Against “Saved by Zero”

Esquire looks into how the world’s most annoying commercial came to be.

Philadelphia, City of Champions

Philadelphia’s 25-year, 100-season sports championship drought finally ended tonight, as the Phillies beat the Rays 4-3 in Game 5 to win the 2008 World Series and bring the Curse of William Penn to an end.
Much as I’ve made fun over the years of this city’s crazy fans and their relentless negativity, they deserved this win, and I’m generally happy for them. They supported their team, and kept the faith, even after that ridiculous 48-hour rain delay in the middle of Game 5. The Phils were undefeated at home in the postseason, losing only one road game in each series.
I’m happy for the players too, and especially manager Charlie Manuel, who took so much undeserved abuse and was widely expected to be fired two years ago.
The celebration will go late into the night tonight, with a parade to follow on Friday.

Warmed-Over Lumet

My review of the feeble cop film “Pride and Glory” is online at Philly.com.

Kima, Cutty and Marlo Agree

Hi-Ya!

I review the DVD of “The Foot Fist Way” on North Star.

Stoned

My review of “W” has been posted to to Philly.com

Blame It on the Rain

I expected the Phillies last night to either win the World Series or lose Game 5 and head back to Tampa for Game 6. Instead, they did “none of the above.”
In baseball’s version of the Florida recount, Game 5 was suspended in the middle of the 6th inning after the entire game was played in a downpour, leading to an uncommonly sloppy field. MLB announced today that the game wouldn’t be resumed Tuesday either, so a “mini-game” is likely for Wednesday. It’s a first in baseball history, and they’ve been playing World Series since 1903.
Everyone in Philly is killing Bud Selig for allowing the 6th inning to begin (which led to the game being tied), as well as for suspending the general rule that if a game ends after five innings, it gets called and the team ahead gets a rain-shortened victory. Apparently, however, no one knew about this in advance, including the players.
I think Selig was in an impossible situation and chose one of the least-bad options, yet still came off like an idiot, since he might be the least PR-savvy commissioner in league history.
Still, it’s a disappointment that Philly’s 25 years of futility must continue for at least a couple more days. On the bright side, the Phils will resume the series with an extra turn at bat, and the series has been delayed enough that Cole Hamels may be available for a potential Game 7.

Quote of the Day

Christopher HItchens, on the woman McCain’s advisor calls a “whack job”:

This is what the Republican Party has done to us this year: It has placed within reach of the Oval Office a woman who is a religious fanatic and a proud, boastful ignoramus. Those who despise science and learning are not anti-elitist. They are morally and intellectually slothful people who are secretly envious of the educated and the cultured. And those who prate of spiritual warfare and demons are not just “people of faith” but theocratic bullies. On Nov. 4, anyone who cares for the Constitution has a clear duty to repudiate this wickedness and stupidity.

Dead Flesh, Walking Corpse

And that’s the word:

McCain, Down in a Hole

News Item: “Wire” cast members campaign for Obama in North Carolina
I guess Baltimore’s sort of in his column anyway.