ESB

I spent Memorial Day weekend moving more stuff to Boston, getting my driver's license & visiting Rockport (3 all-day adventures). Continuing my streak of travel difficulties, my Thursday night flight was cancelled due to inclimate weather in Chicago (I guess... didn't seem like much to me). I had to beg & plead just to reschedule a flight the next morning. Otherwise my original flight plans were revised to Friday afternoon.

Rockport's a cool little fishing village 35 miles northeast of Boston, which is about a 40-minute trip on the high-speed commuter rail from the city. It's a smaller version of Gloucester - in fact, it was Gloucester until it separated in the mid-1800's. The town is basically a few blocks of small gift shops & bed 'n breakfasts on the ocean. It's the place to go for a more romantic, quiet weekend.

According to Wikipedia, Rockport was a "dry town" all the way up until 2005. I guess it took 150 years to recover from the rum revolt of 1856 when a gang of 200 women "swept through the town and destroyed anything containing alcohol". Interesting read

I've made my pledge. Have you?

"3,992 people have already stepped up to the plate and pledged to pee their pants when the Brewers make the playoffs."

www.peeyourpantsforthebrewers.com

I love bowling. What other sport does your performance actually improve as your alcohol consumption increases? I just bowled my first 700 series with games of 204 257 240. We always drink heavily during bowling league, but for the first time I even went to Happy Hour at Quivey’s Grove beforehand. I love the moral of this story!

I found out that in bowling circles "700" is a magic number. After hearing about it, all these old dudes started buying me celebratory shots like I just got married. I even made Ten Pin Alley’s Honor Roll! It’s sad that my life’s pleasures are coming to this...

I still really don't know what I'm doing. Most dudes in our league bring at least 4 balls for different oil conditions on the lane. Plus they adjust their aim down to an inch based on how their ball is reacting. Me? I just throw it & hope for the best. That's what I like about bowling over other sports like golf & tennis: it's pretty simple if you let it.

My average last year was 167. Then I bought my own ball & was pressured to learn the hook since I was the only straight-baller in our league. My average then reached 200 for one week before settling in the low 190s.

Everybody has a talent - mine happens to be drinking lots of beer & throwing a greasy ball 50 feet. I should retire since I'll never get a 700 again.

Best record in baseball - are you kidding me??? While I don't think their.700 pace will continue, I do think the Brew Crew are for real & will win the weak NL Central. The respect has been slow to come, but they're now at the top of the ESPN Power Rankings.

While I've been an on-and-off Bucks & Packer fan, I've been a consistant Brewer supporter my whole life. And trust me, that's a tough hobby! They're the ultimate underdog unable to compete in a flawed MLB system where only the large market teams can compete. But they've done it the only way a small market team can by bringing up young studs from the farm system & signing/trading for undervalued players. Now Prince, JJ, Weeks & Sheets are all entering their prime while Suppan, Capuano, Vargas & Estrada are potential All-Stars. And it's great to see Jenkins having his best year (too bad we'll be trading him in a couple months).

But Brewer fans have been here before & remain skeptical whether we can resign these young studs once their contracts expire. But this time the empty pockets of the Selig family no longer remain. Attanasio, the new owner, has raised the payroll from just $27 million to $70 in just 3 years!

We went to the Brewer game last weekend against the Pirates. This time we actually got in the stadium before the 7th inning stretch! The Crew won 6-3 with Suppan winning his 5th straight game & JJ hitting his 10th home run. I believe it was a sellout with 41,000 fans.

Afterwards we went to the only bar in Milwaukee that was showing the De La Hoya/Mayweather fight. I was stunned that it was a split decision! Mayweather was just toying with Oscar the entire fight.