhower, Ford and Clinton), and a fourth who would have been if he wasn't so stupid (Nixon). Eisenhower's presidency was largely uneventful, except for the whole nuclear proliferation thing, so I suppose you could throw him in with the others. Ford pardoned Nixon ... that's pretty much his defining moment, I guess. It's hard to say what Clinton's defining moment would have been, but it's pretty easy to recognize that it is Monica. So, if you're keeping score at home, the post WWII presidency, starting it with Truman's second term, looks a little something like this:

- 11 Presidents
- 7 who are easily defined by a Foreign Policy moment (Truman, JFK, LBJ, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, Bush II)
- 1 who, after much thought, probably would be defined by Foreign Policy more than anything (Eisenhower)
- 1 who, if he wasn't an idiot, would have been defined by Foreign Policy and as a great diplomat (Nixon)
- 1 who didn't really do anything other than bail out his predecessor (Ford)
- 1 who couldn't keep it in his pants (Clinton)

And so, if you're a betting person, would you bet that health care reform will be the "defining moment" of Obama's presidency? I certainly wouldn't, and that brings me to the second article from the New York Times which caught my eye. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is starting to throw the idea out there that the US might be looking into extending a security blanket over the Middle East. In practical terms, this means that the US would guarantee the security of many (mostly Sunni) Arab nations in exchange for them helping us to counter the growing Iranian power and prestige in the Gulf. While the article is quick to note that Clinton did not mention fortifying these nations militarily, that is the logical end to this problem. If Iran continues to push forward, and if the Security Council remains split due to China and Russia's loyalties and economic investments in Iran, the next logical step (according to US history) would be for the US is to begin heavily backing other key players in the region. We've done it before, and it would not shock me to see us do it again.

If I was betting on what will become the defining moment for Obama, I'd take a long hard look here. The Iranian situation is not going to go away easily or quietly. The Supreme Leader has dug in for the battle, even in the face of the Clerical establishment splintering between the old guard and the reformist wing. Ahmadinejad will come out of this election cycle significantly weakened, but that will likely only embolden him to try to regain that power. He does not seem, to me, to be a player who will be content to simply hold the office. He is an all or nothing thinker, and will try to find the time to reassert himself. So long as Ahmadinejad has control of the Revolutionary Guard and the other key aspects of the Iranian military and government you can bet he will push forward with his nuclear ambitions. Khaminei seems to have made his bed with Ahmadinejad; he will seemingly choose to lay in it. Barring some internal upheaval, led by Rafsanjani (who alone might have the ability to move the Clerical establishment and the populace, and is seen on the left), the change we desire in Iran is unlikely to come from within.



To that end, the question for Obama will be can that change come from without. I sincerely doubt that anything positive will come from US meddling here, but we may not end up having choice. The Obama administrations has been treading very carefully along these lines, and that should continue. They cannot forget that the regimes we would be fortifying in the Gulf are, in almost every case, less democratic and more tyrannical than the regime we seek to dispose of in Tehran. Backing the Saudis, the Egyptians ... this might seem like the logical move, and it may very well be the best move. But we need to be well aware of the long term ramifications of our actions. Lest we forget, it has barely been twenty years since a war we sponsored to rid the world of the Mullahs ended.
We supported Saddam Hussien in that war, and less than twenty years after he failed to crush Iran we ended up sacrificing a great deal to discard him. The very monster we made (the picture above shows Saddam shaking hands with none other than Donald Rumsfeld). Those who do not learn history are bound to repeat the same mistakes; hopefully the Obama administration will continue to think long and hard before it takes any brash action towards the Iranians.

Quick Hits - A Great Read, Plus ...

I'm happy to hear that a number of you enjoyed the picture diary which covered the trip to Washington D.C. I will have day five (Museum of Natural History and Game 4 of the Cubs - Nats) as well as day six (the journey home: a look at Antietam National Battlefield) up by the end of the week if all goes well. As you might expect, I'm swamped with reality getting back from vacation. The real world, it seems, never waits for you to be ready for it. It keeps on moving without you.

Needless to say, this trip was made that much better by the fact that I had the chance to share it with my father. He kept up with me the whole time, and we saw more in a handful of days than most people would see in two weeks if I had to guess. It was one to remember, and the pictures I shared with you, and will share again later this week, are a small sample of nearly 1,000 pictures which were taken. There's evidence of this trip aplenty.

On to some quick thoughts and observations:

- Is Sonya Sotomayor a controversial figure, or is the GOP making her out to be one when she really isn't? I'm not going to draw conclusions here, but just consider the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings, as well as the works of Antonin Scalia. If she's controversial, she'll certainly fit in with some of her more conservative brethren.

- This article, by Bill Simmons, is spectacular. I've enjoyed following his career, and I'm glad he's not doing ESPN Mag columns anymore. He's right: the space never really suited him, although he did his best. Simmons is one of a kind, and continues to secure his place as my favorite sportswriter. Congratulations to The Sports Dad as well. Sounds like he's a good man.

- The Cubs record with my dad and I in attendance this year: 4-0. Last night they lost 10-1. We are accepting donations to follow the club the rest of the year.

- Michael Vick has served his time, and he should eventually be allowed to attempt a return to the NFL. If rehabilitation is the end goal of this country's criminal justice system, then we have to give him a chance. This article, by Chris Mortenson, however, makes a good argument that a test run in the UFL this fall might be the best option.

- Finally, in his article Simmons says something I've long noted: we expect professional athletes to walk away at their peak, when they still have half their life left to live. If you think about it like that it makes the Brett Favre's, Michael Jordan's and others of the world make more sense. It explains why Tom Glavine was trying to hold on this year. It makes you wonder what you'd do if you were in their shoes.

View From The Road - Day 4: Bull Run and Game 3

Today we took the trip down the road to Manassas Battle Field, A.K.A. "The Battle of Bull Run." It was pretty neat to see the place where the Civil War's first battle unfolded, but it was also equally eye opening to note how small the battle field was. I've been to Gettysburg twice; I've reenacted the Battle of Gettysburg once. I've studied the Civil War in pretty strong detail. But until I stepped onto the field at Manassas I don't know that the sheer size of Gettysburg really set in. The first battle of the Civil War took place with the Union and Confederate lines only 350 yards apart. Three and a half football fields; less than three if you factor in the endzones. Mindblowing. On to a few pictures from today:

- Here's a shot of the Union lines at the top of Henry Hill.

- A cannon on the Union lines. The battle ended when the Confederate forces, some dressed in Union colors, took the Union's right flank, and their artillery with it.


- A shot from behind the cannon


- "Stonewall" Jackson's statue. He got his nickname on this battlefield, as his Virginia infantry held the Confederate line.


- The Confederate artillery line across the field.


- A monument erected on the battlefield in the late 1860s by Union veterans. It is dedicated to "the patriots."


- There were Civil War reenactors there ... and I was not missing being in the wool uniforms, let me tell you.


- The grave of Judith Henry, who was in her 80s at the time of the battle, and who died due to a union artilery shot which went through her house. She was born in 1776, at the birth of the union, and died as a casualty of the first battle of the war that promised to tear the union apart.


- Walking into the ballpark ... for a third straight night.

- A shot from behind the leftfield bleechers down the line.


- In Milwaukee they have a sausage race. In D.C. they have racing presidents. I am much more interested in racing presidents. I want the T-shirt that says "let Teddy win." And I'm still glad Randall Simon hit one of the racing sausages.


- There is something about singing the Star-Spangled Banner in D.C. at the ballgame that gets to you. And, let me tell you, the kid who sang it tonight killed it. He was amazing, and couldn't have been older than nine or ten.


- The seventh inning stretch was, once again, Cubs time ...


- ... and this particular Nats fan, #3, was unhappy there were so many Cubs fans. Every time we went nuts he turned and stared. He was mad at the start, but we eventually broke his will. Then we bought him a beer. It was a close game, but he left in the 8th having lost hope.

- 'Nuff said.

View From The Road - Day 3: SCOTUS, Capitol, Space and Cubbies

Day three is in the books, and let me tell you, I think I've walked fifteen miles at least in the past few days. Everything in this city is so big that it seems close, until you walk to it and it just keeps hanging there in the background. Today was a less ambitious schedule, but we still saw alot, including:

- The Supreme Court of the United States
- The US Capitol building
- The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
- Game two of the Cubs - Nationals series, featuring my man - Big Z

On to the shots:


-The US Capitol as we walked towards it


- The Capitol with the Grant Memorial dead center in front of it


- U.S. Grant: giving hope to whiskey drinkers since the 1860s (at least)


- The back of the Capitol


- The Supreme Court building ... awe inspiring up close. The architecture really can't be done justice here, but through these shots I'll try to give you an idea of how awesome it is.


- "Equal Justice Under The Law"


- The Capitol building from the steps of the Supreme Court


- The best shot I could manage of the court room itself. There was a 25 minute lecture that took place inside (no pictures allowed) and let me tell you, it was awesome. Not the lecture itself mind you; I already knew almost everything that was said, and actually had to correct the lecturer with head nods at one point. What was amazing was sitting there, FEET from the chair the Chief Justice sits in, taking it all in. A special place.


- Statue of John Marshall


- The handwritten notes that Abraham Lincoln used when he argued the Lewis v. Lewis case in front of the Supreme Court.


- John Marshall's bust inside the Supreme Court's main hall. There is one for every deceased Chief Justice, all of them in the main hall. Unfortunately they have not completed the bust for Big Willy Rehnquist. I will have to come back.

- Inside the Capitol done, and a close up of the painting at the top, which depicts George Washington by a rainbow in a purple dress ... um, I still think HGH George is the best George.

- The Library of Congress ... so many books.

- The last remaining piece of Sputnik. I've got to be honest: the Air and Space Museum wasn't as good as it could be. I just felt a little disappointed. Maybe it's how well read I am in regards to astronomy, but it seemed a little more amateurish when compared with the American History Museum.

- An Apollo Lunar Suit ...

- ... and the Apollo 11 rover.

- The actual Wright Brother's airplane. I've got to admit, this was pretty cool.

- At the game, the man of the hour was Z. The crowd went nuts for him.

- Zambrano walking out from the bullpen to start the game, while a handful of Cubs relievers walk out to the 'pen.

- When I saw that Lenny Harris was playing second tonight I was worried The Attorney General was out of the lineup. I was relieved that he was in the lineup at shortstop. He didn't have the greatest night, but at least he had the scorekeeper arrested after he was assessed an error in the first.

- There was a little rain, and some great conversation between us and the people around us, so here is the last pitch of the game, delivered by Kevin Gregg...

- ... 'Nuff said.