Rain Delay Theater

 

New Lenox, IL - Ahhhhhh, the good old days when baseball broadcasters would vamp for an hour during a rain delay and show you the 1974 World Series highlights between the A's and the Dodgers so you could relive the Joe Ferguson throw on a Reggie Jackson would-be SAC fly to hose Sal Bando at the plate as you were waiting on the fate of your last place Cubs or White Sox meaningless game to be played or not. Allow us the pleasure of taking you back 48 years for a classic World Series moment as described by a classic broadcasting crew.  Click here to take a walk down memory lane.  And no, the laughter at the 14 second mark is not Uncle Gary although you'd swear it was him.  As far as the Gnaturals, there was some mild debate among Gnaturals as to whether do a rain dance or not for tonight's game.  Some want to play today to keep momentum going and try to beat up on the Demons for the second week in a row and the third time this year.  Others don't want a rainout in fear that the temps in two weeks will be freezing cold.  Many don't want to play the game tonight to keep the team in tact in two weeks, providing a win next week against the Demons, as Jake Koz will be going on his honeymoon a year removed from the wedding next week and would miss the final four.  All in all, Mother Nature does whatever she wants and that, in fact was the first rainout of the Fall Season.  Everything is pushed back one week as the Gnaturals take on the Demons on October 18th at 6:30PM in the first round of the Fall League Playoffs.

Noteables:

Crown Their Asses - Was what Dennis Green infamously shouted to the press in 2006 after his Cardinals lost a game to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football in which he added "They are who we thought they are".  Well, the league is who we thought they are by pulling out the slide rule and scientific calculator and delving into the Pythagorean look into season run differential.  Every team came within a game of their expected record so not many interesting facts exist here but a couple.  The Demons should have won at least one regular season game yet they went winless on the Fall campaign.  The Scrappers continue to overachieve as they finished 4-4 but should have finished 3-5 according to the math.  They are an enigma to face in the playoffs as they are an average team that can step up and outscore their opponents in slugfests.  Ivy League could have their hands full in the first round if they underestimate The Scrappers.  

First Round Thoughts - Brew Jays struggle in the first game of the playoffs and face Rhino Sealcoat.  Is Barta going to face himself?  Is he going to switch jerseys?   How about a "two-face" jersey in which he can pitch right-handed for one team and left-handed for the other?  Take Rhinos and the points.  Some on the Gnats were doing some hand wringing about not going undefeated.  The one loss is a blessing in disguise.  The numbers say that the Gnats should have been 6-2, which means that some magic would have been exhausted in going undefeated.  Lastly, undefeated is an extra target on your back that other teams seem to relish knocking off.  The 2022 Fall Gnats are the most quiet first place team in the history of the league and still not getting much notice......which is a good thing.

No Fan, No Sage - Zlogar powered up a fan and tried to ward off the rain but an Amazon delivery person tripped over the cord and kicked the plug from the outlet....hence the rain.  It might take a week for the sage to dry out so Pratl might be borrowing Z's fan and keeping off the front porch while trying to dry out the herb.

Lord Speedykins - We eluded to a preseason four man foot race in last week's Gazette but never mentioned who won the Gnat Invitational, Jack or Jake.  Well, it was Jake who took the race by a narrow margin.  The race was somewhere in the 35 to 40 yard range.  Jake broke alertly, steadily built up a narrow advantage to the midway point, and was all out to hold safe.  Congratulations to Jake on the win.  

Second - Jeff came away from the gate in good order.  Raced evenly and closed late to narrow the margin and miss by a long nose.

Arik - Broke the sharpest.  Was quickly displaced for the lead a couple strides out of the gate.  Dueled foe on the inside and was the best of the rest.

 

Wah Wah Wah Wah - Jack broke outwardly.  Showed little and never menaced while finishing fourth.

The Gnat Derby - All of this talk about racing is surely going to spark some interest in a team race in the near future.  Stapes has long strides and can gobble up ground.  Sutes is a tall lanky guy with long strides as well.  Pratl played soccer so surely he has a 40 yard burst in his repertoire.  If Z would take off at the start and not do the Freddie Boy shuffle in mid-air, he could finish in the money.  What about the guy who has conserved energy every week by walking to first instead of running, Dylan might have something up his sleeve.  One thing is for sure, if there is a head to head betting option, the Gazette might put some money on Ken to edge out Ry.

Sute Street - Sunday was a fun day at the House of Sutes.  Viking flag flying high, the team spanking the Bears 21-3 right before half and all good.  Until the shit Bears scored before the half, after the half, figured out how to stop the Viking offense, and even took the lead for a hot minute.   Then the Bears woke up and realized that they don't have a lot of talent these days and gave up the winning score while not protecting the ball to end the game.  I think it might be time for that Yankee flag.  Wonder who the hockey team of choice is over there???

Fore - Arik and Koz hit the links over the weekend to end the week long celebration of taking the Fall Regular Season title.  Gazette camera person Anita Shootbetter was there to catch the happy twosome tailgating in the parking lot.

Jack O' Lantern - Jack and Lauren II are seen here at a local Halloween shop.  As seen here, Lauren is looking for a Nest costume so that she could let Jack know how it feels to "not be able to touch the thermostat".  Jack is looking intently for a costume to enhance his speed.  Among the costumes he's looking for include; The Flash, Super Man, The Jake, The Jeff, and The Arik.  Thank you to Gazette staffer Dizzy Borden for catching the newlyweds in mid-shop.

Matt Moment - Old Schoolers should remember the Gazette weekly feature, Bags Corner, which chronicled the most interesting Master Batter at the time Jimmy Bags.  Seems like we might have ourselves a reprise with Sutes always surrounding himself with "interesting".  Our favorite shortstop is under the weather tonight and having some "soup" from a can to cure his ills.  Tonight's rainout may have also saved Sutes $1000 in that he likely would have had his smart phone fall out of his pocket and get spiked while listening to the Cleveland/NY game and simultaneously executing a rundown between 2nd and 3rd.  
 

Meet the New Boss -  To anyone going to the United Center tomorrow evening, have a good time all the time!

Hmmmmph - Replacing the old dishwasher and am laying underneath the sink and look out to see this.  Only been living here since 2000 and know that the cabinets are made by Tri-Star BUT have never seen this before and it is literally on the top inside panel that I open daily.  Wowsers